His eyes widened, “Seriously?”
I snickered then yelled at Harlee, “Harls!”
She looked at me and widened her eyes, “What?”
“Who’s my football team?” I asked.
She snorted, “Ala-freaking-Bama.”
I looked at Cole and smirked.
“Okay, that’s it. Other than my dad, my sister, and some of my friends, you're officially one of the coolest people I've ever met.”
My face went soft at his words, and my heart melted.
Madalyn had captured it when she beamed at the compliment I gave her earlier.
And Cole just did it with his sincere words.
I was definitely in trouble.
About half an hour later, the food had been consumed, and I had just finished helping clean everything when I walked back into the living room to catch the end of a conversation Bronson and Madalyn were having.
“Dad, can you take me to Emporia tomorrow?” Madalyn asked Bronson.
“Sorry, kiddo. Helping a buddy of mine. I’ll try to call your...”
I waded in at the crestfallen look on Madalyn’s face.
“If you feel comfortable with it, I’ll be happy to take Madalyn. I always go there when they release their fall releases. Best stuff ever.”
Madalyn’s jaw dropped. “You like that store too?”
I snickered, “If your dad is okay with me taking you, then you’ll see for yourself. But yes.”
“I can go too. Got nothing better to do. That is, if you're cool with it?” I thought Cole was asking his dad until I looked at him and felt his eyes on me.
I shrugged, “Fine with me.”
Then, like it had been planned, we three looked at Bronson.
His eyes narrowed as he asked, “Why do I get the feeling that this won’t be the first time y’all gang up on me?”
I froze for a mini second to embrace the way his voice moved over me.
Then I got back into the program as the three of us laughed.
Bronson nodded, “Okay. But you will both respect Lila. Is that understood?”
They both nodded, but it was Cole who asked, “Dad, you raised us. You saying you raised us wrong?”
Bronson sighed, “Fuck me.”
We all chuckled.
And it was as we were all leaving that I traded my number with Bronson, Cole, and Madalyn.
And that was how, over the next couple of months, I inadvertently found myself helping with Cole and Madalyn.
