Page 79 of Smitten with the Single Dad

She met Bennett’s gaze across the room.

That was exactly what they were all afraid of.

Justine had cleaned the wound on her arm and placed several butterfly bandages over it before adhering a large piece of gauze and medical tape over it. It stung, but not too bad. She was able to ignore it for the most part. So, with nothing to do besides wait, Vica decided that she was going to continue with her plan to teach the boys to make pasta.

They all cajoled Bennett into retrieving the pasta maker; and with the help of Jagger at Wyatt’s house, she taught Silas, Griffon, and Jake how to make a well of flour on the counter, crack the egg, and mix it in. They all enjoyed that part, but everyone wanted a turn at hand-cranking the machine. That was their favorite part.

“What do you think they’re doing to our dad now?” Jake asked as they added spinach to their third batch of pasta dough to make it green.

“I hope they’re figuring out whatever is making his sick,” Vica said.

He nodded. “Me too.”

She glanced at Silas who’d been rather quiet until now. “How are you doing, kiddo?”

He was busy kneading the sun-dried tomato dough they’d just created. “I’m okay.”

Unlike Aya, Emme, and Talia, who never stopped talking, it felt like the boys’ lips were glued shut sometimes.

“Tell me about your dad,” she said, hoping to distract all of them, but also learn more about Wyatt in the process.

“His farts are the stinkiest I’ve ever smelled in my life,” Griffon said, which made Silas giggle. “And he can spend hours in the bathroom.”

Jake nudged his brother.

“What?” Griffon said. “It’s the truth.” Then he turned to Silas. “I mean, your farts stink too, but you are lactose intolerant so its not your fault. You eat a grilled cheese sandwich and your butt tries to explode.”

Silas nodded solemnly. “And I take dairy pills to help.”

“Exactly,” Griffon agreed.

Vica snickered. “What else?”

“He lets us say ‘crap.’ That’s not a bad word. And we’re allowed to make potty humor jokes, just not at the table. And if someone asks us to stop, we need to respect that. But he makes just as many jokes about poop as we do.” Griffon glanced at his big brother as if making sure he hadn’t said anything offensivethis time.

“He calls you the ‘Skidmark Kid of San Camanez,’” Jake said with a cheeky smile. “Because you are.”

Griffon went pink in the cheeks. “I am not. At least, not anymore.”

“Hey,” Vica said, not wanting to embarrass Griffon anymore, “why are ninja farts so dangerous?”

All three boys looked at her with utter captivation.

“Why?” Silas asked, his eyes wide.

“Because they are silent but deadly,” she said.

A trio of little boys burst out laughing. Both Silas and Griffon had adorable little-kid belly laughs that warmed Vica through to the very deepest depths of her soul. Being with these children was exactly what she needed.

“What is ‘fart’ in Italian?” Griffon asked.

“Scorregia,” Vica said.

All three kids repeated the word over and over again, rolling it around on their tongues.

“I love a goodscorregiajoke,” Silas said.

“Me too.” Griffon nodded. “So does my dad.” His face turned somber. “You think he’s going to be okay, right, Vica?”

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