Right (Wrong 2)

“Give me a chance, Sawyer. Tomorrow we’ll have a date. A family date, the three of us.”

“Okay,” he agrees. He looks doubtful, but he agrees.

Forty-Nine

“I’m going to be a mom!” I announce as I stroll through the door an hour later.

Chloe puts down her pen and turns to me. “So the stalking went well then? You’re back together and pregnant now?” She looks at the clock. “All before five o’clock. Well done.”

“Not pregnant. Sawyer has a son.” I kick off my shoes and pop open a can of Diet Sun Drop before sitting on the edge of my bed, legs crossed.

“Wait, what?” Chloe looks confused. “I thought you were joking.”

“Nope,” I say, swinging my foot. “Oh! Do you know what this means, Chloe?”

“Um, it means a lot of things,” she says, concern marring her forehead.

“I get to be a MILF without going through labor.”

“Yeah, no. That wasn’t my first thought.”

“Anyway, we’re going on a date tomorrow. The three of us.” I set my soda down and open my laptop, propped up on my knees.

“So Sawyer and you are back together?”

“Yes.” I nod. “Not exactly.”

“Yes, not exactly?”

“He’s a little hesitant. He doesn’t think I’m into children.” My hands fly over my keyboard as I talk. “But there’s one thing Sawyer Camden doesn’t know about me.”

“What’s that?” Chloe asks, getting up to dig into our snack pile.

“That I, Everly Jensen, am one half of the most popular babysitting duo that Ridgefield, Connecticut ever saw.”

Chloe grins. “We were a good team.”

“The best,” I agree and smile when I find what I’m looking for online, then send Sawyer a text telling him to pick me up tomorrow at 10:45 am.

******

I leave my room at 10:30 the next morning, intending to be outside when Sawyer arrives so he doesn’t have to park the car and get out with Jake. But I find him waiting for me in the lobby instead, a miniature version of himself beside him. I’m pretty sure I ovulate at the sight, which I know is scientifically unlikely as I’m on the birth control pill, but I’m glad I’m not going home with Sawyer today all the same.

They’re standing in Sawyer’s usual spot, near the mail boxes, leaning against the wall with their hands in their pockets in identical poses. Sawyer’s wearing jeans and a grey sweater. Jake’s in jeans and a navy sweater with a child-sized neck tie over that. It’s navy and red striped and makes no sense with his outfit, as he’s not wearing a collared shirt.

“Hi.” I smile at them both as I approach. “I was going to meet you outside so you didn’t have to park.”

Jake shakes his head. “When you pick up your friend who is a girl, you park your car and go inside.” He looks up at Sawyer for confirmation. “Right, Daddy?”

“Right, buddy.” Sawyer nods back, the corners of his eyes creased in amusement. They obviously had a conversation about this when they parked.

“Well, thank you.” I bend down to Jake’s level. I don’t bend over at the waist and loom over him. I hate that. I bend at the knees so our heads are level and extend my hand to him. “I’m Everly.”

He shakes my hand very seriously and tells me his name is Jake. Then Sawyer swings him up in his arms and we head outside.

“What’s with the tie?” I whisper to Sawyer while we walk to the car.

He shakes his head. “Hell if I know. I was wearing a tie when I met him. He asked for one of his own and wears it every day.” We arrive in the parking lot and Sawyer guides me to a Porsche Cayenne and opens the passenger door for me.