We both giggle which makes Penny cackle too. God, I love that little girl.
“What’s with the guy sitting across the street. Does he live around here?”
“Silver sedan?” Carol asks. “I don’t know him. I’m supposed to tell Christopher if he shows up again.”
Christopher, her son who lives with her, is a cop. I like Christopher. It makes me feel better knowing Carol has protection.
“He showed up again. I got total creep vibes from him,” I tell her with a shiver before sipping more tea. “Is this a new flavor?”
“Different brand,” Carol says. “I’ve been experimenting with some new ones. I found one that helps with the aches and pains, especially at night.”
“Can’t sleep?”
“Not when my hips are angry.”
I meet her stare and ask, “Is it just for pain or does it make you sleepy?”
“I think it helps me sleep.” Carol chuckles and shakes her head. “Told your mother about it, too, since she’s anxious lately. Thought maybe it would help her relax. Of course, you know Jin. She disagrees with anything that’s not modern medicine.” Carol laughs again before saying, “Doctors.”
“Could I take a few tea bags with me to try?”
“You having trouble falling asleep, dear?”
Heat creeps up my neck and I focus on sipping the tea, pretending I’m not at all blushing, especially not over my stepdad. “Something like that,” I say instead. “New house. New sounds.”
“I can’t say I’m pleased with the abrupt news,” Carol says with a wrinkled frown. “Seems out of character for your mother. How are you really doing with it all? Jin says Penny is smitten with Addison.”
Everyone is smitten with Addison. She’s sweet and cute and fun. It’s hard to be frustrated by the situation when I’ve already grown attached to these people.
Which is why kissing Owen is a terrible thing to do…
“I like them,” I say honestly, meeting Carol’s gaze. “It’s nice to have people around, you know?”
She gives me a small smile. Something akin to pity ripples from her. It makes me feel all the more pathetic. My best friends are a two-year-old and her babysitter. I’m pathetic.
“I should go,” I blurt out, hating the wobble in my voice. “Thanks for the tea.”
“Any time, sweetheart.”
The house is quiet when I enter with Penny. It’s strange without all the chaos Owen’s kids typically bring. Mom keeps to herself, but there’s always an air ofsomethingwhen she’s around. Maybe it’s just that…frigidair.
“Hello, girls,” Owen says as he descends the stairs, looking more casual than usual in a pair of sweats and hoodie. “What are we in the mood to eat?”
I’m grateful he’s not acting weird now that we’re alone. It would make for a long evening if he were. After voicing that I want Chinese, I take Penny upstairs to give her a bath. Once she’s clean and dressed in her jammies, I make my way back downstairs. The food has arrived and Owen is already unboxing it all. It smells divine. I get my sister into her high chair and then set to dishing out foods I know she’ll eat. Owen puts to-go containers in the middle of the table for us to sample from.
“How’s school going?” he asks after we’re seated. “What are you majoring in?”
Penny offers me a handful of rice and I smile at her. “No thank you.”
She grunts and then stuffs the mess into her mouth. Owen chuckles.
“Forgot how messy toddlers are,” he says wistfully. “It’s nice having her around.”
My heart warms toward him even more. I may not fully understand why he’s in on this charade with Mom, but his feelings toward me and Penny are genuine. He likes having us here. It’s nice to be wanted and welcome.
“Elementary education,” I say, answering his earlier question. “Teaching could be fun.” I deflate a bit. “Mom says it’s a thankless job with poor pay.”
Owen’s eyebrows pinch together. “There are a lot of jobs out there like that. Sometimes it’s not about the pay. It’s about the calling.”
