Page 13 of After Midnight

“You know that anyone you date has to be approved by us,” she continued, squaring me with her eyes, “So, we gotta learn more about them before you get serious if you want our approval.

“I tweaked her nose, and asked, “…and missy why do you think I need your approval? I asked smiling. You know I don’t, but there’s nothing to worry about. I just met Dillon. We’re not serious, not yet anyway,” I said, fighting a smile.

She sat up, worry etched on her face. “Now you’re twenty-one, you’re going to move out soon and when you do, Miss Rita will leave too. Then we’ll be here all alone.” Her voice trembled a little, and there it was. The real reason behind their inquisition. After all the loss they’d experienced in their young lives, now the girls were afraid of losing me.

I swallowed thickly and leaned back in the chair. There was no need to pretend Margarette would be there for them. She wasn’t exactly the motherly type.

“Neither Miss Rita nor I will leave you girls,” I said, trying to sound as reassuring as possible. “I’m here for you, as is she. Never doubt that.”

“But you can’t promise you always will be,” Alli said.

“Why can’t I?” I asked, surprised Alli would chime in on this type of conversation.

“Because you don’t know what’s gonna happen,” she said, her eyes starting to glisten. “Just like with your dads and our parents, anything could happen.”

I let out a heavy breath, holding back my own tears that threatened to spill at her statement. The girls rarely asked about their parents. Sometimes I wished they would, but more often than not, I was grateful they didn’t because I knew the pain itwould bring. They’d been so young when their parents’ car had been hit by a truck going the wrong way down the interstate. My dads had been babysitting the girls the night it happened.

“It’s true we can’t predict the future, but you also can’t spend all your time worrying about it. When people love you, like your family,” I said, pointing to Olivia, then to myself, “then you hold onto that. You also have Miss Rita, who is strict but that’s because she cares about us. She won’t disappear either.”

“’Cause she’s like family,” Alli said, more as a statement than a question. Then her face fell again. “But what if you get a job somewhere else, or you get married and he wants to take you away from us?”

“Somebody has been watching too many Disney fairy tales,” I said, chuckling at the idea of some prince wanting to whisk me anywhere. “Besides, my major is in business administration and there’s plenty of businesses in Denver. When I graduate, I plan to get a job close to here.”

That seemed to mollify Alli, who visibly relaxed and leaned back on her pillow. Olivia’s mouth remained set in a thin line, though, which told me she hadn’t bought it.

“Okay, spit it out, what’s got you all tore up?” I asked.

“Missy’s dad got a job in Seattle, so he’s leaving her and her mom,” Olivia blurted. “He is in business too.”

I had to nip this in the bud before their concerns got any worse. I took a deep breath and moved to sit on the bed next to her.

“Sweetie, we don’t know the full story of why your friend’s dad is moving, and it’s none of our business anyway. What I do know is when I look for a job, it will be here. I would miss my annoying little sisters too much to go anywhere else.”

I was relieved when Alli giggled and Olivia stuck her tongue out at me. I’d managed to appease them, for now anyway.

I told them goodnight and was about to close the door when Olivia said quietly, “I love you, Dominic.”

I paused in the doorway and smiled. “I love both of you with all my heart,” I said, just like I used to in the years before Olivia announced I was smothering her.

She smiled this time, though, then closed her eyes.

I quietly shut the door, then leaned back against the wall and replayed the evening’s events in my mind. Had I dodged a bullet or lost a chance with Dillon? My dating life had always come in second, if at all, on my list of priorities. The girls were my main responsibility and came first, period.

Still, I couldn’t deny the man was cute, funny, and left my stomach feeling fluttery. A paternal instinct I’d developed since caring for my sisters told me he was special too. Kind in a way that was baked into him, rather than it being for show or the sake of getting into my pants. That alone made Dillon unlike any guy I’d gone out with before.

I took a deep breath and, shaking my head, pushed myself off the wall.

I started down the stairs and came face to face with the last person I wanted to see.

“You’ve made a mess in here,” Margarette said derisively, gesturing toward the living room. “I do hope you plan to clean it up before morning.”

I ignored her as usual and proceeded toward the kitchen.

Unfortunately, Margarette didn’t do her usual spin and leave in a huff. Instead, she followed me, clearly spoiling for a fight. I’d learned a long time ago it was best to let her blow rather than talk back, and eventually the fireworks would fizzle out.

This time, however, she shoved me from behind, knocking me into the wall.

I turned around and rose up to my full height with my hands in the air. “Margarette, if you lay your hands on me again, I will call the police.”

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