Page 54 of Mister Mom

I move Kali off me. “I told you I’m here with someone.” Technically, I’m not with Layla, but Kali needs to know her place and that place is not cuddled up next to me.

“Layla Andrews? I heard she and Carver are getting back together,” she says to my retreating back.

“Don’t believe everything you read,” I toss back over my shoulder, hoping she’ll just go the fuck away.

So far this is not how I pictured my night going.

“Old girlfriend?” Layla asks when I bend down to join Via and Cooper.

“Kali? No, she just lives in the building,” Leo says, thankfully leaving out the part about me sleeping with her.

“She looks like she wants to be more than just a neighbor,” Layla comments, her eyes clearly questioning me, but it’s her smile that confuses me. She seems as if she couldn’t care either way.

Fuck. Why does her lack of jealousy bother me?

“I have my own neighbor. Of course, I think he’s more of a peeping tom. I can guarantee he’s sold more than one bikini photo to the tabloids.” She’s all smiles, as though we’re just friends and I didn’t make her come with my hand the other night.

Someone calls Leo over and Cooper follows, which makes Via follow, and soon Layla and I are walking behind to keep an eye on her.

“You should file an order of protection. Get a higher fence or something.”

She laughs. “It’s okay, I think he’s more of an admirer than anything. He’s harmless.”

“Doesn’t sound like it,” I murmur under my breath as I try to calm down my own rage from the thought of some creep hiding in the bushes to get pictures of her.

“One day I’ll make it big and afford a mansion with a gate and tons of acres and I won’t need to worry about it.” She elbows me. “Maybe your film will be the one to make that happen. We can have side-by-side mansions. Then I can drop off the kids whenever I have a hot date.” She laughs.

I try to ignore how much her comment irks me—because wasn’t I just insisting to Jagger that whatever this is between us is just fun and games?—and tip my head back and take the last swig of my beer. “Yeah, call me Manny for life.” With my beer empty, I figure I might as well enjoy another, since the rest of my evening will not involve my becoming more familiar with Layla’s anatomy.

“I’ll be right back. You good?” I ask.

She smiles. “Yeah. I have the kids so this will be it for me tonight.”

I leave her to grab another beer and dispose of my old one and admittedly to pull my shit together.

I’m halfway to my destination when a scream comes from behind me. I turn back around to find Payne holding his leg and crying. Layla swoops Via up and runs toward Payne, falling to her knees on the sand to assess the situation. I’m sure Layla can handle it, but I find myself headed in their direction.

Leo and Jagger both meet me there, Cooper at Leo’s side. The dog now has Via’s undivided attention.

“It’s a pretty big gash,” Leo says. “Let’s take him inside and get it cleaned up.”

“I’ve got it,” I tell them and pick up Payne.

“I can take care of this. I’ll call Miles back,” Layla offers.

“Let’s get him cleaned off first and then we’ll see.”

“No, Mom, I’m having fun,” Payne whines.

“Fucking dipshits!” Jagger stomps off in the sand toward a group of twentysomethings a little farther down. “No glass on the beach. What are you, morons?”

“Hey, Jagger, lay off on the swearing.” Layla turns with Via in her arms.

“Shit. Sorry, Layla,” he tosses over his shoulder as he strides away.

“Impressive, I’ve never heard Jagger take instruction from a female before,” Leo says with a laugh. “I doubt it even was those kids, but he has a point. Why people bring glass to a beach I have no idea.”

“I’m sure Payne will be fine. He’s not even crying anymore,” she says.

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