“Sure thing. We will not call Marlee’s mom.” Roman nodded once to punctuate his declaration.
“You let me sleep?” Eli untied his apron, pulling it over his head. “I will name my next kid after you.”
“Don’t make promises on no sleep, man.” Roman clapped him on the back, taking the apron. “But I’ll hold you to it.”
“You have no idea what you’re giving me right now.”
Oh, Roman had a hunch.
“You think you can get your wife upstairs or do you two want to crash here?” Roman asked.
Eli was already on it though, picking up his wife and carrying her up the stairs. She stirred, but he shushed her, promising that Luke was with his Auntie Sadie and Roman. Arms around Eli’s neck, Marlee nodded and laid her head against his chest.
Roman glanced to Luke. Then to the kitchen.
Sadie stared at him, eyebrows raised.
He shrugged.
What was he supposed to do?
Then she smiled and went back to whatever she was doing on the stove. Listening for Luke, he strode to where she stood.
“I take it we’re not leaving?” she asked.
“No.” Roman blew a breath from his cheeks.
“And I’m cooking now?” she asked.
Roman nodded.
“And we’re babysitting?” Sadie asked.
“Yup,” Roman confirmed.
“This was not in the negotiation.”
No, it was not.
The air between them crackled like it always seemed to do when they were around each other.
She glanced up at him then, and the space between them withered away.
And then, Sadie did the last thing he ever expected her to do. She rolled up on her toes like she was going to kiss him. Which would’ve been an exceptional reward for volunteering her to cook dinner and babysit with him.
Was she actually going to kiss him?
She moved closer.
Oh yes, yes, she was.
This was the best babysitting gig he’d ever had.
Also, the first babysitting gig.
Luke let out a cry from the other room.
Sadie rolled right back down away from him. “Are you getting him or am I?”
