After You (Because of You 2)

“All right, one more day,” Derek counters. “If I win, you stay one more day. That’s only Monday. That’s not so crazy.”

I do a quick rundown of my work to-do list, but ultimately since I’m dreading going home tomorrow so much myself, I go ahead and nod. “All right, deal.”

“What’s Monday?” Cassidy asks. “Does Daddy work Monday?”

“I do,” Derek tells her. “You and Nikki would have half the day all to yourselves. Do you think you could keep Nikki entertained that long?”

Nodding her head, Cassidy says, “Definitely.”

“You haven’t won yet, Noble,” I inform Derek.

“I would like lasagna for dinner Monday night,” he says, with exaggerated arrogance.

“Daddy is so good at this game,” Cassidy tells me. “He always wins.”

I don’t bother telling her it’s not hard to beat a five-year-old at Jenga. Derek actually grabs a notebook and keeps score of every block successfully removed so we can determine who wins. Cassidy loses two rounds and Derek and I are neck-and-neck on blocks, but then I go to pull a block, the tower tilts, and I hold my breath.

It doesn’t fall.

I smirk at Derek and hold up my block. “One more point for me, Noble. Your turn.”

The tower is a disaster at this point, and he’s already seen proof of its instability when I nearly knocked it over.

“How many points do I have?” Cassidy inquires, peering over at the notepad.

“Not enough,” Derek answers as he eyes up his next move. If he can manage this one, Cassidy’s turn is next. She will definitely knock the tower over and end the game, so he only has to survive this final turn.

“What’s it gonna be, hot shot?” I ask, cocking an eyebrow at him.

“I’m debating,” he tells me, his hand hovering near the tower full of holes. Finally, he picks a brick and starts to nudge it loose.

The tower topples, small wooden bricks flying everywhere.

“Dammit!”

My hands shoot up in the air. “I am victorious!”

“I think you cheated,” Derek informs me. “I want to challenge this result.”

“It is impossible that I cheated, you’re just a sore loser who doesn’t get to complain about my job for the next two weeks.”

“Can I at least complain about it a lot right now to hold me over?”

I shake my head firmly. “Nope. My reign of victory begins now. Not another word out of you, mister.”

“I will not be silenced,” he objects.

“Yes, you will. Those were the terms. Honor them, or else.”

Narrowing his eyes, he uses his arm to shove the bricks aside so he can prowl over to me on his hands and knees. “Or else, what?”

I grin, crawling backward on my hands. I don’t make it far before he pounces on me, crushing me to the ground and climbing on top of me. “Or else you’re a rule-breaker,” I tell him, raising an eyebrow severely.

Sitting on my hips, Derek clutches his heart. “Not a rule-breaker. How would I ever live with myself?”

“Tickle her, Daddy,” Cassidy calls out.

“Hey,” I object, looking over at her. “I’m the winner. Winners don’t get tickled.”