Be My Hero

by Linda Kage

  Finally, I grinned and shook my head. "I owe you . . . big time."

  With a roll of her eyes, she waved me off. "I think you already paid me back the night you saved my daughter's life."

  ***

  I had to work through my lunch break. It sucked ass.

  All morning, I itched to get home and check on Julian. See Eva. Snuggle Skylar. My attention stayed more on the clock than under the hood of whatever car I was fixing. Then some rich douchebag in a fancy suit showed up with a flat tire. We weren't exactly a tire repair or replacement shop, but the only thing my boss saw was green flashing, so yeah, I was called in to fix the Bentley's tire. Not sure what a damn Bentley was doing in our neighborhood, but whatever.

  Someone else must've thought he didn't belong either, because a knife-slash had given him the flat. It definitely wasn't an accidental blowout.

  The prick owner stood over me the whole time, arms folded over his chest as he scrutinized every little thing I did and sneered at all my tattoos, but at least he didn't offer a critique. When I handed him the ticket to go in and pay, telling him he was all set up, he finally smiled, all his wrinkles puckering around a thin, white scar slashed high across his left cheekbone. But it wasn't a friendly smile. His eyes spelled out his true thoughts. They looked down on me and all my tattoos and piercings, telling me what a piece of shit they thought I was.

  Rich people.

  I'd love to see him try to make it in this neighborhood. Sometimes, to survive, you had to blend in and adapt, project an image of intimidation so sick motherfuckers would leave you alone.

  Besides, I liked my badass appearance, though I'm sure this look would never let me fit into the country club scene where Eva had been raised. Remembering she was in my apartment, surrounded by my low-class things, I dialed her up.

  "Hey," I said as soon as she answered the phone, the melody of her voice making my pulse skyrocket.

  "Hey!" She sounded upbeat and awake. Watching two kids all day didn't seem to have worn her out yet. "What's going on?"

  "Just checking in. I was going to stop by on my lunch break, but we had a car come in at the last second." I stepped away from the Bentley as the rich suit strolled from the cashier's desk and pulled his keys from his pocket. His gaze was on me as he opened his door, so I sent him a respectful nod. "Have a good one."

  His return smile was a little too knowing for my taste, so I kept watching him as he slid into his ride.

  "We're doing great here," Eva told me as I stared. "Julian just had his lunch and went down for a nap, so Skylar got bored and nodded off too. I don't know how I coordinated getting them both to sleep at the same time, but I even impressed myself."

  I smiled. "I'm not at all surprised; I knew you'd be that good. Sounds like you got it under control. I know he can be a handful at times." Tristy claimed he cried nonstop.

  "Well, I haven't seen proof of it yet. This little man is a complete sweetheart. He hasn't cried once and boy, does he love to smile."

  My face stretched as my own smile grew. "Yes, he does."

  "Though I'm learning a big difference between the genders when it comes to diaper changing. That was a . . . wet learning experience."

  My eyes went wide. "Oh, shit. Did he piss on you?"

  "A little bit, yeah." Her laugh was full, letting me know she wasn't upset at all. "I hope you don't mind that I used your dryer."

  My head filled with images of her sauntering around my apartment topless while her shirt dried.

  Oh, hell. Instant wood at work. Not good.

  "No," I croaked, my voice hoarse and jeans way too tight. "Not at all. I'm sorry he got you. I guess I should've warned you he might do that. After I open his diaper, I usually only lift it up just enough to let the air hit him and he can do his thing before I unwrap him completely."

  "What a good tip. Thank you. I will definitely keep that in mind for tomorrow."

  "Tomorrow?" I echoed stupidly, while my heart raced faster.

  "Well, yeah. I thought your normal sitter was going to be contagious for a good two weeks."

  I went dizzy. Eva Mercer was going to be in my apartment, watching my kid every day . . . for two weeks? How was I going to survive that, always knowing she was there, caring for my child, walking through my rooms, sitting on my furniture, drying her pissed-on shirts in my dryer? I was itching enough to get off work now so I could rush home and just bask in her presence. But two weeks of this luxury? God, I could overdose on such a rush.

