A Redo (Sterling Shore 6)

“Ass,” Bella gripes while walking away, but she can’t stop the chuckle that slips free.

“It’s always entertaining here,” I say as Allie turns around in my arms. “I’m just glad you weren’t practicing on Bob. I was hoping he might be retired since I work really damn hard to keep you sated.”

Her eyes widen, and I nod slowly, waiting on her to process.

“How do you—”

“Angel brought it up on our first daddy-daughter date. She said you had a secret boyfriend named Bob. I thought I was going to need the Heimlich in the middle of the restaurant.”

She covers her face before burying her head against my chest, and I laugh again while holding her to me. It’s always so natural to touch her, and miserable when I can’t.

“Balls,” she grumbles.

“It has balls?” I joke, snickering when she pinches my chest.

“Not funny,” she mutters.

“So? Where is Bob these days?” I prompt, grinning when she laughs in defeat.

“Bob has been retired. You make Bob look pathetic.”

I smile harder while pushing her back against the counter, tilting her head up so that I can get at those lips. “Good to hear. I’d rather not have to be jealous of an inanimate object.”

That’s when her eyebrow goes up in challenge. “Oh, Bob is very animated.”

I laugh as she rolls her eyes, and drag her to the living room just as Bella returns, a smoothie in her hand. Angel walks out, her face focused on her screen, and she climbs up in my lap the second I sit down on the sofa.

Allie smiles over at us as she flips on the TV and starts talking about cooking dinner. I just relax and let Angel get comfortable on me, wishing Allie would admit this thing between us isn’t going to cool off.

We’re at two very different places. I want her and Angel to move in with me, and she’s still wanting to hide us.

My phone rings, and I glance at the unknown number. Probably another reporter. That’s one more thing for me to take care of. Soon.

***

WREN

All throughout dinner, Allie is massaging her temples, her food barely touched. Angel gets up and goes to her room to put on her pajamas, as Bella talks to me and goes to grab something from the cabinet.

“You okay?” I ask Allie, since Angel is finally out of earshot. I didn’t want to ask with her in here and get her worried about her mom.

“Just a headache.”

Bella snorts while bringing a bottle of pills to the table, handing them to Allie.

“That’s a universal woman code for you’re not getting any tonight. Serves you right after showing up early today.”

I half smile, but I’m more worried about Allie. She looks like she’s in a lot of pain.

“Take the pills,” Bella sighs.

“You know what they do to me.”

I perk up immediately. What do they do to her? Am I really so juvenile as to hope they make her horn—

“I’ll take care of Angel,” Bella says, interrupting my thoughts. “Take them before it gets worse.”

Allie scowls at her, and her gaze flicks to me.

“What do they do to you?” I ask, now feeling like an ass for what I was thinking.

“I crash and burn any time I take any sort of painkiller—no matter how mild. Headache medicine knocks me out almost instantly. I’ll be fine. I hate feeling that out of it.”

“Take the damn pills before it gets worse. You have to be able to work tomorrow,” Bella continues. “I’ll get Angel showered and ready for bed. Wren and she already did her homework. Take them. It’s not far from her bedtime anyhow.”

She sighs while looking up at me. “Sorry. I really do need to take them.”

Why is she apologizing?

“Take them. I’ll go lie down with you. It won’t hurt me to turn in early.”

Her eyes soften, and a small grin tugs at the corners of her mouth. “If I take these, you really won’t be able to do anything with me but sleep.”

I really feel like a dick.

“Take the pills, Allie. I can live without sex. I’d rather curl up with you and go to sleep.”

It sucks that she apparently thinks sex is all I want. I don’t come over just for sex, damn it.

She smiles while popping the pills, and Bella takes the bottle to go put it back on the top shelf of the high cabinet—far out of reach from Angel. The second she swallows them and a sip of her water, I go to scoop her up, cradling her to me.

“I want one,” Bella says, sighing and feigning a dreamy expression as Allie laughs lightly.

“Can’t have mine,” Allie says, and Bella chuckles at my back while I carry Allie to her bed. “Kiss Angel goodnight for me.”

“I will.”

I kick the door closed behind me, putting Allie down on her side of the bed. I’ll go kiss Angel goodnight before I fall asleep, and I’ll pretend to leave and sneak back in through the window—the usual routine.