Chapter 16
Chapter
Sixteen
Serena
The afternoon is busy, between doing what seems like endless loads of laundry, keeping an eye on Joey, and then helping West make dinner for the whole crew.
We opt for pasta since that’s easiest, and I watch him make an alfredo sauce from scratch that makes my mouth water.
I’m a pretty good cook, but he’s a natural.
The way he whisks the cream shows a man who’s not just comfortable in the kitchen but also enjoys it.
Just like I do.
I put together a rosemary garlic butter to make garlic bread as he sautés chicken breasts in a pan to put on the pasta.
It’s a lot of food, but there are nine of us.
Viktor, Simon, and Felix fill their plates and then go eat in another room while Bodi, Jayne, Lindy, West, Joey, and I settle around the large island.
Joey is excited to be on a grown-up stool, and he’s already become Lindy’s shadow.
She seems to be enjoying it, though, and keeps him entertained as we eat.
I can’t remember the last time someone took over with Joey, beyond when he’s at daycare or the rare occasion I bring him to school with me for a special event, and it’s nice to just be able to breathe. Talk to adults. Enjoy a glass of wine without worrying about driving or Joey or anything, really.
“Where do you work, Serena?” Jayne asks me.
“Peachtree Academy,” I reply.
“That’s where I go!” Lindy interjects. “Are you a teacher?”
“No, I run the cafeteria,” I reply. “I create all the recipes and meals for breakfast and lunch.”
“I love the turkey tetrus,” Lindy says solemnly.
I squint trying to figure out what she means. “Turkey tetrazzini?”
“That’s it!” She grins at me.
I want to say I recognize her but there are a lot of kids at lunchtime and there are four separate lunch groups since the school runs kindergarten through twelfth grade.
“I’m glad you like it. What about the brownies?”
“Those are yummy too!”
I wink at West. “See?”
He chuckles. “Now I need to try them.”
We talk about recipes and food, and he mentions our cook-off.
“I was looking at the calendar,” he says. “How does Saturday the seventeenth sound? We have games Friday and Sunday, so we should be pretty flexible that Saturday since we’ll likely only have practice in the morning.”
“Works for me,” Bodi says.
“I work at the library that day,” Jayne says, “but I’ll be home in plenty of time for dinner.”
“I’ll text the other boys,” West says. “And if we’re making osso bucco, let’s invite Coach.”
“I’m looking forward to this,” I say. “What should we make for dessert?”
“Cookies!” Joey chirps. “The kind with white chocolate.”
He loves my white chocolate raspberry cookies.
“I can make those for you but the grown-ups will probably want something a little fancier.”
“I like cookies,” Bodi says with a grin.
“I was thinking I’d make flan,” I say.
“Having you around is not going to be good for my waistline!” Jayne says, laughing.
“Your waistline is just fine,” Bodi says, kissing her.
West is sitting next to me and reaches over to put one hand on my thigh. It’s not overt or even sexual really, just an affectionate touch, letting me know we’re together.
“Since you two cooked,” Jayne says, “Bodi and I will clean up. That way you can get Joey in the bath, since I know he’s looking forward to that.”
“Bath!” Joey says with a grin.
“It’s his favorite thing,” I laugh.
It’s nice not having to clean the kitchen, so I take Joey up to West’s bathroom and watch his eyes widen when he sees the tub.
“I can swim there!” he says, staring at me.
“Not quite but yes, it’s big.”
“Can we live here, Mommy?”
I chuckle and turn on the water. “No, we’re just visiting.”
West comes in and out while Joey’s in the bath, finishing up packing.
As I watch him, I realize it’s going to be weird when he leaves.
Living in his house, sleeping in his bed, and driving his very expensive SUV.
I’m a good, safe driver, especially since Joey is usually with me, but I’m a little intimidated by driving something that isn’t mine.
I want to say something but everything is settled as far as he’s concerned. And I guess it is for me too.
I don’t want to go home yet.