  "Oh, hey. Quick question before you go."

  Go? I'd been planning on dragging this phone conversation out as long as possible. "What's that?" I asked.

  "He's four months old now, right?"

  "Yeah."

  "That's what I thought. So I borrowed your laptop and looked up a few sites so there wasn't anything huge I was missing about caring for that age. And it said four months is an okay time to introduce them to a couple of solid foods. But I didn't see any in the cabinets, so—"

  "Wow, I hadn't even thought of that yet. But yeah, I'll make sure to pick up some the next time I go grocery shopping. What do I get for him?"

  "They said it's okay to wait a couple more months, but he seems to chew a lot, so I thought maybe . . . I know, I'm overstepping my bounds. Sorry, I—"

  "No! That's . . . actually, I'm glad you brought it up because I have no clue what he really needs. I've pretty much been faking it for the past four months. Any advice you have is appreciated."

  "In that case, you can start weaning him on baby rice. I think he could use this diaper cream I have for Sky, too. It's got the best recommendations, and Julian's poor little tushy seems to be recovering from a nasty rash."

  I couldn't tell her that was because his mother had never changed him and many times he'd gone most of the day without a fresh diaper. It was humiliating enough, knowing my kid was going through that and that I couldn't be there to keep him constantly changed, but listening to Eva point out the obvious only ratcheted up the shame.

  Sad as it was to admit, it was a godsend that Tristy had left. He was finally getting some real care.

  ***

  Five o'clock couldn't come soon enough. I punched my timecard and sped home. As I unlocked and opened the front door to my apartment, a baby's laughter startled my ears.

  Frozen in the doorway, I watched Eva—her back to me—as she sat cross-legged on a blanket on the floor and leaned over Julian. Flat on his back, he kicked his legs and flapped his arms, giggling uncontrollably up at her while she made raspberry sounds.

  When she paused, he stopped smiling, stopped kicking and stared up at her with a serious expression. But then she started again and even swished her blonde hair in his face, making him laugh and kick again.

  Next to him on the other half of the blanket, little Skylar was sprawled on her stomach as she tried to lift her head off the floor, her miniature little noggin wobbling from the effort it took.

  The three of them together like that was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen.

  I stood in the doorway, unable to do anything but stare at this woman charming my little boy. In that moment, I loved her. I loved her so damn hard my entire chest ached. Tears might've even gathered in my eyes because the whole thing made me so damn emotional.

  But fuck, she was making my kid laugh. How could I not love her?

  I didn't care who she was, how many years I'd dreamed about meeting her, wondering what she'd be like in real life, I loved this woman right here on my floor for what she was in this very moment.

  Sensing my presence, Eva finally looked up and glanced over her shoulder. She yelped in surprise before setting a hand over her heart and laughing.

  "Hey, look who's home." Picking up Fighter, she cradled him close so their cheeks smashed together. Then she took his hand and helped him wave at me. "Hi, Daddy. How was work?"

  I sniffed up my emotions and stepped into the apartment, feeling almost disconnected from my body because I was so completely submerged
in this moment. I never wanted it to end. I wanted to frame it and hang it on the ceiling over my bed, so I could look up and relive it again and again, every night for the rest of my life before I went to sleep.

  After the front door shut behind me, I stepped closer and slid down onto the floor to sit at the edge of the blanket with my back propped against the couch. "Work was good, but I doubt I had as much fun as you guys seem to be having."

  "We've been having a blast," Eva reported, grinning as she pressed her lips all over Fighter's face. The lucky little bastard. He soaked it up, too, smiling and half closing his eyes, then grabbing fistfuls of her hair and pulling.

  "Hey, buddy. No pulling." I reached forward to help untangle the mess.

  "He's okay." Eva laughed as we both worked to free her silky pale strands. "He definitely loves to grab onto things."

  I loved that she knew what he loved already . . . after a single day of watching him.

  When Skylar squawked, frustrated with being unable to lift her head, I scooped her up and pressed her cheek to my nose so I could inhale her clean, fresh baby scent. "Hey, kiddo. Was that your way of getting my attention? You got it, babe."

