Page 18 of Keepsake

“What’s in it for you?” Dash asked.

“Excuse me?”

I poured coffee into Logan’s cup. Something told me she needed it.

“You’re going to bring us to a penthouse and pay for my college for what?”

I opened my mouth, but Logan shook her head. She faced Dash carefully. A beat passed before she said, “Because your mom asked me to.”

Itwasalwayslikethis between us. Sofia was soft and easy to love. I was rigid, a Hart through and through. I didn’t know how to say the right things. Terrible at dating, I was too direct. Too much to the point.

I came to this house once again with one goal in mind. I was here to wow the kids and make them want to see me again. My mentor always said you only needed to make it to the next interview. To the next project. One step at the time.

I came to make them agree to see me again. Instead, I talked about paying for their education. The hands resting on top of my thighs clutched the fabric, and I hoped to dear god my smile wasn’t too wobbly.

“We can talk about this later.” I swallowed, avoiding Caridad’s murderous gaze.

I knew she was going to accuse me of buying their affection. I wasn’t. At least I didn’t think I was. My head turned to Alvaro, unconsciously asking for help, but before he could intervene, Dash spoke up.

“We want to talk alone.”

Alvaro blinked at his nephew. I looked from one Castillo to the next, not sure what he meant. Since everyone kept silent, I decided to ask.

“By yourselves?”

Dash shook his head. “With you.”

“Dashiell…” Caridad started, but Alvaro stood up.

“We’ll be in the other room.”

I heard protests from Caridad, but my focus wouldn’t waver from Dashiell. He was looking straight at me, Lachlan still on his knee and watching me as much as his big brother. Even Vienna, who was the most talkative of the siblings, was in complete silence now.

I squirmed under his eyes, and we waited in complete silence until one-by-one Alvaro left with his parents and the door closed softly behind them.

“How come mom wants us to live with you?” he fired off the second that door closed.

I sucked in a breath, ready for that question. “We grew up together. We were best friends since we were little. We used to share everything.”

“And how come we don’t know you?” He narrowed his eyes.

I swallowed, not sure how much I could share. “I’m actually your godmother,” I told him. “I organized your baby shower.” That did not change the look on his face, so I pressed on. “Things changed when we graduated from school…” I cleared my throat. “But we reconnected later. And she knew she could trust me.”

The words felt weird in my mouth, but I had no time to think about it.

“And we would go live in the city with you?” Dashiell pushed.

I shook my head. “I can rent some place here. You don’t need to move schools.”

Dash and Vienna shared a look. Since I laid my eyes on him during the funeral, I knew he was too grown up. Between how serious he was for a fifteen-year-old, and how Vienna seemed almost jumpy at times while Lachlan wouldn’t talk at all… I had my hands full with them.

It wasn’t time to think about that. I’d leave it to future Logan and that pile of parenting books waiting for me. Right now, I had one step further to go. And I could only think about that one.One thing at the time.

“The thing is,” he started again. “We don’t want to stay here.”

“With your grandparents?” I tilted my head.

“At our school,” Vienna whispered.

---