Sobering, I smile back at him in challenge, even as my body yearns to be closer to him. “Game on, Mr. Popular.”
Tossing our trash in the back he starts the truck back up and pulls out. Glancing at me as he comes to the stoplight at the end of the street his eyes scour my body, slowly, tantalizingly, before settling so he stares straight at my soul.
I’m sure it must look like a pink starburst.
“Good luck, Blondie.”
17
Lou
I stick the Post-It to the mirror and step back, admiring my doodle. I decided today a drawing was necessary, not words.
In it, I’ve drawn a stick figure of myself making a touchdown and Abel off to the side as a cheerleader, shaking his pom-poms. The message is clear.
I’m winning this game.
He’s out for the moment, on one of his daily runs. He’s such a show-off. No normal person runs five miles every day on top of playing football and whatever workouts he does for that. It’s insane and I’m not sure he’s entirely human.
The team won their game last night and the next one is out of town. I won’t know what to do without having a roommate for nearly a whole day.
Finishing up in the bathroom, I throw on some clothes and head out the door to my babysitting job. Giulia has already sent a text message confirming I’m coming and I had a small laugh to myself, because her desperation for a break was palpable even through an electronic screen.
Once in my car I call her and she answers with a frazzled, “Hello? MATTEO DO NOT PULL YOUR SISTER’S HAIR! ONE DAY SHE’LL LEARN WHERE YOUR BALLS ARE AND YOU’LL REGRET THIS!” She exhales a breath. “Sorry about that. Yes?”
I suppress a laugh. “I was wondering if I should bring a treat for the kids, like donuts or something, but maybe I shouldn’t. It sounds like they’re plenty hyped up.”
“You can if you want. I’ll pay you back. Their uncle is picking them up today to go to the zoo so you’ll only have Cristian and you can leave the hyped up heathens to him.”
I bust out laughing. “That’s cruel, Giulia.”
“That’s what sisters are for. MATTY I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU SHOOT YOUR SISTER ONE MORE TIME WITH YOUR NERF GUN IT’S GOING IN THE TRASH AND SO ARE YOU! Ugh,” she sighs heavily, “I’ll see you in a bit, Lou. I have to make sure my children don’t kill each other.”
With a click, the line goes dead and I smile in amusement.
I swing by Dunkin Donuts and get a dozen of the donuts with icing and sprinkles. They’re my favorite and I don’t know any kid who doesn’t like them either.
I pull into the driveway of the Wilson’s house and hurry inside into the middle of chaos.
Matteo runs past me in only his underwear with Buzz Lightyear on them.
A second later, Giulia runs after him around the corner. “Give them back you little gremlin.”
“I have donuts!” I call out and Matteo makes a complete U-turn in my direction, stopping in front of me like an eager puppy waiting for a treat. I tilt my head down at him, giving him my best glare. “What did you steal from your mom?”
He drops his head forlornly and behind him Giulia tries not to smile. Opening his palm he shows me two diamond earrings clasped in his hand. “Bad kids don’t get donuts,” I warn him. “You’ll have to give them back to your mom and apologize first.”
“Do I get donuts? I’m a good girl.” I turn to find Bella crawling out from her hiding place behind the couch.
“Of course you do, angel.” I ruffle her dark hair.
Turning around to his mom, Matteo apologizes and hands over her earrings.
“Why do they listen to you?” She fixes her earrings in place.
“Because, I’m not their mom. I’m pretty sure it’s ingrained in kids DNA to ignore anything their parents say.”
“I think they just like you more.”
“You look beautiful.” I take in for the first time the fitted white dress she wears and how her glossy dark hair is curled to perfection. She’s even done her makeup and her red lipstick pops against her darker skin color.
“Thank you.” She beams, smoothing her hands over the dress. She looks amazing considering she only had a baby a little over a month ago. “Leo is taking me to a winery, so I’ll be pumping and dumping. My brother offered to watch the kids tonight.” In a conspiratorial tone she adds, “I’m so getting laid tonight.”
