by Emilia Finn
And I’m definitely not letting this man pay for anything. Ever.
I know Aiden is different. He’s good to the core, just like the rest of his family, but I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never let another man take financial control of my life again. I won’t be blinded by all the pretties.
Been there, done that, the t-shirt was bought for me.
“Nope. It’s not easy and we’re not going. But thanks for looking after Evie while I was in the bathroom.”
He watches me a moment longer, gauging how stubborn I’m going to be about this, then finally he nods. “That was easy.” He smiles again and I join him this time. His smiles come so rarely, except when directed toward Evie, so every time he rewards me with one, I feel as though I’ve won a small war.
“Do you feel like we were cheated a little?” Aiden asks randomly, drawing my gaze back to his pretty eyes.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I met you a long, long time ago. I feel like we should be more than strangers by now.”
“Well th--”
“Then I finally kinda got you on a date, which went to hell… I just feel like the universe is screwing with us.”
“So maybe we’re not supposed to be anything more than strangers…”
“Nope,” he declares with total confidence in the single word. “No, we weren’t meant to be strangers. No way in hell.”
My eyes narrow. “How do you know? What makes you so sure?”
“Because Evie and me; we’re old souls. Old friends. We’ve known each other forever.”
“You and Evie?” I ask, pushing down on the disappointment that flares in my stomach.
Stupid.
He already told me before; he’s playing nice to get access to her.
Eleven
Aiden
Princess Peach
I look up from my phone as Kit enters my kitchen like a hurricane without apology, letting herself in and helping herself to my shit without a care in the world.
“Hey.” She flings my fridge door open as though she lives here. Just make yourself at home. “You should come over soon. We’re hanging out, gonna order pizza.”
I frown. “Since when do we do pre-fight night celebrations?”
“Since your girlfriend gave herself a concussion but is too damn stubborn to go to the emergency room.”
Kit passes me a beer and I open it easily, flicking the cap into the trash as I contemplate her words. I’m not fighting tomorrow, so I can drink anything I want.
Kit on the other hand… doesn’t seem to care either. I smile when she takes an alcoholic cider from my fridge, some chick drink that I absolutely don’t drink but the girls seem to think all of our houses and all of our fridges are communal. Fuck knows, I probably have tampons in my bathroom now. It wouldn’t surprise me.
“Why isn’t she going to the ER?”
“Well, I think you know more about that than I do,” she says, leaning against the counter comfortably and sipping her drink.
“How do I know? I’ve spoken to her three times.”
“Yeah, but you called her Sarah one of those times.” Kit’s brows lift. “I thought her name was Tina.”
I shrug. “Dunno. She told me her name was Sarah the time I asked her out.”
“No wonder you tried to kick her ass out that time,” she giggles but I don’t laugh. I feel pretty awful about that now. “So do we call her Tina or Sarah?”
I sigh contemplatively. “I guess she wants to be called Tina, but I figure her name was Sarah at some point.”
“I wonder why she’s running…”
“What makes you think she’s running?”
“She told us a long time ago, after we beat it out of her, Evie’s daddy isn’t a good person. She didn’t want to talk about it so we didn’t push, but if she’s using a new name, it makes me wonder how bad he is. Maybe he’s dangerous.”
“Can you make her talk?”
“Sounds to me that you might be the one to get her to talk. She already told you her name was Sarah.”
“I could tell she didn’t mean to. She was shocked by her words. I even remember thinking it was weird, but then I got distracted and forgot.”
“Distracted?” she asks with that smile she does when she knows she’s being funny. “By what, exactly?”
“Nothin’.”
“Aww, Aido, you’re blushing.”
I knock her arm off the counter, forcing her to slump and catch herself with a grunt. “Shut up, dumbass. Men don’t blush.”
