Chapter 25
Chapter
Twenty-Five
West
Though I’m dying to take Serena out on the romantic date I promised her, Saturday night is osso bucco night.
We went shopping separately, though I gave her money for the groceries and we’re going to cook together in my kitchen.
We’ve invited not just my roommates, but also Jayne’s boss at the library, Kelly, and Coach Teller and his husband, Viggo.
I’ve been promising them a meal but between the travel schedule and the weather, we haven’t done it yet. So this should be a fun night.
The pipes at Serena’s place finally thawed, and everything is back in working order, but she’s still here.
With me.
There hasn’t been a formal discussion about it, it’s simply been easier because we haven’t figured out the car situation yet. I’m probably going to buy the damn car for myself and let her use it. She’ll grumble at first but I think deep down she likes when I do things for her.
And I like doing them.
I’m usually very cognizant of overstepping boundaries but everything is different with Serena.
She needs something I can provide, so I do.
Or at least, I want to. It’s getting to a point where we have to talk about the car because she’s been driving my SUV while I’ve been using the Ferrari, but I can’t get my hockey stuff in it so I wind up catching a ride with one of the guys.
Again, it’s not a big problem short-term, but we’re tiptoeing around the bigger issue—me helping her financially.
The only issue we haven’t delved into is my relationship with Joey.
We both know that if things continue, I’m going to fall into a role I’m not sure I’m emotionally prepared for.
I don’t spend a lot of time with him, and none one-on-one, and it’s not that I don’t want to—I feel like I have to be cautious for both of us.
He loves hanging out with the guys, Vik and Bodi especially, since they do all the big brother/uncle/dad things.
Chase him around the yard. Teach him curse words in Russian.
Show him how to shoot a foam puck into a makeshift net.
They’re picking up the slack for me, and I waffle between relief and guilt.
Is it a crime that I don’t want to get attached to another kid that could potentially get taken away from me?
I know Serena sees it, and I think that’s partly why she’s so reluctant to take money from me, but it feels like an unofficial stalemate. We agreed to take this as far as it might go, yet everything to do with Joey is progressing at a snail’s pace.
“What time is everyone arriving?” she asks as we putter around the kitchen.
“I told everyone drinks and appetizers at six, dinner at seven.”
She nods, a determined look in her eyes.
“You’re going to smoke me, aren’t you?” I ask, laughing and pulling her in for a kiss. She returns the pressure but then playfully pushes away.
“You bet your ass I am. And don’t try to distract me by making my personal loins flutter with excitement.”
“Well, it’s only fair,” I quip, “since you always make my manhood sit up and pay attention.”
She laughs and wrinkles her nose. “Okay, I’m doing the prep work now and then I’m going to get ready before I start cooking. Are we still doing the goat cheese and date appetizers?”
I nod. “And I bought a surprise.”
“I don’t get to know what it is?”
“Nope.”
She just shrugs. “Okey-dokey. I have a surprise dessert, so we’re even.”
We work in companionable silence, though she hums a lot. I think it’s a Taylor Swift song, but it’s hard to tell. Her hair is up in a ponytail and she’s wearing yoga pants and a T-shirt, but she looks absolutely stunning.
Maybe it’s because she’s right at home in my kitchen, cute little ass swaying as she works. Contentment washes over me as I watch her, and it occurs to me that it had to be fate that brought us together.
“Okay, now don’t touch my stuff,” she says primly, eyeing me suspiciously. “I’m going to shower, but I do have eyes in the back of my head, so I’ll know if you try to sabotage my meat.”
I snort out a laugh. “All your back eyes are going to see is the other side of my shower, but sure, I’ll stay away from your…meat.”
Our eyes lock and we laugh.
“Would you just make sure Joey doesn’t wander outside?” she asks, wiping her hands. “He’s coloring with Lindy but you never know how long that will last.”
“No worries. Go take your shower.”
She smiles and disappears up the stairs.
I follow her into the living room so I can watch her retreating figure take the stairs before going back into the kitchen to clean up the rest of my mess.
She’s efficient in the kitchen, working quickly and faultlessly.
I’m pretty good but she has a professionalism that I assume came from attending culinary school.
It’s impressive and I’ve already learned a lot from her.
I don’t know who’s going to win tonight’s challenge but I’ll be just as happy if it’s her.
We’re going to have fun with it, using two different colored paper plates for the meat so people can anonymously write their vote on a piece of paper.
We’ll divulge the winner during dessert.
