Шома Нараянан – Just Once More...: Once is Never Enough / One More Sleepless Night / The One She Was Warned About (страница 22)

“What are you doing here?”

“What does it look like, sweetheart?” Leaning in ever closer, so his breath played around the whorl of her ear, he answered, “I’m here for breakfast.”

Taking the stairs two at a time, Garrett left the repetitive sound of hammering, power saws and the shouts of his crew behind as he ducked out in search of some relative quiet. Eyeing the progress from across the street, he dialed back his sister and held the phone to his ear.

“Sorry about that, Bethany. I’m at the Worther site today. Noisy. Everything okay?” he asked, as he always did when one of his sisters called unexpectedly.

After she’d assured him she and the kids were fine, she asked about his plans for the evening, cluing him in to the reason behind her call—though if left to her own devices she probably wouldn’t have managed to spit out her actual request for another five minutes at least.

Bethany, who hated to ask anyone for anything, needed a sitter.

“I’ve got plans to see Nichole tonight, but I’m sure she wouldn’t mind a slight change.”

Bethany heaved a sigh of relief, thanking him with all the sisterly devotion reserved for sacrificial bailouts, then adding a mandatory, “Are you sure? If it’s any inconvenience I’ll figure something else out.”

Nice offer, but she needed help. And when it came to his sisters he couldn’t say no.

Or at least not when he knew they really needed it. No to a new car, to a date with the bass player from a band, a degree in basket weaving appreciation? Another story altogether.

“Not a problem. So, what time do you want us there?” A silent beat followed and Garrett checked the phone to ensure the call hadn’t been disconnected.

“Beth?”

“Um … so you’re both coming over tonight?” she asked, in a way so the question dragged out to a point where you couldn’t miss that there was way more going on than the words actually spoken.

She had a problem. But Nichole had babysat with Maeve before. Maybe even once or twice without Maeve. The kids knew and liked her.

Then he realized it might not be Nichole his sister had a problem with at all.

Just him … with Nichole.

Damn it, this was that Panty Whisperer bull again.

He could only imagine the rumors his sisters had heard about him over the years. What they might be spurring her on to think. Surely nothing so wholesome as making out on the living room couch after the kids went to bed? No. It would probably be some totally depraved act in the kitchen, involving half the cooking utensils. Which wasn’t to say there wasn’t some appeal in that idea … in his own kitchen … with Nichole the only other person in the house. But Bethany couldn’t seriously believe …

“You know nothing would ever happen between us while we were responsible for the boys.”

“Oh, no! Garrett, that’s not what I was thinking at all. I swear,” she answered, so fast and so urgently he wondered exactly how much of the sting he’d revealed in his voice. “Honey, I know you would never be anything but one hundred percent responsible while taking care of your nephews.”

Garrett blinked, his mouth curving at the realization he’d just heard “the big sister voice.” Something it had been the better part of two decades since he’d had the privilege of earning. She was reassuring him. Easing his insecurities. The novelty of it was enough to make him laugh.

“What’s with that laugh?”

“Don’t worry about it, Beth. Something funny from this end.” True enough. He never liked to lie to his sisters. Made it a point not to do it. But the occasional dodge … that much he could live with. “So, if you’re not worried about me making you an auntie again on your stairwell, what’s with the drawn-out hesitation?”

She let out a laugh, again making him feel all kinds of little brother. After all these years it was a bizarre experience, to say the least.

“Well, I guess I’m a little surprised. I mean, I know you’re dating, but for you to bring her for something like this … how serious are you?”

“We’re not.” The words fired out of his mouth, leaving a guilty aftertaste behind.

“Really? Did I just miss all the other women you’ve brought around to hang out with your family over the past decade or so?”

When she put it that way … Relatively speaking, this relationship with Nichole went far beyond the hookups he’d been making do with until now. But serious was the one word he’d had to swear to Nichole not to use. Still, the kinds of clarifications he’d have to make for his sister to understand weren’t something he was up to sharing.

“Okay, yeah, I get what you’re saying. But don’t get too many ideas about Nichole. We’re—”

“Friends with benefits?” she offered helpfully.

“No.” More than that. “I mean, we’re definitely friends too.” But it wasn’t like they were just a couple of pals using each other to get off. Not even close. They were more than friends, enjoying each other in an honest, open, safe capacity … They both understood, even if they couldn’t quite put a name to it. They were at a good place together. A place they could both handle. “Look, don’t worry about it. We’re not planning to elope. And, while I honestly care about her, the only reason I’ve been ‘bringing her around’ is because she already knows you guys. I mean, hell, with this babysitting thing tonight—she’s actually watched your kids on her own before. We already had plans. It would be weird not to bring her.”

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