Page 61 of Make It Without You

Emily: You mean making out in my apartment isn’t your idea of a date? I’m shocked.

Me: Smartypants.

Emily: Can’t help it. But to answer your question, I would love to go on a date with you.

Me: How does 7 o'clock sound?

Emily: Perfect.

Me: I’ll pick you up.

I drive on clouds all the way home. Dylan should be getting home as well, so I get to spend some time with him before I need to get ready.

“Dylan?” I call out when I’m inside the house. Jenny is at the kitchen table doing homework and I wave to her when she looks up.

“He just went upstairs.” She tells me and sets her pen down.

I look to the stairs and then back at Jenny.

“What?”

“I have a huge favor to ask you.”

Jenny leans back in the chair and crosses her arms, quirking her brow as she asks, “What’s in it for me?”

“Free food and a night with the best kid ever?” I phrase it for her and hopefully, it sells.

“Night, huh? And where are you going?”

I purse my lips and take my hat off my head to ruffle my hair. “I have a date.”

Jenny’s legs get tangled around the chair as she rushes to me. I hold her shoulders steady and she waves them off.

“You should have led with that!”

It’s my turn to cross my arms over my chest. “I’m supposed to consult with my twenty-year-old babysitter that I have a date?”

“Considering it was the Ice Age the last time you dated, yes.”

“Watch it.” I say and flick her on the nose.

What started as Jenny being Dylan’s babysitter, has turned her into the little sister that I never had.

“Ouch,” she says and rubs her nose. “But, Adam, this is huge. Oh my god, my group chat is going to freak out.” She murmurs the last part as if I’m not supposed to hear her.

“You’ve been talking about me to your friends?”

“You’ve been the topic of many conversations for the last two years.”

“Is it too late to fire you?” I ask jokingly.

She laughs as if I said the sky was green. “Like you could find a babysitter that Dylan adores more.”

Jenny isn’t wrong about that. But I’ll never inflate her ego more than what it’s already at. Heavy footsteps barreling down the stairs has me turning right in time to catch Dylan.

“Hey, buddy.”

“Hi, Daddy. What’s for dinner?”

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