  "I don't think she's forgotten that you still owe her a dance," Eva said, her eyes sparkling as she watched us cuddle.

  "That's right. I do owe her a dance, don't I?" I settled Skylar into the crook of my arm and got to my feet so I could hum George Strait's "Baby Blue" into her hair and sway her around the living room.

  Noticing how pleased Eva seemed about watching us together, I winked down at her and then motioned to the blanket. "I'm surprised you guys are on the floor. It's got to be filthy." I couldn't remember the last time I'd cleaned it. Maybe not since Fighter was born. I'd been taking on as many overtime hours as I could scrounge up to pay for all the bills that had come with his birth. So I was usually too busy with laundry, dishes, or bathroom work to worry about spiffing up the front room.

  "Funny thing about that," Eva told me with a sly smile. "I found this thing in the closet over there. I think it's called a vacuum. It cleaned the floor right up."

  "You vacuumed?" My head whipped around to take in the entire front room. I'd been so centered on the three of them playing as if they were a real family I hadn't been able to see anything else. But, shit, not only were there vacuum lines on the floor, but everything had been tidied, the coffee table and end tables cleared off, possibly even dusted. The lap blanket Tristy used to curl under was folded and draped over the back of the sofa, and the couch pillows were straightened and fluffed.

  "You cleaned." The wonder in my voice only made her roll her eyes.

  "These two really enjoyed their beauty sleep today, so I had a lot of spare time on my hands."

  "Yeah, but . . . " I turned back to her, shaking my head. "You didn't have to do all this, Tink. I mean," I splayed out my hand, overwhelmed, "Just being here for Julian . . . God, you have no idea how much I appreciate you coming over today and watching him. You completely saved my ass."

  The compliment made her glow. I'd flirted with her numerous times and flat-out told her she was gorgeous. But thanking her seemed to have an even better effect. She just looked so satisfied. In her element. The pleased glow on her cheeks made her more beautiful than she already was.

  A high-pitched beeping from the kitchen interrupted the moment, making me frown. What the hell was that? For a second, I thought it might be a smoke alarm. But Eva bolted upright, taking Julian with her. "Oh! Your supper's ready."

  Supper? My mouth fell open. "You cooked?" She cooked?

  "Don't get too excited. It's just a frozen pizza. You seriously have nothing in your cabinets, Patrick. I'm thinking you need to leave a little cash with me tomorrow, so I can go grocery shopping for you. Julian's almost out of diapers, too. I'd have given him some of Skylar's but, compared to her . . . " She paused to set her hand over the little boy's ear so he couldn't hear. Then she whispered, "He has a huge ass."

  I laughed. "Compared to this little doll, I think everyone has a huge ass. But yeah, if you want to go grocery shopping, I'd be more than happy to fund it." I'd be happy to kiss the ground she walked on.

  But cleaning? Cooking? Grocery shopping? I was beginning to wonder if there was some rare disease I could somehow inflict on the Rojas family, that way Eva could be the temporary babysitter forever.

  "Here, can you hold him for me?"

  I blinked because that was usually the question I asked Tristy. "Yeah. Of course." After transferring Skylar to one arm, I opened the other for Julian. Eva grinned at the three of us after she handed him over. Then she sauntered off, her hips swaying with a natural rhythm that made my mouth water.

  I wanted every little part of this woman that ever existed. Needing to trail after her, I followed, bringing the kiddos with me.

  Chapter 18

  PICK

  Eva talked me into going to work that evening at the club. So I did, and that sucked ass too, because I couldn't let a pair of drunk girls drive home on their own, which made me run even later than usual. After I dropped them off at their front door, I realized how potently it left my poor Barracuda smelling like fruity perfume. So I took the long way home with the windows down to air it out.

  I didn't want Eva smelling them and thinking something had happened that hadn't when I had to take her back to Mason's. But when I finally returned to my apartment at damn near three in the morning, she was dead asleep in my bed, with both babies tucked around her. I spent a moment just watching them, loving the sight of them together. This was supposed to be my family. My happily ever after. And she should've been my wife.