“You’re cute when you’re embarrassed,” she adds, righting herself, not caring at all that she’s annoying me. “So anyway, I’m making her sleep over ours tonight, because I’d hate for her to go to sleep and never wake again because she smashed herself with a baseball bat.” She giggles again over their stupidity and I roll my eyes. “Maybe I should send her over here to sleep.”
“Yeah, then I could bang her brains out,” I shoot back, taking pleasure in her blush. Though the thought of banging Tina’s brains out holds a lot of appeal.
Kit slaps her hands over her mouth, her wide eyes going wider, drawing my attention back to her and away from thoughts of Tina’s peach ass.
“You shut your face!” she shouts. “What do you know about that?”
Now I’m smiling and enjoying her discomfort. “I know that Jimmy has a big mouth and you should probably be more careful when gossiping.”
“Oh. My. Gawd… what else did he hear?”
“Lots and lots,” I tease, finally getting some payback. “Some pretty crude stuff, actually. You girls are disgusting.”
Kit groans, her face flushed with embarrassment. “It’s not me, I swear. It’s Tink. She’s filthy.”
“I believe that. I’m scared for my life on the nights she’s next door.”
“Hey, I’ve had her my whole life. It’s time I got to share the load,” she says, passionately as though being friends with the tiny psycho was a true hardship. “Anyway, I’m going back home.”
“Why are you even here?”
“I wanted a drink,” she answers easily, as though I’m the dumbass.
“Why are you looking for drinks in my house? Why do you even have drinks in my house?”
“I was hiding them from Case.” She shrugs her shoulder again then tips her bottle toward me. “Okay, come over when you’re ready. We’ll order something in. Then Tina could do with some bangin’,” she laughs, stepping toward my living room and the front door. “I mean, she shouldn’t sleep anyway. Not supposed to sleep with a concussion.”
“You’re an idiot. And a troublemaker.”
“Sticks and stones, Aido. I’ve been called worse.”
~*~
An hour or so later I walk across the street and let myself in Kit’s front door, ready for some pizza, some beer and some Tina time; even if she doesn’t actually talk to me.
I stop as a tiny wild haired toddler rams into knees and I smile and whip her up in the air, eating up her belly giggles and wild thrashing. She makes my day brighter just by gifting me with her laughter and innocence.
If I’m being honest, it’s kind of awesome that hot Sarah is also hot Tina, whose package deal includes Evie.
I never fancied myself a dad, or a step-dad, and I mean, Tina and I haven’t even dated yet, but it’s definitely not a deal breaker; it’s actually kind of like sweetening the deal.
“Evie --” Tina stops just inside the main entrance when she spots me. “Oh, hey.”
Yeah, I could definitely invest some time here, get to know the blonde beauty. Both of them.
“Hey Peaches, how you doing?”
“Good,” she answers guardedly, looking from me to her daughter who is suspended upside down above my head.
I lower her carefully. I would never drop her, but Tina doesn’t know that. All she sees is her daughter being held seven feet above solid tile.
“How’s your head?” I ask as I perch Smalls on my back, her arms an
d legs wrapping around me, piggy backing me and squeezing my windpipe.
“It’s fine.”
“Still dizzy?”
“No.”
“Still seeing spots?”
“No,” she snaps defensively and I smile. She didn’t lie that time. I’m glad. Although, I’m positive she would have lied, had she still been seeing the spots.
“You’re staying the night then?”
“Yes. Kit asked us to. Are you?” she asks, then stops quickly, embarrassed, and I smile.
Sure thing. I’d like to stay the night… with her. Maybe I will.
“I’ll be hanging around for a bit,” I tell her noncommittally, then I walk by, taking her monkey with me as she giggles and bounces on my back. “You coming in?”
She doesn’t answer, just let’s out this little girly grunt and follows.
“Biggie’s here!” Evie announces as we enter the living room to find everyone lounging around, draped across every surface, watching the large TV as it’s been split into two screens. One half has UFC fights on and the other has 1080 snowboarding.
Jack turns around, throwing his controller on the floor as Ricky Winterborn face plants and loses his race against Jon’s Rob Haywood.
