Page 43 of Knocked up By the Minotaur

Now it’s her turn to glare. “Don’t talk about yourself like that. You’re not hollow.”

I try for a smile. “Glad to know I’ve managed to hide it from you so well.”

She balls her hand into a fist and thumps it over my heart. “Stop it, you’re perfectly capable of love. You love Rhokar, don’t you? And little Ry and Ro? You love my sister, too, I can see it when you tease her. You’d never let anything happen to any of them, would you?”

“That’s not…”

“Would you?”

For some reason, my heart is thumping hard in my chest, and for a second I can’t get any words out. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, either.

“That is love, Olistaire,” she says firmly. “And I won’t hear another word about it. You’re not so bad that you can’t love anything. You can. You’re a good guy, even if you are a giant sleaze, alright?” She quirks her lips into a smile, but her eyes remain fierce, and when I don’t respond she thumps my chest again. “Alright?”

“Alright,” I manage to croak, and she nods decisively and extricates herself from my arms.

“Good. Okay. Now, I’m going to go and have a long, serious talk with Brad, and I don’t want you to worry. I promise that if he shows any signs of being anything less than honest and real with me, he’ll lose his chance forever.” She takes a deep breath and squares her shoulders. “Can I count on you to look after Lucas for me, for just an hour or so? He’s too young for this, he doesn’t need to hear it all.”

My voice is caught in my throat for some reason, so I just nod.

“Alright,” she repeats. “Great. Let’s do this.”

And all I can do is follow.

Chapter 17

Olistaire

“How come we’re doing park times again?”

I look down at Lucas, who grabbed onto my hand without prompting as we walked out the diner and is swinging it back and forth now.

“You don’t want to go?” I ask, trying not to let my mind linger on exactly what might be going on between Grace and Brad right this moment. Which turns out to be easy, once Lucas begins to talk.

“Mamma says the park’s no good at nighttime, and plus I already did the park today, but it wasn’t for very long, so I guess it’s okay if you take me again. But it’s gonna be night soon so you have to remember to take me home before the park becomes bad, okay?”

I quirk a smile at his barrage of words. “I promise.”

He was so quiet and solemn at the diner, barely even smiling, but as soon as he stepped out with me, he almost immediately exploded with words and energy.

“Okay, just don’t forget!” He lets go of my hand as we reach the grassy expanse around the outskirts of the pine grove, throwing me a beaming smile before balancing terribly on one foot, and beginning to hop forward. “I like you, horsey.”

My smile stretches as I stroll along beside him. “I like you too, buddy.”

The thought crosses my mind that connecting with this four-year-old child seems so much more effortless to me than any female I’ve ever been with, but then I realize that isn’t quite right. Grace does seem to be an exception to that rule, since I’ve never been friends with a lover before her.

I suppose little Lucas must get it from his mother.

“Should I run to the trees and back?” Lucas pipes up after a few more seconds of hopping.

“Uh, sure?” I hedge. “If you want to?”

He shoves both his hands on his hips and stares up at me incredulously. “You’re supposed to tell me to stay where you can see me.”

“Right,” I say seriously, fighting a chuckle, “please stay where I can see you.”

His hands flop suddenly loose, and he sighs dramatically as he tips his head back. “Nah, actually, I don’t feel like it.”

My brows shoot up my forehead, but before I can so much as reply he darts in front of me and begins walking backwards.

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