  My chest swelled with longing and a thirsty kind of need, but also with joy because they were really here, for however long I had them.

  I planned to relish every second.

  Backing away, I tiptoed to the living room and texted Reese to tell her Eva was asleep. I'd drive her home in the morning. Then I flopped onto the couch, pulled the lap blanket onto my shoulders, and passed out.

  Hours later, I woke to Eva tapping me on the shoulder. "Why didn't you wake me when you got home?"

  I tried to tell her I hadn't wanted to disturb any of them and that I'd already called Reese, but I'm not sure if she understood much through my tired slurring, until she answered, "Well, thanks for letting us get our rest, but Skylar and I can take the couch now. I didn't mean to fall asleep and steal your bed."

  I waved her off. "It's okay. Go back and stay there for the rest of the night."

  She frowned. "I'm not kicking you out of you own bed, Patrick."

  "Damn." I let out a dreamy sigh and grinned up at her as I rolled onto my back. "It still sounds hot when you call me that, even when I'm half dead asleep." With a yawn, I curled back onto my side, facing away from her. "Please, God, don't make me get up and move right now. Can't 'member when I last had this much sleep."

  She was quiet for a minute before saying, "You're right. I'm sorry for pestering you. Go back to sleep, Patrick."

  I smiled at the address and then sighed when she lightly ruffled my hair. I loved the feel of her fingers against my scalp. About to sink back into peaceful oblivion, I bolted upright when a thought occurred to me.

  "Shit! Is Fighter awake?" I hadn't gotten up with him yet, and usually I did once or twice a night.

  "No, I just fed him, changed him, and put him back down."

  I rubbed my face. Why did I feel so crusty? "You didn't have to do that, Tink. I'm home, I could've gotten up." I was a little chagrined that I had slept right through his crying.

  Eva merely rolled her eyes. "Don't worry about it. Seriously. I was already up with Skylar."

  "Thank you," I said, meaning it from the bottom of my heart. "I owe you."

  She shook her head as if amused by me and strolled down the hall toward my bedroom . . . to sleep in my bed. I groaned and collapsed back on the couch. With as much wood as I was sporting, it'd be a while before I got back to sleep now.

  ***

/>   In the morning, I got out of the shower to peek into my bedroom, my towel wrapped around my waist. Eva wasn't in bed and neither was Skylar. I heard rumblings in the kitchen so I dropped the towel and dug through my underwear drawer for something clean. Once I was dressed, I carried my socks into the kitchen, which for some reason was where I put them on each morning. When I reached the entrance, I was surprised to find Eva pouring two bowls of cereal.

  From the back, she looked good first thing in the morning, her clothes wrinkled and molded to her curves and her hair pulled up into a fashionable yet sloppy knot with these tempting little stray tendrils hanging down and teasing the back of her kissable neck. I knew she'd look twice as amazing when she turned around. I was so tempted to come up behind her, wrap myself around her and kiss the tops of her shoulders. My arms ached because I restrained them from acting on the impulse.

  She turned around, and I saw she had Skylar cradled in one arm. "'Morning," she said brightly, though lavender bruises of sleeplessness underlined her eyes.

  I yawned and ran my hand through my wet hair. "'Morning." After I padded barefoot across the kitchen to the table, I plopped into a chair and pulled on my socks. Though I'd gotten more sleep than usual since I hadn't needed to pace the floor with Julian at all, I felt stiff and sore from bunking on the couch.

  I jumped when Eva set one of the bowls of cereal in front of me. About to tell her she hadn't needed to do that, because it seemed to be my catch phrase these past twenty-four hours, I paused, wondering if she was getting sick of me constantly repeating it. So I settled for a sincere, "Thanks."

  She sat across from me and rocked Skylar in her arms as she ate with one hand. "So how many days do you work from nine in the morning until two the next morning?" she asked between bites.

  I smiled through my munching, amazed by how well she multitasked. When a drop of milked dripped down her chin, making her scramble with both hands full to wipe it up, I smiled even wider and leaned over to mop it up for her.