Page 19 of The Third Girl

CHAPTER 8

MATT

Oh God, what was I thinking? I hope this all works out. Everything seemed fine at the park, but now the closer it gets to five, the more worried I become. And it’s for no good reason because I truly do think Skylar will do a great job.

I peek out the front window again just as her Trailblazer pulls into the driveway.Here we go.Glancing at my daughter, I decide to get the ball rolling. “Hey, baby girl. Guess who’s here?”

“Nana? Pop-Pop?”

“Nope. Do you remember Skylar from the park? The one who took you down the slide?”

Her tiny nose crinkles as she thinks, which I find fucking adorable, if I do say so myself. Then her mouth shoots into a tiny O and her eyes get big. I wasn’t sure if she’d remember. “Skywar?”

I nod with a grin. “Yep.” And it goes a long way to calm my racing heart when Sailor claps her pudgy little hands in delight. Scooping her into my arms, I bring her to the door with me and pull it open. I take a deep breath and whisper against the side of Sailor’s head, “I need you to be a good girl for Skylar, okay?” Sailor looks up at me, her blue eyes confused. I kiss the side of her head. “We’ll have fun.”

“Hey, you two!” Skylar hikes an oversize duffel bag up onto her shoulder. “Were you waiting for me?”

I tickle Sailor’s tummy, eliciting a giggle. “We were. Sailor is excited to have dinner with you. Can you say hi, Sailor?”

“Hi.” She buries her face in my neck, peeking out at Skylar.

Skylar smiles, reaches out, and tugs Sailor’s sock-covered foot. “Hi. I’m excited, too.”

I step back out of the doorway, waving her inside. I glance again at the bag. It’s huge.

She sees the direction of my gaze and shrugs her shoulders as she sets it down after closing the front door behind her. “I hope this is okay—I brought a bunch of toiletries that I use on a regular basis to leave here and some spare clothes and pajamas. I figure if this goes as planned it would be easier if I didn’t have to pack a bag every night.”

I nod. “That makes sense. We’ll show you your room and give you a tour of the house later, if that’s okay. I ordered pizza for dinner, and it just showed up a few minutes ago.”

Her eyes light up. “I love pizza.”

“Pizza!” An excited squeal comes from Sailor, complete with more hand clapping and bouncing up and down in my arms.

Skylar and I both laugh. She comes a bit closer to get Sailor to look at her. “Somebody must really love pizza. Sailor, what kind is it?”

“Cheeeeeese!”

I chuckle. “I guess our house tour begins in the kitchen with the pizza.” Sailor and I lead the way to the small eat-in kitchen. “Okay, baby girl. Ready to get into the high chair so we can have some dinner?” She nods vigorously.

“Do you want me to cut up a slice for her?” Skylar has already pulled open one of the boxes. “Mm, Sailor. Cheese pizza.”

“Uh, yeah. You can use the paper plates there on the counter, and the drawer right under the pizza is where the knives and forks and things are. She has some plastic kid forks in there, too, though it’s kind of a miracle if she uses one.” While I’m getting Sailor situated in the high chair—which by some miracle she’s allowing—I watch Skylar without really meaning to. But… There’s a woman in my kitchen. And she’s not Terri. It feels strange. Not bad. Just different. And it’s not like she’s here for me. She’s here for Sailor. I mentally slap myself. I’d best fuckin’ remember that.

She is pretty, though. Very different in looks than Terri. Younger, obviously. I didn’t meet Terri until I was thirty-two and she was thirty-three. I draw in a deep breath. And if I really examine why I’d say Skylar’sprettyrather thangorgeous, it’s only because I know I shouldn’t say more. Shouldn’t be thinking about her like that. But damn, she is. She’s gorgeous with all that curly red hair and creamy porcelain skin. And the freckles. I had no idea I liked freckles until I’d gotten up close and personal with her on the mat at the gym.

Matt, you’re being fucking stupid. You haven’t been with a woman in a year. Quit being a horn dog. She’s the goddamn childcare giver—the nanny—and nothing else.

“Matt?”

“Hm?” My eyes flick up to her inquisitive green ones. “Sorry. I must have spaced out. What did you say?”

“I just asked if this milk in the sippy cup was for her dinner.” Her brows raise as she waits for me to get my wits about me.

I rub my hand over my jaw. “Yeah, sorry. I poured it for her an hour ago because she said she was thirsty, but then she didn’t want it. But maybe she will now. She’s finicky like that. Sometimes she loves things, sometimes not so much. Wants something one minute, but not the next.”

“Typical.” She shoots me a sassy grin, then closes the refrigerator and brings over the sippy cup and a piece of pizza that she’d cut up for Sailor while I was lost in my head, thinking about the way she looks. She sets the food and drink down in front of Sailor on the high chair’s tray. “There you go, sweetie. Matt, can I get you a couple of slices?”

Fuck, I am out of it.“Um, yeah, sure. But you don’t have to wait on me, that’s not why you’re here.”

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