Page 64 of Live Love Steal
Dad didn’t let go of his hand as he looked over his shoulder at me. I smiled. Filling the moment was quite a conversation between us. But seeing as it was my dad, and I was his oldest girl, no one else got to hear what we said to each other in that silence. He turned back and clasped Sketch’s hand with a double grip. “Nice to meet you… son.”
Well, shit. I shot a look at my mom. She scrunched up her nose and lured Noah into the kitchen for some fruit. Before dinner was ready, Dad and Sketch disappeared into the garage to ogle a ’67 Mustang in sore need of a funeral or about eight grand in parts.
Noah joined them.
Mom and I watched the driveway because Dad swore up and down he couldn’t get it started.
“Are you sure I can’t give you some cookies to take home?”
“Noah can’t have sugar yet either.” The list of foods we were slowly reintroducing was growing, but so were the other issues with stress. He was trying to hide it from Sketch and I, but he missed his mom. We were going to take a week off and go to Delaware so he could visit her. Maybe then things would get better.
“Are you sure you’re ready for a family?”
I was. Sketch was. But we were taking things one day at a time for Noah. No major changes other than consolidating living spaces as soon as my lease situation freed up. “We’re putting in a rooftop deck and potted garden.”
She stared at me with a strange expression plastered on her face.
“What?”
“I met your father right after a horrible breakup.”
I’d never heard of this before. “And?” I prompted.
“He was the one. Two weeks later, I knew, I just knew. Sometimes it’s fast, I guess.”
Audrey breezed in the door. At least I had the courtesy to knock before entering.
“Hey, sis,” I said in greeting.
“Who is that with Dad?” She stared out the window.
“That’s Izzy’s new boyfriend.” Mom’s tone was a little too bright.
“He’s got tattoos everywhere.” She walked over and felt my forehead. “Who are you? And what did you do with my sister?”
I grinned. She was just giving me shit. “Did you see Noah out there?”
“The munchkin? Yeah, I suppose you’re going to go all mother hen on him, aren’t you?”
“She already has.” Mom leaned closer to Audrey, “He can’t have cookies. Something about too much sugar.”
“Sacrilege!” She faked a gasp and swoon, then added, “Thank God you’re off my back for a change. I thought for sure you’d be all up my ass about Smicktor Bling.” She affected a falsetto after mangling her ex’s name, “I told you he was a thug. He was bound to get shot one of these days or another, but at least he didn’t drag you down with him.”
I froze, then laughed nervously. “Did I really sound like that?” I know I’d been a bit… hesitant, but the way Audrey made me sound was… well, uptight.
My sister didn’t answer, except to lean a bit to stare out the window. “You found the hood rat version of Dad.”
I had.
“Complete with a little Mini-Me. Cool. What’s for dinner? Please say spaghetti.”
I choked a little.
“We’re having roast. Noah can’t have cheese.”
Audrey looked at me with horror. “You’re going to kill that kid with your evil ways.”
God, I hoped not.
