Broken Hearts (Light in the Dark 5)

“The landlord called,” she informs me. “He said the air should be fixed by the afternoon.”

I sigh. I want it fixed now, but things never work that way. I find life involves a whole lot of waiting.

“What do you want to do then?” I ask Nova, but of course she’s not the one to answer.

“There’s a swimming pool in the community. We should go there.”

It’s comical how Thea always invites herself along. “Who invited you?” I joke.

“You’re staying in my house, so you do what I say,” she jokes.

“I need coffee to deal with you.”

“I made you a big pot of coffee, Jacen. I even sprinkled in some sugar and a dash of asshole just the way you like.”

I stare at her, fighting a smile, when she doesn’t catch on I say, “Swear jar.”

“Dammit,” she curses again. “I’m never going to get the hang of this.” She looks down at the baby in her arms. “Don’t tell your daddy what I said.”

“Lucky for you she can’t talk yet.”

She leans her head back. “That’ll be the day. I’m going to be ruined.”

I chuckle at her exasperation.

“The pool might be nice,” Nova pipes up.

I sigh. These girls will be the end of me. I’m completely out numbered.

“One problem—we don’t have our swim stuff.”

Thea smiles like the cat that ate the canary. “Nova can borrow one of mine and you can borrow one of Xander’s.”

“Fine,” I agree reluctantly. “I guess we’re going swimming.”

I expect the pool to be packed but, surprisingly, other than us, there are only two other people.

Nova spreads a towel over a chaise and I kick off my shoes.

Thea wrestles with the squirming baby in her arms. “Here, can you hold her a minute?” She hands her to Nova.

Nova bounces her in her arms, smiling widely. “Aren’t you the cutest thing ever? Did Auntie Nova buy you this lemon swimsuit? Yes, I did,” she speaks in a high-pitched baby voice and I can’t help but laugh. “And look at this little hat. You’re precious.” She kisses her cheek.

Thea finishes setting up her stuff—which includes a bag for her, a baby bag, a cooler, and God knows what else—then takes the baby back and holds her on her hip. “Pool time,” she declares with an overexaggerated flip of her hair.

She heads for the stairs of the pool but I don’t have time for those.

I backflip into the pool, spraying water everywhere, and when I come up for air, Thea screams, “Jacen!”

She’s covered in water and Xael starts to cry.

“Sorry,” I say. I truly am sorry for splashing the baby, but Thea? Not so much.

Nova sits at the end of the pool, dipping her feet in. I swim up to her, shaking the water out of my hair.

“What are you? A dog?” she jokes.

“Yes,” I reply with a grin and she rolls her eyes.