Page 97 of Two Guys, a Girl, and a Tripod

“Echo Park parents, apparently,” Raegan grumbles.

“Doesn’t that include you?”

“Can you help or do I need to call our sitter? I’m not even sure she’s in town this weekend.”

“No, I’ll-” I look over at Sophie who has been pretending not to listen. “I’ll take care of it. Just send me the address for the party.”

“Thanks. I owe you one. Maybe I can get you a deal on plane tickets for your next trip. Do you have something planned?”

“Not yet. Leave the girls to me.”

“Bye, B.”

“Toodles.”

“Did you really just say toodles?” asks Sophie with a snort when I hang up the phone.

“Someone likes to eavesdrop.” I raise an eyebrow, but smile. I set the phone back on the table before rolling back over so we’re facing each other. “I have to pick up my nieces from a party in a little bit.”

“Oh.” Her face falls. “I’ll get dressed and-”

“You could come with me.” I have no idea where that offer came from, but I’m going to double down. Sophie’s eyes widen, her eyebrows raising. Her lips part in surprise.

“I-I-I could?”

“Yeah, I mean if that’s ok. I don’t know how you feel about kids, but-”

“I like kids,” she says quickly but still looks uncertain.

“Then it’s settled.” I take her hand and kiss her knuckles, then drop our hands between us. “Got something appropriate you can wear?” I tease.

“Is a sundress ok?” She rolls her eyes.

“Depends on how short it is. And how badly it makes me want to,” I pull her closer by the waist, “bend you over,” I bring my mouth to hers, “and slide inside your tight,” my hand drifts down her side and across her body, “wet,” I urge her with my hand to lift her leg so I can slide my hand between her thighs, “pussy.”

Car seats loaded into the back seat, Sophie and I leave just before noon to go pick up my nieces from the party. It’s down south in Echo Park and we arrive just in time for the party to end.

“You wanna come in with me?” I ask Sophie after I park along the residential street. “You don’t have to. I think it’ll be kind of crazy in there.”

“I’ll come in.” She smiles and slides out of the car to follow me up the sidewalk.

I glance back at her, the sidewalk too narrow to comfortably walk side by side. That damn sundress swishes around her legs in the light breeze while she walks, but I’m glad to see it falls to her knees. Not that she should care what other people think, but I don’t want to traumatize a bunch of elementary school kids.

“Oh, I should warn you,” I say as we turn to walk up the driveway. “Violet has a speech impediment. She says her k’s and similar sounds like t’s or d’s. Uncle is Untle, cold is told, things like that. If you don’t understand something, just look at me.”

Sophie nods with a grin.

“That’s adorable.”

Raegan told me it was ok to just walk into the house, that she had let the parents know I was picking up the girls instead of Isla. When I place my hand on the doorknob and swing it open, pure chaos overwhelms my senses. Streamers hang from just about every door frame and every foot or so along the ceiling of the living room,kitchen, and entryway. Excited screams fill the air, undercut by the heavy thuds of footsteps as children run around, chasing each other.

“Sounds like they’ve already had cake,” I chuckle while Sophie closes the door behind us.

A few parents are visible in the living room, watching the horror unfold. They look unfazed by it all.

“Can I help you?” one of the women asks, stepping forward when she notices our entrance. She looks about my age, maybe a few years older. Her short black hair is perfectly parted on the side and her rosy lipstick is immaculate.

“I’m Brody.” I hold out my hand. “Opal and Violet’s uncle.”

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