No, he wasn’t panicking because he didn’t trust me. He was panicking because he didn’t want to be that person who imposed on another.
Hell, I’d already lied to my parents.
No, it’s fine, I’d said. Just something in work that I have to deal with. I’ll come by tomorrow, I’d promised.
Something else I would do tomorrow would be to get back to basics. Just do their rooms. Not help him. Show up after he’d left and leave before he got home where I could.
I had to put some distance between myself and this family, because as I watched the twins grin as Summer ushered them over to my truck, my heart softened.
I was getting a little attached to these adorable kids, and it was no wonder. They fought like cat and dog, but they were the sweetest things.
Yeah, shit. I needed distance. Soon.
“Kawi! Where’s Daddy?” Ellie bounded up to me and hugged my legs.
Awkwardly, I patted her shoulder. “Daddy’s stuck at work, so I’d said I’d take you home and make you spaghetti. Is that okay?”
She nodded enthusiastically, eyes sparkling with a larger than life grin on her face. “Yes! Are we going in your big car?”
“Sure are. Miss Summer put seats in the back for you. See?” I pointed. “Climb up and over.”
Ellie examined the height of the truck for a moment. Then, she cocked a leg, put her foot on the door, and tried to heave herself up.
Summer burst into laughter. “Come here, chickee. You’re never getting yourself in there.” She left Eli standing on the edge of the grass and helped give Ellie a foot-up into my truck. “Eli?” she said, turning back to him. “Come on, sweetie. I’ll help you into Kali’s truck.”
Silently, he walked over and waited for Summer to lift him up and into his seat. She did the straps that went over his arms, clipped him in, then shut the door and went to do Ellie’s seat, too.
I swallowed hard.
The gravity of the situation weighed down on me quickly and heavily.
I have no idea how to look after two children.
I mean, I’d known that before I’d agreed, but it seemed like a good idea until they were in my car. Now, I was actually in charge of them, and Jesus—I couldn’t keep a house plant alive!
How did I keep children alive?
Two hours, but still.
A lot could happen in two hours.
Like regret.
Summer half-smiled as she came back around to my side of the car. “You’re regretting this already, aren’t you?”
“Let’s say I agreed before I’d thought it through and leave it at that,” I said warily. “I don’t have the tiniest clue how to look after kids.”
She laughed, a tiny, tinkly giggle that made me jealous of the fact I tended to snort more often than not when I laughed. “Don’t worry,” she said, tucking her bright, blond hair behind her ears. “You’ll be fine. They know you, right? Ellie’s done nothing but talk about you all day long.”
Oh, boy.
“She has?”
“You sound alarmed.”
“I am.” I laughed nervously, glancing in my truck. Ellie bobbed her head from side to side, singing something I couldn’t make out. Eli sat quietly, poking the spots on his dinosaur one-by-one. His lips moved, but if he was counting out loud, I couldn’t hear it over his sister’s din.
Summer’s smile became a wide grin. “He’s a cutie, isn’t he? Shy as anything, though. They’re total opposites to say they’re twins.”
I nodded in agreement. “If he says anything above a whisper to me today, I’ll count it as a win.”
More laughter. She touched my arm. “You’ll be fine. Honestly, have a little faith in yourself, Kali. You’ll do perfectly.”
“Have fun at dinner tonight.”
She beamed. “Thanks! Have fun with those sweethearts!”
I smiled.
Honestly, I think it came out more alarmed than anything else. If she was referring to them as sweethearts, they’d obviously snapped out of this mornings’ dreadful mood.
I got into the truck and started the engine. “Right. Ready to go?”
“Woohoo!” Ellie threw her arms in the air. “Yes! Wet’s go!”
Eli nodded, a move I saw in my rearview mirror.
I took a deep breath and pulled away.
And said a little prayer we’d all make it to bedtime without anyone getting hurt.
Chapter Twelve
“Okay, no.” I waved my arms. Literally waved them. I imagined I looked like a baby bird trying to fly for the first time. “We’re not fighting over the remote control.”
They both swiveled their heads toward me. Their expressions were identical—wide eyes, parted mouths, red cheeks.
God, it was so weird.
“It’s been twenty minutes. We’re not fighting already. I’m trying to cook. So, here’s what we’ll do. We’ll pick a show everybody likes, and then I’ll look after the remote.” I plucked the controller from their hands.
Or…I tried to.
What really happened was that I wrestled it.
I’m not proud of that.
Several tugs and gentle chops on their wrists later, I managed to extract the remote from their surprisingly-tight grips and held it up high.