Page 58 of Mad Love

“You just wait. You’ll be doing all kinds of things you never thought you’d do,” Henley says.

“Baby talk, Peppa Pig, competing with yourself for how fast you can change a diaper…” Rhodes ticks off his fingers.

“I think my fastest time was thirty seconds,” Bowie says.

Rhodes backs up his head like he’s affronted. “But was she clean after that? We’re not talking how fast you were and still leaving behind streaks.”

Bowie looks offended. “Hell no. What do you take me for? A novice?”

Rhodes lifts his eyebrows and shakes his head. “Too bad Levi’s potty-trained. I need to work on beating your time.”

Henley bounces Caleb and makes a face. “We’ve got a baby here that you can practice on.”

“Oh, I’ll go change him,” Sadie says. “I wasn’t intending on staying back here anyway. I just wanted to say hi.”

Everyone starts talking at once, trying to convince her to stay.

She laughs and shakes her head. “No, I’d be breaking the rules even more than Penn is.” She smirks as everyone laughs.

“You want your usual, Weston?” Clara asks.

“Yes, please.”

“And what about you, Sadie? What do you like?” she asks.

“I’ll come out there and see your specials. I like to mix it up.”

“A girl after my own heart,” Clara says. “Come on, I’ll show you my favorites.”

Sadie takes the backpack we’re using as Caleb’s diaper bag and reaches out for Caleb. He goes to her, feet kicking and his gummy smile so big it makes all the guys go on about how cute he is.

She lifts her hand and waves, her eyes on me. “Have fun, guys.”

“You really don’t have to go,” I tell her under my breath.

Her eyes are smiling when she says, “It’s all good, Shaw.”

My heartbeat stutters and I watch her until she’s out the door.

“Holy shit, man,” Rhodes says, his eyes wide. “I’m feeling some vibes…”

“No shit,” Penn says. “Are you guys?—”

“No,” I interrupt. I hold my hand up and then hustle to the chair, dropping into it. “Don’t even say it out loud.”

“Don’t say what out loud?” Penn frowns.

“Whatever was about to come out of your mouth?”

“Are you guys hooking up?” Penn says, tilting his head.

I growl and motion for him to cut it off right there.

“Why can’t I say that?” he asks.

“Because I don’t even want to put it out into the universe. It cannot happen. I can’t be thinking about it. Just no.” I put my elbows on the table and tug on my hair with both hands.

“Well, it’s obvious you are thinking about it,” Rhodes says. “And why can’t it happen?”

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