Page 30 of The One I Want
“It has been since we moved here. I just don’t think we’ve found our new rhythm in the new house.”
“Well never fear, your backup is here,” I say as I hold out my arms for the sweet, sleepy princess. “How about I take this one and you go get our favorite wizard dressed?”
Wes quickly passes Magnolia to me, who immediately wraps her arms around my neck. “And then can you start breakfast? I tried to change it up from cereal, as you can see, but it didn’t go well.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” I say. “Now go. I got this.”
I see the sigh of relief from Wes as he wrangles Hank up the stairs. I follow behind him and go to Magnolia’s room, which I only know is hers because she insisted on giving me a full tour last night. Wes and I thought it would be best to talk to them and tell them how things were going to go now that I was going to be helping out. Before I knew it, I was getting a full house tour from all three kids—each making sure to tell me which room was theirs. Needless to say, they were excited.
Honestly, so am I.
Am I nervous? Absolutely. I might be putting on a confident front, but I don’t want to mess this up. For the first time maybe ever, this is a job I want to do well. These kids have so quickly become important people in my life.
And so has their dad.
Until last night, I had only caught glimpses of Wes as a father. I knew the kids adored him. I knew he was doing his best to adjust to being a single dad. But seeing them together in their house? I saw Wes in a whole new light.
This man is the whole package. He’s an amazing father who would move mountains for his kids. He’s trying to balance his final days as a football player while doing his best to give his kids everything they need in what is the most tumultuous time of their lives.
Oh, and add on the fact that he’s sexy, has manners, and loves his family? You don’t find men like that every day.
And of course he’s now even more off limits than he was before. I might have had questionable morals and taste in men in my past, but even I know you don’t go after the man who writes your paychecks.
“All right Miss Mags,” I say, setting her down on the bed. “What do we feel like wearing today?”
“Dress,” she says, slowly but surely starting to wake up.
“I can do that,” I say as I dive into her closet, which might have more options than mine. Which is saying something.
I grab a cute tan and maroon dress, which must make her happy because she immediately perks up as she puts it on.
“Beautiful,” I say. “How about we do your hair?”
The way her face lights up when I say this will forever be etched into my heart. “Can you do bunnies?”
Um…what the fuck is a bunny?
“Sure,” I say, because there is no way on this green earth I am letting this child down. “But you have to tell me exactly what you want.”
Magnolia grabs my hand and pulls me toward the Jack-and-Jill bathroom she shares with Emerson, who I can see through the other door sprawled on her bed, reading. And because Magnolia is a strong, independent woman who don’t need no man, she grabs the stool and climbs up to sit on the counter.
“The brush is in the drawer with the ties,” she says, sitting up nice and tall.
“So, Magnolia,” I say as I slowly get everything ready. “Because everyone does bunnies different, can you tell me what exactly you want?”
“She wants pigtails but don’t pull them all the way through,” Emerson says as she walks in, phone in hand. “A mom on theForUapp does this with her daughter. Magnolia thinks they are awesome.”
“Thank you,” I say, giving the video a quick watch before spraying Magnolia’s hair with water so I can pull it into the two high pigtails. “How are you this morning, Em?”
She gives me a funny look. “No one calls me Em.”
“Oh,” I say, not even thinking about that. “I don’t have to call you that if you don’t want.”
“It’s okay,” she says. “Mom didn’t like us having nicknames.”
“I’m sure she had a good reason,” I say, not wanting to bash their mom on my first day. I can also tell by Emerson’s expression this is not a road of conversation she wants to go down.
“How is your new school?”
