Page 31 of Stuck with my Guarded MVP
"You know you can move in with us anytime, right?" Brooke said, nudging me gently with her elbow.
I smiled. "I know. But you’ve got a full house already. And I know you are going back soon so the girls can finish out their school year. So you won’t be here that much longer."
“Admit it,” Brooke said, giving me that smile that meant she was about to stir the pot. “You just want to live with the hot goalie.”
My eyes snapped back to her. I could feel the heat creeping up.
Brooke angled her body toward me, smirking. “Oh, come on, Claire, I love my husband. But even I noticed how good-looking he is.”
I pressed my lips together.
Yeah, he is. Especially when he’s barefoot, hair damp, and makes you feel like you belong in his kitchen.
"What I will miss when I move back into your place is his cooking. I will deny it if you tell him, but Liam is a fabulous cook," I manage to respond.
"So, he’s hot and he cooks?" She grinned. "Okay, I take back my offer. You are not allowed to move back into our place."
We both laugh.
I looked down at the girls. Sophie was tugging at Emma’s sleeve, trying to mimic the roar of the animatronic T. rex. "You’ve got a good thing going," I said.
Brooke followed my gaze. "It’d be nice if you moved here. It’s hard doing this alone when Nolan’s gone all the time."
"My lease is month-to-month," I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I’ve been thinking... maybe it’s time we all lived in the same city."
Brooke glanced at me sideways, but said nothing. Just bumped her shoulder against mine as Sophie let out a shriek of delight from across the room. “You’ve been smiling like that a lot lately.”
“I don’t know what you mean.” I took a sip of water and tried to act unbothered. But I could feel the smile she was talking about still hovering.
“When’s Nolan getting home?” I asked, as casually as I could.
Brooke narrowed her eyes. “This afternoon. Why?”
I shrugged. “Just wondering.”
Her expression didn’t budge. “Uh-huh. Wondering when your hot goalie roommate’s getting back?”
I groaned. “Will you please stop calling him that?”
“He is hot. And a goalie. I feel like that’s basic math.”
“His name is Liam.” I tossed a napkin at her, which she caught without flinching. “And great, now every time I look at him, I’m going to hear your voice sayinghot goaliein my head. Thanks for nothing.”
Brooke laughed. “You’re welcome.”
I pretended to be annoyed, but the truth was I liked this version of us. A little teasing. A little sisterly chaos. A whole lot of subtext.
“Fine,” I said, dramatic sigh and all. “I rescind the offer I was going to make.”
She sat up straighter. “What offer?”
“Nope. Too late. You ruined it.”
“Claire,” she said sweetly, leaning in. “Don’t make me tickle it out of you. I have two kids. I know exactly where all the weak spots are.”
I held up my hands. “All right, all right. I was going to offer to watch the girls tonight. So you and Nolan could have actual, uninterrupted adult time. Maybe even sleep. Together. In the same bed. At the same time. Without kids in between. Imagine that.”
Brooke’s eyes softened instantly. “You’d do that?”
