If I’m supposed to be mad he’s using her to get on my good side, I’m not. But sleep. . . Sleep is a definite way to earn himself some good juju.
He lays her down on the changing table and gets her diaper changed and her dressed for the day, like he’s done it a hundred times, and my mouth hangs open in literal shock. She’s always a wiggle worm for me. A smiley one, but a wiggle worm nonetheless. But for him she cooperates. Little traitor.
“I think it sounds like a good idea. How about you?” He keeps going. “Maybe I’ll even mix a little of those peaches you like in with your cereal. Seriously, squirt. That shit looks nasty. I’ll make it better for you. Just don’t tell Ashton, okay?”
Okay, so this man isn’t completely stupid because bribery will get you everywhere with us Carmichael girls. Chocolate is a great place to start, but when in doubt, anything sweet will do.
By the time Jamie’s done, Kyrie’s dressed in a pink and white striped onesie with a matching pink headband wrapped around her peach fuzz-covered head. She’s ready for the day, and I’m left speechless as the duo walk out of the room, heading to the kitchen, I assume.
He’s so good with her.
And she loves him... and Finn and Ryker. She’s happy here. And I’m starting to wonder if I am too.
I take what has to be the fastest shower of my life, where I can’t even act like I don’t contemplate finishing what I started in my dream, even if I couldn’t bring myself to go there,knowing he was downstairs with Kyrie... Not that it would help. Nothing has helped take that particular edge off for freaking months. I throw on leggings and a white tank and grab my favorite red sweater, tucking my wet hair up into a messy bun and hurry down the stairs, grateful for the momentary reprieve but not willing to take advantage of the generosity.
I stop at the entrance to the kitchen and stare.
Maybe I should have taken more time.
Not that it would have prepared me for this sight.
Jamie’s still shirtless. And he’s sitting in front of the highchair with a spoonful of peaches mixed with cereal raised in front of Kyrie. Judging by what looks like peaches on his own face, I’m thinking it’s not going well, but there’s something about the whole picture that makes my heart do funny things.
His brilliant green eyes find mine, and a slow smiles spreads across that annoyingly handsome face. “Morning, Ace.”
“Morning, charmer.” I bite my lip, holding back my smile and the giggle that’s threatening to escape as I make my way over to the coffee pot. “Thanks for getting her up this morning,” I murmur as I pour myself a cup of the caffeinated goodness that is the expensive, imported coffee Jamie keeps stocked in the kitchen. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I didn’t do it because I had to.” Kyrie manages to spray peach-colored cereal all over Jamie’s face, and I lose the fight and laugh as he wipes it away. The laughter gets caught in my throat, though, when he sucks the remainder of it off his fingers
Oh my God, what’s wrong with me?
I want to be those damn fingers, so damn bad...
He raises a brow like he knows what I’m thinking, and I glare before he opens his mouth to speak. “I did it because I wanted to.”
Wait . . .“What?” I ask him. “Did what?”
“Got Kyrie.” Jamie’s brows furrow, and he scrapes the sides of the small plastic cereal bowl. “What did you think I was talking about?”
“Oh.” I shake my head. “Right. That’s what I thought.” Lies. All lies.
“You feeling okay, Ace? You’re looking a little pale.”
“Damn, brother,” Finn groans as he walks into the room after a another twenty-four hour shift that ran closer to thirty thantwenty-four. “I thought you were supposed to be the ladies’ man. Hasn’t anyone ever told you girls don’t like it when you tell them they look like shit?”
Finn pours himself a cup of coffee and grabs a banana before he drops down into the chair next to Kyrie and high-fives her.
Well, he holds her sticky hand and forces the high five, earning himself such sweet baby giggles that I choose to ignore the fact he basically just said I look like shit.
“I didn’t say she looks like shit, dickhead,” Jamie argues and scoops up more cereal, but I catch the hesitance before he offers this one to Kyrie and sip my coffee while I wait to see what she’s going to do this time. Thankfully, she opens her mouth and gums the purple rubber spoon, her pudgy cheeks puffing up as she smiles with delight. “I said she looked pale.”
Finn’s eyes take me in, assessing. It’s Dr. Murphy looking at me, not my best friend. “You do look a little pale, Ash.”
“Wow, that degree really comes in handy, doesn’t it, doc?” Jamie taunts Finn, and I hide my giggle with another sip of my coffee, ignoring the way the drink turns my stomach.
“I’m fine.” I grab one of the soft baby washcloths from the drawer and run it under warm water. “Little miss and I are actually meeting your mom a little later today.”
“Why?” Finn grins, his mouth full of banana, and I grimace, my stomach flipping again.
