The neighbors had come over and it was a chill afternoon of talking and laughter. It was a nice escape from the pace of New York. Suburban life definitely had its advantages. I enjoyed watching Brandon unwind and relax with his family. He was a good uncle, and he spent an hour tossing neighborhood kids into the pool as they begged him to repeat it over and over. He was always patient and even the freaking dog loved him, trotting behind Brandon and laying her head in his lap when he sat in a patio chair.
I can’t say I blamed the dog. I looked at Brandon and I felt moony-eyed myself.
“She’s adorable,” I told the neighbor, Janelle, who was swaying with her three-month-old in her arms.
“Do you want to hold her?” she asked. “My arms could use the rest.”
“I’d love to. Two of my girlfriends have kids but they’re in the wiggle worm stage already. I don’t get to hold babies very often.”
“But aren’t you a nanny?” she asked. I accepted the baby when she held her out to me.
“I specialize in Willow and Poppy, that’s it.” The weight of the baby's warm little body felt good in my arms. “She’s staring at me. Oh my God, she’s amazing.” Her little brown eyes blinked up at me, then she gave a small gummy smile. “What’s her name?”
“Angelina.”
“Hi, Angelina,” I said, cooing at her. “Aren’t you just the smartest, coolest, kick butt little baby?”
Janelle laughed. “I think so, but I guess I’m biased.”
“She definitely is,” I said, falling a little in love with Angelina.
I felt eyes on me and I saw Brandon was watching me, a serious expression on his face. But then he just gave me a smile and winked.
After dinner, we left the girls in the care of their cousins and went out to a bar that hosted line dancing every Saturday. I was super excited to try it.
“I feel like I’m on a set for a video,” I said, as we got out of the car. “This is a real Texas roadhouse. I love everything about what is happening right now.”
“You definitely dressed the part,” Brandon said, gesturing to my outfit.
I was wearing tight denim shorts, and a plaid shirt that tied off at the midriff. I had gone with Madeline to the store and bought myself a pair of cowboy boots. I had no idea what I was going to do with them once I got home, but this was just too good to pass up. Brandon was wearing jeans and a T-shirt. He had refused Chris’s offer to loan him boots.
“Don’t be jealous of how perfect I fit in.”
“I don’t actually think you fit in at all,” Brandon said, putting his hand on the small of my back as he opened the door for us. “I’m probably going to end up in a fight before the night is over because every guy in this place is going to be hitting on you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Don’t throw a punch on my behalf. I can take care of myself.”
“I know you can. But I want to take care of you,” he said.
Something about his tone made me swallow hard. I was going to say something, but he just cut me off.
“What do you want to drink?” he asked, as we moved toward the bar.
“I’ll take a beer.” It looked like a beer kind of establishment.
“Got it. Madeline, Chris, what can I get you?”
Chris protested that he could get the drinks and they did some posturing between the two of them, fighting over who would pay. I let them do their thing and I turned to Madeline. “Do you and Chris come dancing a lot?”
“Never,” she said, with a laugh. “It takes an act of God to get that man out of the house.”
“Then thanks for coming out.”
“Thank you. I got to escape the house because of you.”
I watched the dancing on the wooden floor and said, “I’m diving in.”
“I need at least a drink first,” Madeline said. “I’ll be out there later.”