You won’t wear me down today, Cade.
“I’m sorry for springing this on you,” he continues. “Mom’s usual sitter is sick, and we couldn’t find another. She tried to cancel, but the event for CLU’s Provost is too important. I’ll come pick up Violet after my game. Shouldn’t be too late.”
If Trevor were here, he would say this is what I asked for, considering he believes I babysit my clients. Now look at me.Literallybabysitting.
I honk at the Jeep merging into my lane without checking their blind spot. “What if I already have plans?”
The line goes quiet. “What if I told you Mom’s at your house?”
“You wouldn’t.” Turning onto my street, I spot the brown Cadillac in my driveway. “You ass! I don’t have time to babyproof!”
Or clean. Now that I’m making an effort to make it more of a home than a museum, it seems I forgot how messy a space can get when you actually have stuff. After finishing work last night, I painted the living room pastel pink. Grocery bags litter the kitchen floor from my shopping trip. The half-built dining table I’ve been putting together for days is still in a heap in the middle of the room.
“Babyproof? Violet’s eight. I think she knows not to stick her fingers in electrical sockets.” Cade pauses. “Wait. Are you nervous?”
I chew on my bottom lip. “Sort of. What if she thinks I’m boring?”
“Don’t worry about that,” he assures me. “Violet thinks you’re way cooler than me, and the betrayal doesn’t sting much because I agree with her. It’ll be great.”
Somehow, my fears are soothed as I pull into the driveway. “Play well tonight, and don’t forget that I’m mad at you for not giving me more than a two-minute warning about babysitting.”
It’s impossible to feel a smile through the phone, but I do. “As long as you’re still talking to me, Shay, I’ll survive.”
The smug man doesn’t deserve a response, so I hang up and park. He better be glad I love the two people standing on my doorstep as muchas he does. Becoming friends with Cade freshman year gave me so much more than a potential partner. I became part of the family.
In the driveway, Violet leaps into my arms. “Shay!”
“Hello, sweet girl!” Squeezing her hard, I carry her to the front door, where her mother stands. “Hi, Ms. Billie! Sorry for making you wait.”
“How many times do I have to tell you to call me Billie, dear?” If it weren’t for the steaming aluminum pan in her hands, I’m sure she would be hugging me, but her sweet voice does that naturally. “And I know Cade didn’t ask you before he told me yes, so I’m sorry about my son. He just knew you would come through for him.”
Cheeks flaming, I unlock the front door. “Just doing my job.”
Violet sprints straight for the pile of stuffed animals on my couch, while Billie follows me into the kitchen. Fresh fruit sits in a bowl beside the stove, a new addition to my protein-and-coffee breakfast before I rush out of the house. Now I understand why Mallory and Sarabeth kept pushing me to eat breakfast.
Even when I get no sleep, I feel so much better.
I take the dish from Billie’s hands and place it on the stove. “Can I take Violet to the Carolina Rage game tonight? I have an extra ticket.”
The squeal from the living room likely influences Billie’s answer, but she looks as excited as her daughter sounds. “Of course!” She slides the steaming tray across the counter. “I had plenty of extra stuffed bell peppers, so these are all yours. Cade told me you hate red ones, so Violet made you a green-only tray. And here’s some spearmint tea. Cade said bell peppers help with inflammation and spearmint helps with . . .”
When she trails off, I smile. “Facial hair growth. Acne. Hair loss.”
The heavenly smell of ground beef, rice, and cheese makes my stomach flip, along with the reminder of Cade’s thoughtfulness.What Are the Oddstaught us a lot about each other. Our likes and dislikes, our fears and aversions, our comfort zones. Throughout what was meant to bea silly game, we built inside jokes and shared history. Which is how he knows that I despise red bell peppers.
But PCOS research is something he did all on his own.
Billie’s hug surprises me, her petite frame packing more strength than I remembered. “Thank you for watching over both of my kids. Puts this woman’s heart at ease knowing you’re in Cade’s corner.”
I’ll never pass up a motherly hug, so I melt into her embrace. I’m so proud of my mom for girl-bossing it up in Portland, running her sports law office. Many people might call her cold, but I disagree. She made sure I was prepared for the world and could protect myself, and I can’t thank her enough. But sometimes, I need a hug.
“Be good for Shay, little one.” Billie catches Violet as she dashes through the kitchen and presses kisses to her rounded cheeks. “Don’t make a mess, and don’t put any forks in electrical sockets.”
My eyes fly to the silverware drawer. “She does that?”
At the front door, Billie glances over her shoulder. “No, but Cade texted me to mess with you about it.”
As she leaves, I send Cade a mental middle finger.
