Only One Kiss (Only One 1)

“I was asking her for more cups,” Caroline says.

“By the way, I invited a friend over,” he says, and I look over his shoulder to my backyard.

“I mean, there are about twenty people here,” I joke. “What’s one more? I seriously didn’t know that my brother still had friends here.”

“Two,” he says, taking a sip of water. “He’s bringing his daughter.”

“That’s fine,” I say as we both walk outside. Soft music fills the air, but it’s drowned out by the kids screaming and jumping into the pool. I am about to sit down in a chair at the table next to the girls when my phone beeps in my pocket, telling me someone is at my door.

“Do you need help?” Zara yells from the table, and I shake my head as I turn and walk back into the house.

My phone beeps again with a text this time from Layla. Layla and I have been best friends for about four years now. We met at an event for the hockey team when Evan was here. She is a sports radio show host, and the two of us struck up a conversation, and we just clicked. Ever since then, we’ve been best friends. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for her, and I know that if I was arrested or stranded somewhere, I couldn’t and wouldn’t be able to call her because she’d most likely be with me.

Layla: Hope you are having fun with the family. Text me when they leave. Also, I borrowed your black heels.

Shaking my head, I want to answer her right away, but the doorbell rings, so I tuck my phone into my pocket. I open the door, expecting a food delivery, but what I’m not expecting is the biggest crystal blue eyes. She garbles out da-da-da-da while waving her hand and giving me the biggest gummy smile I have ever seen in my life. My heart fills, and the need to bend over and just take her in my arms is so great that I have to grip the door handle so hard I’m sure my knuckles are now white.

“Sorry, I didn’t know if I should go around the back or not.” My eyes fly up to the man holding the little girl. His brown hair looks like he just ran his fingers through it, and his blue eyes light up with the sun. The scruff on his face is perfectly groomed to show off his plump lips. “I’m Ralph,” he says, my tongue still tied, “and this is Ariella.” I look back at the little girl who is wearing a pink short onesie with a pink hat, her almost brown hair sticking out a bit in the front. A pacifier clipped on the front of her onesie that says Daddy’s Girl as he bounces her up and down on his hip.

I shake my head and smile. “I’m so sorry,” I say, moving aside so he can walk in, then closing the door behind them. He’s dressed in shorts, and we are wearing the same shirt. “Come in please. You must be Justin’s friend?”

“Guilty,” he says, turning to look at me. My mouth gets dry when I hear the back door open and then hear little feet running.

“Auntie CanCan.” We both look down the hallway as Zoey runs to me, hugging my leg. “Can I have a popsicle?”

Bending down, I pick her up, then kiss her nose. “Where is Mommy?”

“She is right here,” Zara says from the hallway and then looks over. “Oh my God, Ralph.” She walks over to him, and I just stand here as she hugs him and kisses his cheek. “And, oh my God.” She takes her hand and rubs her finger up and down the baby’s cheek. “This must be baby girl Ariella?”

“This is her,” he says, leaning over and kissing Ariella’s cheek as she giggles and then looks at me, saying da da over and over again.

“She is the prettiest and look at those eyes,” Zara says. “If you want to go into the back, everyone is waiting for her.” Zara points down the hallway. “I’ll bring you there while Candace gets some p-o-p. . . ” She starts to spell it when Zoey throws her hands in the air.

“Popsicles.” And then she claps her hands, making everyone laugh. Ralph walks in front of me, and I totally check him out. Though I’m about to kick myself when he stops, and I almost run into him.

“Can I leave the diaper bag inside?” He looks over at me, waiting for an answer, and again, I’m standing here tongue-tied, not sure what to say. What the fuck is wrong with me? “I have her milk that needs to stay cold.”

“Oh, yeah,” I say, trying to put Zoey down, but she just hugs me tight. “If you want a popsicle, you have to let me go.”