His eyes hit mine. Blank.
I repeat myself. “Are you, YOU kidding me right now?”
“What are you talking about?” He is emotionless as he replies.
“My laundry. I’m doing my laundry for tomorrow and some of it’s missing. That’s really low, Aiden. And disgusting. You need your head examined.”
Lines appear over the bridge of his nose as he frowns at me.
“Explain yourself.”
I fold my arms across my chest and shift my weight to one foot. “Really? You’re unbelievable.”
“I don’t know what the fuck you’re talkin’ about,” he snaps.
“You’re telling me you didn’t go into my laundry hamper and steal all my underwear? You’re seriously telling me that?”
Wow. Oscar-worthy. He actually looks surprised.
There’s a knock on the door.
We all look that way.
Aiden gets up from the couch and heads to the door, looking frazzled.
He opens it and there’s a tall guy in golf clothes standing with a toddler in his arms.
“Bro, thanks a mill…”
“Unco Aye-ben!” The tot launches himself at Aiden. Aiden catches him and ruffles his hair. The guy in golf clothes passes a blue backpack.
“I’ll be back around eight.”
“Sounds good.”
“You need the car seat?”
“Actually, good idea just in case.”
“Follow me down? I’m running late. Didn’t realize how long it takes to get out the door until my wife can’t get outta bed to help. Never again will I complain about how long it takes her to get out the door with this guy. This bedrest bs is gonna kill me.” He ruffles his son’s blond hair.
The little boy waves at me and Ally.
“Your hair is pink!” he announces. “My baby sister’s room is pink! She’s not bor-en yet.”
“Do you like pink?” Ally asks.
“Yu huh!” The boy nods enthusiastically. “It’s pretty. You pretty too.” The little guy looks at me. “You very pretty even with your not-pink hair.”
I smile at him. What a little sweetie.
Aiden flexes his jaw. “Braeden, that’s Ally and that’s Carly.”
The little guy waves. He’s absolutely adorable. Big brown eyes (kind of like Aiden’s) and blond hair. Chubby cheeks. Chubby knees. He’s dressed in short overalls and a blue t-shirt with blue light-up runners on his feet. It dawns that he’s the baby in a few of the framed photos on the wall. Only, now he’s bigger.
Aiden grabs a set of keys, still hanging onto the little toddler who’s perched on his hip. He drops the backpack on the breakfast bar and heads out. The other guy waves at us. “Dirk. Aiden’s brother-in-law. Sorry to be rude, ladies. Gotta run.” He waves and shuts the door.
The door clicks shut, and I whirl around and look at Ally.