“Oh yay,” Jack jumps up, clapping his hands like a toddler would. “Biggie’s here. Biggie’s here. Woooo,” he grumbles, “big friggin deal.”
I smile at him then I turn to Jon. “He’s a sore loser.”
“Yeah, he lost three in a row.”
“Oooh, sucks for you, Jacko.”
“Shut your pie hole, Biggie.” Jack is mocking my name, but Evie doesn’t get that Uncle Jack is a big whiny baby, so she thinks it’s all fun.
“I ordered food,” Jim says, lounging on the long couch, his legs draped over Izzy’s lap as she rests Bean on them and nurses her.
We spend the next few hours laying around, eating pizza and taking turns flogging Jack on the game. Even Evie goes alright with the old Nintendo.
Since everyone else had already been sitting when I came in, there was only one spare couch left, meaning Tina and I were sitting beside each other the whole night.
It was kind of nice. At least she sat beside me and didn’t try to run away. Even when my leg brushed against hers. She accepted a drink when I offered. She blushed when our fingers touched as I passed her glass. She even laughed when I made fun of Jack.
Progress.
Evie was great entertainment like usual, and spent most of her time sitting on me and pulling my leg hairs because she thought it was hilarious, or venturing off to spend time with Bean and Jack.
Eventually, as she started melting into my chest, breathing heavy and getting comfortable for the night, Tina decided it was time to send her to bed.
“I want Biggie,” Evie declares, grumbling and fighting off her fatigue.
“Of course you do,” Tina grumbles, and I bite my lip before I smile and she stabs me.
I pick Evie up, holding her chest to mine as she wraps her limbs around my body and tucks her face against my neck. I love when she does that. She always smells so good.
“Come on, Smalls. Let’s go to bed.”
I leave the living room as everyone calls out goodnight, and I start up the stairs, taking her to the guest bedroom that I know Kit will have set them up in.
“Hold on.” Tina grabs my elbow. “Sorry, she just has to brush her teeth,” she says, nodding toward the bathroom, so I change direction and walk into the guest bathroom across the hall.
I keep Evie in my arms as I walk to the closed toilet, then I sit down, holding Evie’s pliant body against mine and I watch Tina as she takes a small toiletries bag and starts unpacking it.
She grabs a pink Barbie toothbrush and a small tube of toothpaste then she applies just the smallest amount.
She runs it under the faucet for a moment, then turning back to us, she hesitates in place.
“Can you spin her?”
“Sure.” I turn Evie in my lap, so her back is pressed against my chest again.
“Look at the sky, baby,” Tina instructs, so Evie tilts her head back, making an ‘ahhhhh’ sound. Although still hesitant, Tina approaches us, crouching down between my open legs.
She reaches out, balancing on her bent legs, and she starts brushing Evie’s teeth, her eyes flicking between her task and my eyes.
I keep silent, enjoying having her close for a moment and having the opportunity to study her up close.
Her legs start to wobble and throwing her left hand out, she catches herself before falling by grabbing my leg just above my knee. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay.” I place my hand over hers, leaving it there long enough to communicate that she can keep it there, but not so long that she’ll freak out.
I wait for her nod, then finally giving in with a deep breath, she uses me for balance as she continues brushing, the swish swish noise drowned out by Evie’s loud ‘ahhhhhhh.’
“Alright, go spit, baby,” Tina instructs, but Evie shakes her head, smiling with her mouth full.
“Biggie take me.”
“Don’t be lazy, Evelyn,” Tina reprimands her, but I lift her anyway and take her to the sink. I watch in the mirror as she spits the toothpaste foam out. She makes disgusting hocking noises, proud of herself.
“Rinse.” Tina passes her a small plastic cub half filled with tap water and Evie takes it in two hands, not holding her weight up at all, and I smile at the dead weight. And the trust.
