Page 42 of After the Vows

In fact, when I woke up, Lucas was already dressed and ready to go home. He claimed he couldn’t wait to pick up Natalia whereas I’m beginning to think I have cooties.

My alarm is still blaring. I roll out of bed and march to the dresser where I put my phone last night. I switch off the alarm and notice the time. Seven a.m. I should be still snuggled in my bed. But I offered to help Lucas get Natalia to summer camp this morning. As long as I’m living here, I might as well help.

And now I’m awake and need to pee. I don’t have an attached bathroom and make my way to the family bathroom in the hallway.

Natalia flies out of her bedroom and dashes into the bathroom before I can get there.

“Hey!” I bang on the door. “I need to pee.”

“You snooze, you lose!”

I shuffle from foot to foot as I wait for her to finish but then I hear the shower switch on. Damnit. I can’t wait for her to shower. I contemplate running over to my house but I don’t think I’ll make it.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

I knock on Lucas’s door but don’t wait for him to respond. I slap a hand over my eyes and rush inside.

“I need to pee. Can I use your bathroom?”

I try to walk to the bathroom with my eyes covered and end up stubbing my toe on the bed. I drop my hand to check my toe.

“Are you okay?” Lucas asks and I lift my gaze to discover he’s shirtless. He’s wearing his uniform pants and nothing else. Holy mermaids in the sea! His chest is a work of art. Broad shoulders, more abs than I can count in the morning, and a tribal tattoo covering half of his chest.

“I’m ah….” I babble because my mouth is too busy drooling to figure out how to speak.

He chuckles. “Did you hurt your toe?”

My toe? Oh, yeah. I wiggle it. “It’s not broken.” My bladder reminds me of why I’m in Lucas’s bedroom drooling over him. “Can I use your bathroom? Natalia budged in line.”

I rush into the bathroom and do my business as quick as possible. When I return to the bedroom, it’s empty. As is the family bathroom.

Crap. I’m not much help with the morning routine if I’m standing in the hallway while Lucas and Natalia are downstairs. I throw on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before rushing to join them.

“I don’t want bran cereal!” Natalia screams. “I’m not an old man.”

“Watch your tone, cupcake.”

“I can whip up some eggs,” I offer.

Natalia feigns gagging. “Eggs are gross.”

“What about some toast?”

“I want my normal cereal.”

Lucas catches my eye over Natalia and mouthssorry.He has nothing to be sorry for. He isn’t responsible for his daughter’s behavior.

“I have a bunch of cereal in my kitchen back home. Do you want me to go get it?”

Lucas growls. “You’re not going to your house because Natalia’s being a brat.”

“I’m not a brat.”

He points to the table. “Then eat your bran cereal.”

I snatch my keys from the peg near the front door. I stare at the pegs for a second. There are nametags for each of them.Dad. Natalia. Chloe.Natalia presented me with the peg when we returned yesterday.

It’s the best present I’ve ever received, which sounds stupid. But all I’ve ever wanted is to belong to a family. A real family.

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