There’s going to be a lot of food, wine, and bread, so I’m looking forward to the evening.
I’m completely lost in thought, prepping the puff pastry for the goat cheese appetizers when I hear a crash and then a cry.
Joey!
Shit.
“Joey? Lindy?” I call, rushing into the den where they were coloring.
“I didn’t mean it!” Lindy cries, tears streaming down her face. “It was an accident!”
“Mommy!” Joey’s on the floor wailing, holding his foot.
It only takes a split second for me to realize what happened. Someone—apparently Lindy—knocked over a glass that shattered on the floor. And Joey stepped on some of the shards. Jayne is working at the library, Bodi and Vik are at the gym, and I’m pretty sure Simon and Felix are still in bed.
With Serena in the shower, that just leaves me to handle the crisis.
“I’ve got you, buddy.” I reach down and scoop Joey up, turning momentarily to Lindy. “Are you cut?”
She shakes her head, no.
“Then come into the kitchen with me and we’ll worry about the mess later. I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
She hurries behind me, still crying, and I gently set Joey on the counter.
“Will you let me look, buddy?”
He starts wailing again, calling for his mom. But I can’t let him bleed all over the house taking him up to her.
“Mommy’s coming,” I say patiently, “but you have to let me look—Lindy, get me the paper towels, please. The roll.”
She quickly complies and I tear off a wad, pressing it against his foot. I don’t think it’s too bad, but the first step will be slowing down the bleeding.
“I’m just going to look at the cut,” I tell him. “Okay? Then we’ll get Mommy.”
He nods, his little lower lip protruding slightly.
“I’ll hold your hand,” Lindy whispers, reaching for it.
Joey nods again, his little face scrunched up like he’s trying to decide if he’s going to wail some more.
“Look how brave you are,” I say with a smile, even though my heart is pounding and I feel like I might vomit.
There’s a gash on the underside of his foot, a tiny piece of glass sticking out.
“Okay, we’re going to get out the glass, wash your foot, and put a bandage on it. That way, we don’t have to scare mommy. What do you think? Can we handle this on our own so mommy can enjoy her shower?”
Joey blinks, big eyes filled with indecision.
“I’ll be right here,” Lindy offers.
“It won’t hurt,” I promise, even though I don’t know any such thing.
“Kay-kay,” he whispers.
Christ.
“Lindy, in the hall bathroom, there’s something called Neosporin and a box of Band-aids. Can you get them?”
She nods and scurries out of the room.
Sliding Joey over, I hold his foot over the sink and then nudge the piece of glass out with the side of my finger. He winces but doesn’t make a sound, and then I turn on warm water to rinse it. The bleeding is already slowing down, so I grab some more paper towels and hold them against the wound.
“Here, Uncle West!” Lindy skids back into the room, holding out what I’d asked her to get.
“Thanks, sweetie.”
She’s never called me Uncle West before, but I don’t have time to think about that right now.
I put some of the gel-like substance on the cut and then put a big bandage over it.
“What do you think, buddy?” I ask solemnly. “You going to be okay?”
He nods, but his eyes are filled with tears. “Snuggle?” he whispers.
Aw, fuck.
How the hell do I say no to that?
“Sure.” I scoop him up and carry him into the great room, sinking down on the sectional and letting him nestle against my chest. His thumb drifts to his mouth, something I haven’t noticed him do before, and he closes his eyes.
Jesus.
My heart rate might finally be returning to normal, so I let my eyes fall closed too.
His warm little body is pressed against mine, and after a few minutes I realize he’s asleep.
“Should I clean up the glass?” Lindy asks me in a whisper.
I shake my head. “No, honey, it’s okay. I don’t want anyone else to get cut. I’ll do it in a little bit. I’m just going to sit here like this for a while, let him rest.”
“I’m really sorry,” she says. “I didn’t mean to.”
“It was an accident,” I say gently. “Don’t worry. It’s just a glass, and Joey’s going to be fine.”
“I failed as a babysitter,” she announces dramatically.
“You didn’t fail. You think I’ve never broken a glass or stepped on something that cut me?”
“But he’s so little.”
“Little kids get hurt way more than big kids. Promise. You’re fine.”
She looks so sad and forlorn standing there, my heart breaks a little.
“Come sit here with us,” I say after a while, holding out my free arm.
She practically vaults over my legs to jump onto the couch and snuggle into my other side.
What the hell is happening?
I went from no kids to two kids in the blink of an eye.
And my traitorous heart kind of likes it.