She sips the water, swishing it around her mouth then spitting it out, giggling as it splashes back from the sink. She takes a second mouthful, emptying the cup, but she swallows this one.
“Okay, do a wee, baby.”
“Alright.” I put her down, deciding now’s a good time for me to leave.
“Biggie do a wee?”
“No, honey. I’ll wait out here,” I tell her, moving faster when she starts to lift her dress and lower her pants.
I stand against the wall in the hallway, crossing my ankles as I listen to them chatter; as Tina tells her to sit still, as Evie announces her wee is coming, as Evie announces she’s finished, as Tina grunts, lifting Evie from the toilet, then the sound of rustling clothing, then water running.
Evie comes padding out of the bathroom, sassy smile on her face, as though she knows she controls all these grown adults, as though we were her puppets. And she’d be correct.
I’m not sure I ever want to say no to her.
“Good night, Smalls.”
“Read a story,” she demands, knowing she’ll get her own way, but I look up to Tina. I’m definitely crossing a line now. It’s one thing to carry her upstairs, a wholly other thing to just move in on their nighttime routine.
“You can if you want,” she shrugs. “But you don’t have to. She’ll get over it.”
“Alright,” I tell her softly, hesitantly. Testing the waters. “I can read a story,” I tell Evie and I drink in the way her eyes light up, like I just gave her all the precious jewels in the world.
I follow them into the guest bedroom, and I watch the way Evie scrambles onto the large bed, faster and easier on her feet than I gave her credit for.
“This one?” Evie holds one book up. “Or this one?” She lifts a second book, giving me a choice.
An old lady who swallowed a fly, versus Pinkalicious.
The second sounds totally girly, so I pick the old lady, then I smile as Evie peels back the covers and climbs in easily, then pulling the cover back over so it hides most of her face.
She giggles when I lean over and reveal her face again.
Evie pats the empty space beside her excitedly. “Lay down, Mommy.”
Tina kicks her shoes off then she climbs on top of the covers, lying beside Evie, her head resting on Evie’s pillow, her long hair fanning her shoulder and neck. She brushes the silky strands behind her ear then she places one hand, open palmed beneath her cheek, resting there and getting comfortable.
They’re a vision. B
eautiful angels; even if one of them has a giant purpling bruise on her forehead and butterfly strips patching it together.
I lower to my knees beside the bed, resting my elbows on the covers and I take the book from Evie’s outstretched hands.
“There once was a--”
“Hop up,” Evie interrupts me, patting the spare space on this side of her tiny body and my eyes shoot to Tina’s.
“I’m comfortable down here, Smalls, it’s cool.”
“Hop up!”
“Just hop up,” Tina says. “I mean, if you want to. I don’t mind, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“Hop up,” Evie says again, knowing this is a game. Her game. She knows she’s messing with me.
I look between two sets of beautiful ocean blue eyes and contemplate what to do. Every move I make will have results and consequences. I feel as though I’ve been walking a tightrope since I found Sarah again in Jonah’s.
“Alright.” I stand slowly, toeing my shoes off, then I climb on top of the covers, turning to my side and holding my head up my bent arm.
Evie giggles as I get comfortable and blows her curls out of her face. Even when she was sick, she was smiling. Or at least trying to. She’s just a happy girl.
“There once was a lady, who swallowed a fly…”
Tina and I take turns reading each page, Evie’s face bright, excited that she gets double the story telling and different voices tonight.
We end up reading the other book too before Evie’s eyes start to droop. She’s fighting it, but her tiny body won’t stay awake for long.
“Once upon a time,” I start after we place the second book down. Tina’s eyes lift and meet mine curiously. “There was a beautiful princess named… Princess Peach.” I smile when Tina’s face turns the slightest pink.
Tina places her hand palm side down on Evie’s tummy, patting softy, but her eyes stay locked on mine as she watches me closely.
“She lived upstairs in the magical tower, with another beautiful princess that had curly hair. There were no princes in this kingdom, which was… strange.”