Page 49 of War

“What am I going to do?” Josie asks, her hands on her hips and her bottom lip stuck out.

Already settled on the couch, Brayden calls, “You can pick a movie to watch with me.”

Josie brightens comically. “Oh, let’s watchZom?—”

“Anything butZombies,” he shouts.

Always expressive, she’s back to pouting, now with her arms crossed over her chest. “You said I can pick.”

Brayden drops his head back against the sofa. “Isn’t there anything else you want to watch?”

“Zombies 2?” She scurries into the living room, her voice hopeful.

He palms his face and groans. “Okay.” Then, with a glare in our direction, he adds, “Don’t go far.”

“You’re the best, Bray.” Maria links her arm with mine and drags me toward the kitchen island. “I’ll make the tea while you spill it. How’s that?”

“Ha ha,” I deadpan. But as she asks, I dive into the story. There’s no way she’ll believe a lovesick-puppy tale like the girls do. Honestly, I’m not sure why I even allowed myself to get swept away like that. I was the one who proposed this insanity to Tyler, not the other way around. If he had been interested all this time, wouldn’t he have come to me with the idea?

“Truly, it’s for the kids,” I tell her, hands clasped around my warm mug. “I love them. He loves them. He needs help, and I’m happy to give it.”

“But marriage?” Maria gives me a concerned frown as she brings her tea to her lips. “Why not just say you’ll be the live-in nanny?”

I shrug. “They need something more permanent. And I’ve always loved Josie. I can’t imagine anyone else filling this role.”

Her expression shifts into a small smile. “Me neither. And I’ve never seen Tyler look at a woman the way he looks at you.”

I snort, even as my cheeks heat. “Like he wants to murder me?”

She shakes her head. “The man just agreed to spend the next two decades living with you. And he didn’t offer to move the girls into one room so you’d have your own space, did he?”

Gaping like a fish, I blink at her. “I—” I snap my mouth shut. I don’t have a clue how to respond to that. Because honestly, moving the girls in together would make sense. Scarlett sleeps through the night, so she wouldn’t disturb Josie, and either of their rooms is big enough to share.

But he never considered the idea.

Would it be weird for me to mention it to him?

Do I want to?

Strangely, the thought of having my own room here doesn’t bring me comfort. Maybe because it would make our status asco-parents onlyofficial. Partners in this strange endeavor, raising kids together and nothing more.

I don’t exactly love that.

But there’s no way we could be more. Right?

Maria smirks. “That’s what I thought.”

We spend the rest of the afternoon talking about the kids’ schedules. Maria gives me a rundown on what their lives look like from day to day, and eventually, Tyler joins us, and we settle in with the kids and watch a movie. When he chooses the seat next to mine on the smaller couch, rather than near Brayden on the larger one, Maria cocks a brow at me.

While I settle in, I allow myself to imagine that she’s right. And I give myself permission to picture what a real marriage might look like.

And you know what? The image isn’t half bad.

EIGHTEEN

TYLER

Aiden: Should I start putting together my speech?

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