Page 57 of Flirt

“How? Like a fungus,” I joked as I placed a roll on Sawyer’s plate. The room went quiet for long enough that I worried I might have misspoken until everyone burst out laughing—even the kids, whether they understood or not.

Max ran his hand from the top of my head down the back of my hair, then he said, “Welcome to the family, Angel.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Flirt

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After grabbing a beerand pouring Gabriella a glass of wine, I went into the living room. I set her glass on the coffee table and my beer on the side table before I took a seat on the couch. Hearing the timbre of voices making their way downstairs, I smiled, leaning my head back until it rested against the couch. I closed my eyes at the calming effect of Gabriella’s laughter and Sawyer’s giggles ran over me.

I ran my work schedule through my mind and made a mental list of everything that needed to be done, scheduled, or taken care of to make this home as much Gabriella’s and Sawyer’s as it was mine.

After we had finished dinner and polished off dessert, which consisted of Claire’s, Bailey’s mom, and my dad’s woman, bakery confections. The three cupcakes I had stuffed in my mouth had only added to my overstuffed feeling from dinner. I knew if I had kicked back and relaxed for even fifteen minutes after eating, I wouldn’t have wanted to move. So, I went to my house, grabbed Gabriella’s purse, got in my truck and drove to the garage behind Speed’s. After I tossed a few empty shipping boxes from parts deliveries into the back of the truck, I drove to the front of the house and picked up Gabriella and Sawyer.

The trip to town to pack up some of the things they would need over the next week took two hours. Then another two hours helping my girls get situated once we were back at the house.

Footsteps had my eyes opening, and my thoughts bouncing back to the present. I turned my head to the side and watched as Sawyer padded barefoot into the living room, wearing her pajamas and holding Gabriella’s hand.

“Will you tuck me in?” she asked before she made it across the living room.

“Max is tired, baby girl. Tell him goodnight, and I’ll tuck you in,” Gabriella told her.

“How about your mom and I both tuck you in,” I said and stood. No way would I miss her first official tuck in staying at my house, no matter how tired I was.

“Okay,” she answered with an exuberance only a kid could have after a long day.

When I reached them, I swooped Sawyer up, forcing her to drop Gabriella’s hand, and swung her around until she sat on my shoulders. The sound of her and Gabriella laughing had me smiling.

I walked up the stairs with Gabriella following behind. When we reached the bedroom that faced the front of the house, I walked to the bed and unceremoniously flipped Sawyer off my shoulders and onto the bed. After her body bounced a few times, making her giggle, she climbed under the covers and laid her head on the pillow.

Once Gabriella had given Sawyer a kiss and told her goodnight, she stepped back, and I took her place. I bent and kissed Sawyer’s forehead, then said, “See you in the morning.”

“‘Kay,” she answered and shut her eyes.

When we got back downstairs to the living room, I plopped down on the couch, “She was out fast.”

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