Page 23 of Mad Love

How do people do this?

CHAPTER EIGHT

WILD THINGS

SADIE

I heard Weston and Caleb a time or two throughout the night, but it seemed like Caleb would quieten down so soon each time that I’d drift back off. It must have been a decent night. I’m a little torn about that—I don’t want my nephew to be upset, but I’m not in a hurry for Weston to win him over or for my sister to be forgotten.

And the more Weston bonds with him, the more likely he’ll find ways to boot me out.

I can understand why. It’s already so unusual that he’d invite me to stay here. If I were him,Iwouldn’t have invited me into his home.

It will be impossible to avoid him taking my sister’s place. Caleb is too young. As much as I hate this, it just gives me more determination to make sure I’m needed. I shouldn’t have let Weston take Caleb last night, but I feel so much better this morning. I’ll be able to function with some sleep. I actually can’t remember the last time I slept that long, and it was only about five and a half hours. Sasha has always been a night owl, and with me sleeping in the living room, it wasn’t like there was a place I could go to avoid hearing her and Caleb during the night.

I stretch and go into the bathroom, turning on the shower. The tears start again by the time I step into the warm water, and I try to get it out of my system before I have to face Weston for the day. I’m anxious before I’ve even seen him this morning.

Maybe because the sight of him shirtless when he came rushing to help with a bottle is something I can never unsee.

Or hearing him sing to Caleb. That was the sweetest thing I’ve ever heard.

The way he talks to him.

How hilarious he was about the diaper and then getting his face covered in urine.

Throughout everything, he’s mostly been laid-back and funny, and I’m not even someone he likes.

What is that saying about keeping your friends close and your enemies closer? I’m the enemy.

That’s the only reason I’m here.

If he keeps handling everything in stride, he’ll soon see that I’m expendable.

When I step out of the shower, I have a new resolve to prove that I’m needed around here. I’m not sure how I’ll do that since I feel as lost about most things with Caleb as Weston is…but he doesn’t have to ever know that. I think maybe I have him fooled so far.

I don’t have many clothes, but I put on my nicest jeans and sweater, put a little mascara and lip gloss on, and look at myself in the mirror before I go out there to face the day.

I’m doing this for you, Sasha.

When I walk out of my bedroom, I expect to see Weston and Caleb on the couch, but they’re not there. I look around, walking past the bedrooms that are open and find the gym down at the other end. It’s an amazing gym, which shouldn’t surprise me, but everything is just so far beyond what I could expect. It really is like one of those luxury home shows.

Do all of Weston’s friends live like this? Did he grow up like this?

After I’ve explored the entire basement, I go upstairs to the kitchen and hear Weston laughing somewhere else in the house. I try to place the sound and decide maybe it’s the library. I’ve been wanting to go back in there anyway, so this is a good excuse to go look without it seeming like I’m snooping.

I turn the corner and walk through the glass arched door, and there they are. They’re on the plush rug in front of the fireplace. Weston is stretched out on his stomach, still in his workout clothes, and Caleb is on his back, looking up at Weston and kicking his feet. Weston is talking to him and then he leans down and blows a raspberry in Caleb’s neck. Caleb laughs a new laugh, harder and louder than I’ve ever heard him laugh, and I just stare at the two of them in wonder for a few minutes, undetected.

Weston is telling him about his favorite book as a kid,Where the Wild Things Are, and he talks about the monsters not being as scary as they might sound.

“I’ll have to get the book for you,” he says. “You’ll have to see it to believe it. The monsters end up being intimidated by Max. That’s the little boy’s name, Max. Cool name. But so is Caleb. Also Caleb…I promise that I won’t ever make you go to bed without supper. My parents never did that with me, and I solemnly swear that I won’t do it with you either.”

Caleb coos like he understands and I’m going to have to add this whole exchange to the list of things about Weston that are too…

He feels eyes on him and glances over, his expression cautious when he sees me.

“Good morning. How did you sleep?” he asks.

“Better than I have since Caleb was born,” I admit.

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