Page 33 of Falling Together
“Perfect.” Blair picked up a giggling Nolan and started to run toward the pool. “I hope you’re ready for this.”
She jumped in with him and when they popped out of the water, they were both laughing together. It was a breathtaking sight that Erin couldn’t take her eyes off of.
“You found yourself a pretty good babysitter there.”
Erin looked beside her to find her sister standing there. How long had she been there? “Yeah. She’s wonderful. Nolan loves her.”
“Oh yeah?” April gave her a mischievous grin. “I don’t think he’s the only one.”
Erin’s mouth immediately went dry, and she struggled to form any words. Her ears rang as what her sister said settled in. Was she trying to say that ErinlovedBlair? That was ridiculous. Erin had a very strong appreciation for Blair and sometimes had thoughts she needed to push off to the side, but that didn’t actually mean anything. “Wh-what are you talking about?”
April held both hands in the air. “I’m just saying. I haven’t seen you look at anyone like that since Bianca.”
Just the mention of that name broke any spell Erin was under. “You mean the woman who tore my whole world apart?” Erin scoffed. “Yeah, I’d rathernothave another one of those in my life.”
“You should invite her to go on vacation with us,” April said as if she had ignored everything out of Erin’s mouth. “Blair. Not Bianca, obviously. Bianca is a bitch.”
“Invite her to the beach? Why the hell would I do that?”And why does that idea sound so tempting?
“To help with Nolan, of course.”
The sarcasm in her sister’s voice wasn’t lost on Erin. “I don’t need help with Nolan. Especially not with you and Sydney there.”
“Well, Sydney and I could watch him while you and Miss Babysitter go do something else.”
Something else.Erin’s body heated up at the implications of those words.Stop it!She turned to face her sister more fully. “Listen, I know you have good intentions, but just drop it. Nothing’s happening. She’s Nolan’s babysitter and she’stwenty-two-years-old. For all I know, I’m closer in age to hermomthanher.”
“Ah.” Her sister smirked and Erin knew whatever came out of her mouth next was going to be something shedidn’twant to hear. “So, you’ve thought about this, huh?”
“What?” Erin shook her head more than was necessary. “Of course not.”
“Well, for what it’s worth, I already like her more than Bianca.” And just like that, her sister walked away as though her words hadn’t just blown Erin’s mind.
She didn’t have time to dwell on them though, as the glass door loudly opened behind her and a boisterous male voice shouted over all of the chatter of the guests. “I’m here! The party can start.”
Erin turned around to find a young man, who appeared to be in his late teens, with shaggy blonde hair and striking blue eyes, holding up a case of beer.
Brandy, who seemed to come out of nowhere, grabbed the case of beer out of the boy’s hands. “Give me that. Why do you even have it?”
The teen shrugged. “Dad asked me to carry it out. For theadults, of course. Us under-twenty-onerstotallywon’t be drinking it after all of the adults are too drunk to notice.”
“Shut up, asshole,” a very familiar voice said from right behind Erin’s back.
A wet hand landed on her shoulder, and when Erin turned to look at Blair, she was pointing toward the boy. “Erin, this is my obnoxious, but sometimes lovable, brother, Blake.”
Blake. Duh.Erin should have realized that from all of the pictures hanging around their house. The problem was his hair was much longer than it was in any of those pictures. He looked more like he belonged in California, not suburban Pennsylvania.
“It’s very nice to meet you, Blake. I’m Erin.”
Blake’s smile grew with her introduction. “Oh, I know. My sister talks about youall the time.”
“Remember what I said about shutting up?” Blair asked, but there wasn’t quite as much of a joking tone to her voice this time. She pointed to the girl standing next to Blake, who Erin hadn’t noticed. “This is the more important person to meet. My brother’s amazing girlfriend, who is way too good for him, Trinity.”
Trinity had red hair and freckles all over her face, which immediately developed a blush from Blair’s introduction. She held her hand out toward Erin. “It’s very nice to meet you. Blair tells us your son is the cutest kid in the world.”
“Aw, thank you. He kind of has to be. Otherwise, I’d probably leave him outside with a sign that says ‘Free to a good home.’”Erin added a wink to make sure everyone who could hear her realized she was kidding.
Blake clapped his hands together. “Well, ladies, I’d love to stick around and chat, but as the man, I need to do some grilling.”
