Page 52 of Teasing

“Goodnight, my little rose. I won’t get scared. I promise. I’ll be right down the hall if you need me, okay?”

She nods, and Lenny’s smile grows before she walks away.

Oh, what the hell?

I pull my phone from my pocket.

Emmie

What the hell, Mav? Why are your mom, your godmother, and your aunt here with bottles of wine and cupcakes when it’s time for Rosie to go to bed?

Maverick

Emmie, it’s Ryker. Good luck. You’re about to get grilled.

Emmie

Grilled? What? Why? What do you mean grilled?

Ryker, give Maverick back the phone.

Maverick

Just relax, hot nanny. They’ll love you. They love everyone. Well, not so much Amelia. But Belles and Lenny love everyone.

Emmie

Jameson Murphy, give Maverick the phone or I’ll tell him you grabbed my ass yesterday during yoga.

Maverick

He what?

Emmie

He was falling because he has absolutely no balance. He wasn’t trying to grab me, but I needed something to threaten him with.

Why am I about to get grilled, Mav?

Maverick

Because my family has a phone tree bigger and faster than any school ever could. News spreads faster through them than it does on social media.

Emmie

What news? There is no news.

Maverick

. . .

. . .

. . .

The dots stop and start a few times before disappearing.

Emmie

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