Just One Look (Castleton Hearts)

“Great,” I said. “I’m definitely going to have to have a whole Memma wall.”

Mom laughed. “She would definitely love that.”

She ended the call soon after and I got a message from Theo.

Save me, she sent with a picture of her wearing a sheet mask.

Why? Your skin is going to look so great after, I said.

I’m being held hostage by a six-year-old, she replied, sending me a picture of Mia also wearing a sheet mask.

Spa night with Teetee? I asked.

Kendra, I swear to god, she sent, and I burst out laughing. I could just see her disapproving face from behind the sheet mask.

Oh stop, it’s sweet. She clearly adores you, I responded.

Theo sent me another picture of her posing with Mia while they both made funny faces. That was followed by a video of Mia waving and saying hello to me.

I’m giving her parents a night off, so I’m on Auntie duty for the rest of the weekend, she sent.

That sounded like so much fun and reminded me of the sleepovers I used to have with Memma. I got to eat all my favorite things and watch as many movies as I wanted and stay up late with her.

Mia wants me to ask you if you’ll come over tomorrow to hang out, Theo sent.

Oh “Mia” asked for me to come over, huh? I replied.

Theo sent me another video of Mia saying, “Kendra please come over?”

How much did you pay her to say that? I asked.

Nothing. She really does want you to come over, Theo sent, and I didn’t really believe her, but I let it go.

Sure, I’ll come over. Want me to bring anything? I asked.

Just yourself. I’ve got plenty of snacks and stuff here, she responded.

That sounded like a fun way to spend a Sunday and I didn’t have anything else to do, so I said that I would, and Theo sent me a video of Mia cheering and dancing around.

What a cute kid. A cute kid with a sexy aunt.

Chapter Twelve

I couldn’t show up to Theo’s with my hands empty, so I went to Sweet’s and got a box of assorted treats so Mia could pick what she liked.

When I pulled into Theo’s driveway, she and Mia were in the yard and Theo had tight athletic shorts and a tank top on and I had to remember how to turn my car off and get the keys out.

Those legs should be illegal.

“Hi Mia,” I said, getting out of the car and grabbing the box of treats.

“Hi, Kendra,” Mia said, running over and giving me a huge hug.

“Mia, what have we talked about?” Theo said. “We ask someone if they want a hug before we give one.”

Mia stepped back from me and looked up at Theo.

“I’m sorry. I should have asked,” Mia said to me.

“That’s okay,” I said. “I brought you something, but you’ll have to check with your aunt first if it’s okay to have it.”

Mia’s eyes lit up and I handed the box to Theo.

“I guess we can take a break,” Theo said, and the three of us sat on the porch and demolished the treats.

“What have you been doing today?” I asked Mia.

“Teetee is helping me with my cheerleading,” Mia said, licking chocolate off her fingers. Theo shook her head and wiped Mia’s face with a corner of her shirt.

“That’s so cool. You’re a lucky girl,” I said, and Mia hopped off the porch.

“Wanna see?” she asked.

“Yeah, show me your moves, kid,” I said.

“Ready, go,” Mia said, clapping and then starting a cheer with arm motions, a jump, and a cartwheel.

I clapped when she finished. “Good job! That was really good.”

I turned to find Theo shaking her head. “Mia, those motions are not going to cut it. Sloppy, sloppy.”

For a second, I thought Mia was going to cry, but then Theo got up and made her make the arm motions and then showed her how to do them correctly.

“You’re not going to win if you don’t have tight arms, right?” Theo asked.

“Right,” Mia said.

“Right, so do it again.”

Mia did the routine again, and I did notice a difference in how tight her arms were.

“Now we just need to get those jumps up,” Theo said, and Mia groaned.

“Do you think I got good by not stretching and practicing?” Theo said.

“No,” Mia said, sighing.

“You’ve got to work hard. Your skills won’t be handed to you.”

It seemed a little harsh for someone so young, but Theo wasn’t being mean, she was being realistic. She didn’t get so good at her gymnastics by not doing those skills over and over and over.

Theo then proceeded to do a jump and I couldn’t believe how she got her legs so high.

“I wanna do that,” Mia said.

“I’ll work with you on it, but you have to work hard, remember?” Theo said.

“I will work very hard,” Mia said. “Kendra, do you wanna jump with us?”