Page 58 of Timelessly Ours
“Surprise,” Angel sings.
“Umm…yeah, you can say that. What are you guys doing here?”
Nick and Jace b-line for the kitchen and I hear the fridge pulled open.
Oh dear.
“If you’re looking for beer, you won’t find any here,” I call back.
Cora shrugs. “They were insistent on coming to check on Coach instead of going out—he looked like he was ready to strangle someone when he left.”
Great. So not only is my boss coming home angry, but I now have uninvited guests in his house.
“You guys, I don’t think—”
Angel tugs my arm. “Come on, I know where he hides the good chocolate.”
“Now you’re talkin’.” Cora follows eagerly.
We find Nick and Jace leaning against the island counter across each other muttering something about the media.
Cora immediately goes to an overzealous Rover, petting and cooing.
Jace shakes his head. “Cor—Rover’s a big dog. You don’t coo a grown dog.”
“What…he likes it.” She continues to rub under his ears.
“He’s laughing at you,” her big brother says wryly.
Meanwhile, Angel is pulling at random bagged items from the pantry. “Where is it? Dammit.”
“Okay, why are you all here? You guys are going to get me in trouble. And can you keep it down? Rory’s asleep.”
Angel waves a dismissive hand. “Oh please. Nothing will wake that child.”
I start taking a few items out of the fridge for them, since they’re clearly not leaving until I feed them. I pull out leftovers of fried dumplings and cucumber salad I made for dinner earlier.
“So… how’s it going, sis?” Nick asks, stabbing a dumpling. “You made it two weeks without getting fired—congrats.”
I cross my arms. “Coach happens to like my way with Rory.”
“I meant fired by the kid herself.”
“Rory and I are getting along great.” Now.
Jace eyes me suspiciously and I’m on alert. I know that look. Either that, or I’m paranoid. “You doin’ alright here, otherwise?”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I deadpan.
He hesitates and glances at Nick, buying time with a bite of a dumpling. “You know, uh…that little problem you have…that makes you unfit to be Coach’s nanny.”
Nick turns a hard glare at his friend.
But not as hard as mine. I cross my arms. “What problem?”
He leans in across the counter. “The one where you have a secret crush on daddy…”
Nick shakes his head and turns away, pretending he didn’t hear that. While I—instead of denying it like a fourteen-year-old—own up to it.
