My eyes nearly bugged out of my head. “W-What. Y-You can’t,” I stammered, completely floored by the offer. “Have you lost your mind?”
He flashed me a smile that probably made all the ladies swoon. “Not crazy, I just want to help. Let me help you, Cupcake.”
Stormi giggled when he dropped the nickname. I, however, wasn't sure how I felt when he used it. It brought back so many memories. Good ones for sure, but then anger and sadness sunk in when I remembered how he threw them all away.
“If you don’t want me to stay here with her, I could ask one of my friends to help.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I’m sure Ruby, Capri, or any one of them would gladly let her stay with them.”
This was nuts. I looked at my watch. Time was ticking. I should’ve probably just called in, but I knew this late notice was not something I could do to them.
Maybe I was the crazy one because I was seriously considering his offer. I adored all the women at the party and saw how wonderful they were with their children, but I still didn’t know them that well.
In a half whine, half pleading tone, my daughter interjected, “But I want Bronson to playhere.”
That floored me because the others had kids and yet she was asking for him instead. After hemming and hawing for a few moments, I finally asked Bronson, “You really want to stay at my house with her?”
“I offered, didn’t I?” he replied.
Biting the inside of my cheek, I stood there thinking.
“You can trust me, Lake,” he added, as if reading my mind.
I’d just been wondering exactly that. But in the end, I knew deep down that I could trust Bronson. He may have broken my heart at one time, but he was a protector and he’d keep my baby safe.
Please don’t let this be a mistake.
“If you’re sure, I will take your help and thank you.”
There went that smile again. And I was thoroughly affected.
“You got it. Now let’s get you to your car and on the way you can tell me everything I need to know.”
Bronson set my daughter down and she took off running into the house. “I’m going to get a couple of things, be right back!”
I turned to head inside. “Let me grab my purse and jack—,”
“Hey,” Bronson interrupted, causing me to look back over my shoulder at him.
“Yes?”
“You look really good in your uniform, Cupcake.” He winked and my face flushed with heat.
Quickly, I turned away so he wouldn’t see the way he made me blush but his deep chuckle told me he’d caught it anyway.
I was definitely the crazy one.
Because I liked the way he still made me feel, even after so many years.
On top of the fluttery feeling in my stomach that he was provoking, I was having a hard time not longing to have my best friend back.
CouldI go through with it?
I wrapped my daughter in a fierce hug. “Give me a kiss goodbye.”
Stormi let out an exaggerated groan. “Mom, you already kissed me a thousand times.”
The adults around us laughed and I looked at them as I released her. Ruby, Lyric, Patience, and Bronson all seemed quite amused by my sassy pants child as they stood by the door watching our exchange.
Having had only a handful of adults I trusted Stormi with for so long, it didn’t make it easy to let new people in. However, after meeting everyone at the party and also having crossed paths with Ruby at the hospital, I had a feeling that each and every one of them were good people.
