“I’m sorry I’m stuck here. My ex was never on time when we were together, so no reason he should start now, I guess.” I give him a wry smile, and his eyes droop with what I think is a hint of empathy. I don’t want him feeling sorry for me.
“But it’s nice to see you, Miss Holly. Why, good morning!” I overexaggerate my smile as I take over the carrier, then squat to rock it on the ground while her tiny lips contort into a smile.
“She’s doing that a lot more now,” Brooks says. I glance up at him, squinting from the sun behind his head. I can see enough of his face to sense his pride. He’s good with her. Better than he gives himself credit for.
“It’s because her daddy makes her so happy. Isn’t that right?” I tickle Holly’s feet gently, and she smiles bigger. I hand her one of the soft toys clipped to the handle of her carrier, then stand back up and meet Brooks’s gaze. There’s definitely an awkward barrier between us. It’s been a week since our kiss, and I don’t think we’ve said more than a few words to one another during shift exchanges for his daughter.
“So . . .” I clasp my hands in front of my body and suck my lips into a tight line.
“Right,” he breathes out, laughing lightly. Maybe a little nervously. Is he nervous because he kissed me? Or is he nervous because he’s never let someone go before?
“I really am sorry about this. You having to come here, I mean. It won’t happen again.”
Not that I can control Brandon’s disregard for me and my schedule, but I mean the words as best as I can.
“No need to apologize. Seriously,” he says, waving a hand. My shoulders inch down, my muscles relaxing by about ten percent. I exhale through a tiny O I make with my lips.
“Phew,” I snicker, wiping my brow in jest. Though there might be some real sweat beading up there.
“But about that . . . me coming here. Or you not being at my place. Or . . . fuck, let me start over.”
He drops his gaze and shoves his hands into the pockets of his hoodie. He’s wearing compression pants under his black Mavericks’ practice shorts, and it’s hard to ignore his muscular thighs.
“I’d like to revisit the idea of you moving in with me. I think it might really help me out, I mean. And I wouldn’t expect you to work for free. Or pay rent. I did some research, and I think I can swing seventeen-fifty a week plus room and board for you and the boys. We’d need to split groceries and stuff like that, but I’m gonna be in Sweetwater a little longer than I thought, and I just think?—”
“Yes!” I blurt out.
Brooks blinks a few times, then laughs nervously through a tempered smile.
“Yeah?” His brow lifts on one side. It’s cute.Too cute.
“Yes. I love taking care of Holly. And if you are really good with those salary terms, I can’t refuse your offer. Brooks, I need to get out of this house. I love my parents, but also . . .” I blow up at the loose hairs tickling my forehead.
He chuckles.
“Yeah, I’m sure it’s hard going from running your own household to being in your childhood bedroom again,” he says.
“With two hyper boys of my own. Yeah, it’s hard. Which leads to my only question. You have one bedroom?” I squint as I levelhim with my query. While there’s a small part of me that loves the one-bed trope idea, I’m not exactly in a position to see that through. Especially if it would be Brooks, me, and three kids on the same mattress.
“For sure. I hear you. I actually talked to Roddy a few days ago, and there’s that place on his street—the one I mentioned before.”
“Back when this was a crazy idea?” I joke.
He laughs, glancing down, and a touch of pink hits his cheeks.
“Yeah, that time. Anyhow, it’s a two-story, and I know stairs suck?—”
“Not when you’re a four-year-old boy,” I point out.
He points at me and nods.
“Valid point,” he says. “It also has horse property in the back.”
My eyes light up when I realize he’s talking about the old Quinn property. That house was my dream house when I was a kid. I can see with my adult eyes that the place is falling apart in places, but it’s got good bones. And it would be really great to have access to the land for the boys. For Holly.
For me.
I could have a horse.