There’s nothing but ice and snow and a wood stove I’m not good at starting a fire in. I’m closer to work from here too, even though I don’t go back until Monday.
“Do you need anything?” he asks me as I dry Joey off and help him get ready for bed.
“I don’t think so.”
“Lindy wants him to sleep downstairs in the den with her,” he says, sitting on the edge of the bed. “How do you feel about that?”
I pause. “I don’t have any feelings about it except the worry if he wakes up and is momentarily confused.”
“I not confused, Mommy,” he says, sitting up. “I sleep with Lindy. She’s my friend.”
“We set the alarm at night, so if any doors are opened without turning it off, we’ll know. He can’t wander off,” West says quietly.
That’s a relief.
“All right. Tonight you can sleep with Lindy.”
“Yay!” He does a little dance and then grabs the stuffed animals we brought with us.
“Ready?” I ask.
It takes a little while to get him settled and read him a story, but he seems unusually ready to sleep and Lindy doesn’t seem to mind the earlier bedtime.
“I like to read in bed,” she tells us solemnly.
“Just let me know if he’s a problem,” I tell her.
She nods, far more mature for her age than I would have expected.
“Lindy’s had a rough few months,” West explains as we go back upstairs. “Both her parents are in prison, and while I’m not sure she completely understands what that means, she obviously knows Mommy and Daddy aren’t here anymore.”
“She seems really well-adjusted,” I say.
“Bodi and Jayne got her into therapy immediately, so that probably has helped. Plus, she and Jayne were already really close. That part of it has been seamless. And the guys have been really good with her. Vik is teaching her Russian and she helps him practice writing in English. Felix talks to her in French, and she answers in English. I have no idea how they communicate, but they laugh a lot, so who am I to question it?”
I chuckle. “What about Simon?”
“Simon is like the fun uncle. He plays with her outside when the weather permits and is teaching her how to keep stats on our games.”
That makes me laugh. “Does she even know what stats are?”
“She does now.”
“And you?” I ask gently. “What’s your role in her life?”
He hesitates. “I’m kind of the cranky uncle.”
I cock my head curiously. “How does being the cranky uncle work?”
“I’m a responsible adult who’s ready and able to step in if necessary, but I don’t really get involved otherwise.”
I stare into his handsome face trying to read between the lines.
“You don’t like kids,” I say cautiously.
He sighs. “No, I do. I just…”
“You got attached to a kid and she was yanked out of your life.”
“Something like that.”
“It’s okay to want to be cautious. I’m right there with you.
Look how quickly Joey got attached to Lindy?
It scares me because if things don’t work out with us, he’s going to not just lose you, but all the people in this house who he’s already starting to accept as part of his life.
There are always risks in life. We do our best to minimize them, but the potential for hurt is everywhere. ”
“Are you afraid I’ll hurt you?” he asks quietly.
“A little,” I admit. “But the truth is, you’ve been nothing but kind and caring.
We’re both a little gun-shy, but that actually makes it better, not worse, because there’s no pressure.
We’re on the same page with wanting to keep things casual, and your friendship has already become important to me.
” I move closer to him, gazing up into his handsome face.
He reaches down, using one hand at my waist to draw me closer. “The last thing I want to do is hurt you, angel.”
“So this is a leap of faith.”
“I guess it is.”
“Are you willing?”
“We’re here, aren’t we?”
“We are.”
Without hesitation, I rest the side of my face against his chest and just stand there, listening to the sound of his heart beating.
Strong and steady, just like him. My feelings are confusing because while he scares the hell out of me emotionally, it’s only taken him three days to become an integral part of my life.
Three years ago, I decided I’d be cautious about any man I brought into Joey’s life.
But I trust West.
It makes zero sense, but right now, it doesn’t have to.
All that matters is being here with him.
And then— “I really want to take you to bed, angel.”
His warm, slightly gravelly voice causes shivers to race down my spine.
“I really want you to.”