“I’m driving Landry to work and then I’m meeting some new clients on their property at eight.” Cal tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs. “Congratulations, Bronwyn, you’re on Mo babysitting duty.”
Bronwyn wasn’t sure if she should thank him or strangle him. Maybe both.
Mo leaned toward her again. “I don’t need a babysitter. But I don’t want you going anywhere alone.”
There was an intensity in his words that did something to her on the inside.
“Bronwyn? You good with that?” Cal asked.
“Of course. I was already planning to work from home today. No one’s expecting me in the office.”
“Great. The problem is that you can’t stay at Mo’s. He has a twin bed in his bedroom with a sofa so small, even Eliza couldn’t sleep on it. Oh, and a single chair in his living room. It’s like he doesn’t want company.”
Meredith chimed in. “I have a solution. You two go to my place. I’m the only one who had the good sense to put two beds in my house. Yes, you can all tell me I was right. Go ahead.”
No one spoke.
“I get no credit.” Meredith put on a lofty air. “But we all know it’s true. Anyway, I’ll sleep at Mo’s. Bronwyn can have my bed. Mo can take the guest bed. I’ll come back over in the morning and get ready.”
“Can’t you take your stuff and get ready at my place?” Mo asked, his eyes still closed.
“I could. But I’m not going to. I’ll grab my clothes, but I won’t need anything else from upstairs. You’ll sleep right through it.”
Both Cal and Mo laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Bronwyn asked.
Meredith answered. “These two chuckleheads claim that they can hear me getting ready from their places.”
Bronwyn considered it. “The houses are very close together. I can see how that’s a possibility.”
Mo groaned. “You don’t understand. She is the loudest person in the universe. She grinds coffee beans. She makes smoothies. She blends things. I don’t know what she’s doing over there. I swear she’s making fresh almond butter or something. Whatever it is, it’s loud. If we’re trying to sleep right above her, I guarantee she’ll wake us up.”
Meredith’s affronted huff made Cal and Mo laugh more. “It’s true,” Cal added. “Sometimes I think I can still hear you from my house.”
“You cannot.”
“Mo and Bronwyn, make a note. When you build a house, be sure you go heavy on the soundproofing.”
Mo’s thumb didn’t pause at Cal’s words. But his hand did squeeze hers a fraction. “You’ll be building the house, so why don’t you make the note?”
“Consider it done.”
What ... what had just happened?
“I’m just teasing you, Meredith.” Mo’s words were a little slurred. “You can come wake me up. I have work to do.”
“Sure you do, big guy.” Cal sounded exasperated. “It’s like trying to convince Eliza to go to bed when she’s so tired she can barely walk.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Mo’s words really did sound wrong. Was this a problem? Could he be having some issues from hitting his head?
“It means you need sleep. Stop being so argumentative. Hush. We’ll be home in twenty. I don’t want to hear another word out of you.”
Mo leaned toward Bronwyn. “He’s really embraced the whole dad thing, don’t you think?”
Bronwyn tried not to laugh but couldn’t stifle her giggles. “I don’t think he had far to go, but yes.”
“I can hear you, you know.” Cal’s mock stern tone set her off again and Bronwyn’s laughter broke free. If it had a bit of a hysterical edge, that was okay, right?
