Page 47

Drew

Somethingabouttheway Bradley freaking Vanderven was looking at Sophie has my blood boiling. He was devouring her with his eyes! Like she was the funnel cake at a carnival his parents wouldn’t let him have. And she went on a date with him? I’m not typically a jealous person, but knowing Bradley Vanderven got to take Sophie on a date makes me want to punch something. Did he hold her hand? Did he kiss her?

There was no way I was going to leave her alone in her classroom with him. What kind of creep dates his kid’s teacher? I guess the same kind of creep who would want to date his kid’s babysitter. Ugh.

I drag my hand down my face as I walk Sophie to her car. The sun has set, but I can still hear the cicadas chirping. It’s so peaceful outside, this would be perfect if we were alone and I could reach out and hold her hand. Not that she’d let me. But this is my daydream, and in it we’re alone and holding hands.

Thankfully, Penny is walking between us, forcing me to keep my distance. It’s safer this way. As much as I want her, she can’t be mine. Not only would Ted and David take turns tearing me limb from limb, but I don’t want to be a creep like that Vanderven guy, making advances on his child’s caretaker.

“Penny, did you like your new class?” Sophie asks in her honeyed voice, a voice that never ceases to make my stomach flip. In a good way.

“Yeah! Mr. Kenshaw was super nice! He decorated his classroom with dinosaurs!”

“That sounds totally RAWRsome.” Sophie says and they both burst into laughter.

I grin, finding myself amused by her quirky sense of humor. “You crack yourself up, don’t you?”

I meet Sophie’s gaze, and she smiles back. “My brothers always made fun of me for laughing at my own jokes.”

“What was it like growing up with three brothers?” I ask, bewildered by the thought of having so many siblings around.

She looks up at the starry sky before answering.

“Hmm, it was chaos. They teased me relentlessly but were also fiercely protective. And they were always wrestling and tormenting each other. Which made Mom crazy.” She laughs and I can’t help but laugh along with her.

“Having a house full of kids sounds chaotic … but also fun.” I smirk.

Penny tugs on my hand.

“Can I have three brothers, Daddy?” She asks, her eyes wide with excitement at the thought.

“Ha, I’d kind of need a wife to give you any brothers, Pen.”

She wrinkles her nose while she thinks. “I know! Miss Sophie needs a husband! So just marry her!” She looks between the two of us with a confident smile, like she just solved all of our problems for us.

We've reached Sophie’s car and stand there staring at each other, unsure what to say to diffuse the situation.

Sophie takes Penny’s hand with a smile. “Trust me, you do not want three smelly brothers.”

Penny purses her lips before responding, “True, three sisters would be better.”

Sophie huffs out an awkward chuckle, then looks up at me. Her eyes meet mine and hold my gaze long enough for me to feel the familiar feeling of electric shock that I get so often when I’m around Sophie.

Penny is still looking between the two of us, waiting for a response. “Sophie doesn’t want to marry an old man like me, Pen.” I wink at Penny and she giggles.

Sophie laughs and it sounds strained, not her usual harmonic laughter. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow after school, Penny.” She unlocks her car and opens the door.

“Bye Miss Sophie!”

I smile. “See you tomorrow, Soph. I’ll be home around six. Thanks again for keeping an eye on Penny after school.”

“Of course. Bye, Drew.” She stares into my eyes for a few seconds before getting into her car and driving off.

Penny runs into my bedroom at six o’clock in the morning already dressed in her school uniform, shoes on her feet, and backpack on her back.

She jumps on my bed and squeals. “Daddy! Hurry! It’s the first day of school!”

I run a towel through my wet hair and chuckle. “Hey! No jumping on the bed!”