“Fucker,” JP said.
“Kidding. What can I do for you?”
“I’m thinking, well seriously considering, shooting for a degree in landscape architecture. Wanted to pick your brain about it for a bit.”
“Yes!” Mark slapped the tabletop. “Dude, you’d be amazing at it. I told you that years ago.”
“You did.” And JP had rebelled at the thought of college or a steady job that ate up his days and tied him down.
But life was different now. His world no longer revolved around him but around a fifteen-pound, cute-as-hell potato.
“All right, let’s do this.” Mark rubbed his hands together then launched into a detailed description of life as a landscape architect. He covered everything from schooling to day-to-day work life, and even starting his own company. JP hung on every word, taking notes when necessary.
If his siblings could see him then. Taking life more seriously than he ever had before. They’d flip their shit if he went to school. They’d probably tease him until he changed his mind and dropped out.
By the time they finished chatting, and Mark had answered a whole slew of JP’s questions, it was almost seven o’clock. He said goodbye to Mark and promised to make plans soon so he and his wife could meet Kayla.
Just as JP climbed into his car, his phone chimed with a text. As soon as he saw Hannah’s name, the goofiest grin spread across his face.
Ugh, what the hell was wrong with him? Why did the sight of her name have hearts floating from his eyes?
He opened the text to find a selfie of Hannah and Kayla. Hannah smiled at the camera while his daughter shoved a little fistful of food into her mouth.
Your daughter can eat as much mac-n-cheese as an adult man.
That had him chuckling. Not only was Hannah beautiful, but she had a fantastic personality and sense of humor as well. Being more reserved than him didn’t mean she wasn’t as fun. She just went about it in a less obvious way.
He glanced back at the photo. Kayla had food spread out all over her highchair tray.
“What the…” He brought the phone closer to his face. “What the hell is that?” After zooming in, he began to chuckle, but it soon turned into a full-on belly laugh. “Oh, my God.”
What the hell did you feed her?
Three dots appeared, then disappeared, then reappeared a few times before Hannah’s text came through.
Mac-n-cheese. I thought you said it was okay. Oh, God, did I screw up?
He couldn’t control his laughter now. This would go down as one of his favorite stories, and he couldn’t wait to tell his siblings. Hannah was enough of a friend by now to be teased mercilessly by them.
Take a closer look at the box.
Her response did nothing to help him stop cracking up.
Oh nooo! I fed your baby penises. I’m never going to be allowed around children again for as long as I live.
Tears streamed down his cheeks as he laughed so hard his stomach cramped.
Without responding, he put the car in gear and sped home, beyond eager to see both his girls.
HANNAH STARED IN horror at the food spread out across Kayla’s tray. Not only had she made a box of Mac-a-weenie and cheese without realizing the pasta was shaped like penises, but she’d fed it to an infant. Then sent pictures to the father.
Had she ever been more mortified?
Nope. That was a very quick and easy no.
She’d be lucky if JP didn’t call the cops and have her arrested for child endangerment.
Kayla grabbed up another fistful of the pasta with her uncoordinated grip.
“Oh, no, baby, no! Don’t eat any more of that!” Hannah squealed just before it got to the baby’s mouth. Her shriek startled Kayla so bad, she dropped the food and began to cry.
What was worse? Taking food from a hungry baby or feeding one penis-shaped pasta?
“Okay, here you go. I’m sorry.” She took a step back and let Kayla resume her meal. She’d already eaten most of it. What was a little more?
JP hadn’t responded to her last text. Should she apologize or wait until he came home?
Was he mad?
Ugh.
Her shoulders slumped as she dropped into the seat next to Kayla’s highchair. The baby gave her a gummy, cheesy smile. “Pretty sure your daddy’s gonna kill me.”
Maybe this was for the best. If she ruined this friendship with her stupid mistake, at least she wouldn’t spend another night pining away for a man, she shouldn’t have ever allowed to kiss her.
A man she sure as hell shouldn’t have kissed back.
And rubbed herself against.
Could this day get any worse?
She pulled out her phone and stared at the picture she’d taken of her and Kayla. How on earth had she not picked up on what the pasta was shaped like? Now that she knew, it was glaringly obvious.