“I heard that.” Her husband comes around the corner and smacks her butt. “I whole-heartedly agree with this. How are you, Lou?”
“I’m doing good.” I still stand in the entry holding the box of donuts like the awkward unicorn I am. Leo nods, tucking his hands into his pants pockets, looking at his wife like she’s the most gorgeous creature he’s ever laid eyes on. I want my future husband to look at me like that, and if he doesn’t … well, then he’s clearly not the one.
“Glad to hear that.” His response is for me, but he’s still checking out Giulia like it’s the first time he’s ever laid on eyes on her and not like they have three kids together. Honestly, they’re a gorgeous couple. Giulia is stunning and exotic and Leo reminds me of that guy on Game of Thrones who fucks his sister. Okay, that sounds majorly gross and awkward and I want to wash the vision of this straight out of my head.
I move past them, leaving them to their lovey-dovey staring contest, and set the donuts down on the kitchen island.
Within seconds I’m rushed by two eager, sugar-addict, children.
“Donut,” Matteo demands, holding out his hands eagerly.
Beside him, Bella mimics his grabbing gesture, looking up at me with round brown eyes.
“Excuse me?” I raise one brow. “That isn’t how we ask for something, now is it?” I use my best mom voice and it has its intended effect.
“Please?” Matteo responds hopefully.
“That’s the one.” I reach out and ruffle his hair with a smile. “Bella?”
“Pwease?” She clasps her hands under her chin and her bottom lip juts out.
I grab a donut and break it in half. “You’re going to share and you can each have another half later if you’re good for your uncle and he allows it.”
Matteo pouts as he takes the donut and gives me a reluctant, “Fine.” At my look, he tacks on a thank you before walking off in search of his iPad.
“Tank you.”
I smile at Bella’s sweet toddler voice and bend down so we’re eye level.
“You’re welcome, sweetie.”
Once they’re occupied with their treats, Giulia pulls me aside and asks me to make sure Bella and Matteo are dressed and ready to go to the zoo in the next hour. She also lets me know Cristian should be waking up from his first morning nap in about thirty minutes before going over in detail where everything is and what I need to do.
“Giulia,” I grab her arm, quieting her next tirade, “I know where things are and what to do.”
“I know,” she exhales. “I’m nervous leaving them overnight. I’m not sure my brother can handle this. It’s three kids. Cristian’s just a baby. Oh, God.” She clutches her chest. “Leo, that’s it, we’re staying home. I can’t do this.”
Leo looks over from where he’s pouring a sippy cup of milk for Bella and eyes his wife skeptically. “G, it’ll be fine. You’re stressing for nothing. We wouldn’t be going overnight if I didn’t have full confidence in your brother.”
“I still don’t know.” She looks down at her pretty dress and I sense her turmoil. It has to be hard being a mom and wanting to have your own life while not wanting to be separated from your children.
“Babe.” Leo crosses the room and wraps his arms around her. “It’s your birthday. This is a special day and we should celebrate. We’re not going far and can be home in forty minutes if something happens.”
“But—”
He silences her protest with his lips.
I look away, feeling weird for watching them.
I hear Giulia exhale and agree to go. “But if I get any weir
d feelings we’re coming straight home. Promise?”
“Promise.” He grins at her and I feel like my heart is going to burst from their sweetness.
Within the next ten minutes Matteo, Bella, and I stand on the front porch and wave goodbye as the silver Mercedes backs out of the driveway.
As soon as the vehicle is out of sight, Matteo screams and runs back inside, still only his underwear, screaming, “We’re free! The house is ours!”
I laugh, shaking my head as I pick up Bella and carry her in. Matteo is one funny kid.
Coaxing the kids upstairs, I manage to bribe them into getting dressed by promising to read them a book before they go. When Cristian starts crying, I send the two off to pick out the book they want, while I cross the hall to the master bedroom where Cristian sleeps in a small bassinet.
“Shh, shh,” I coo, as I gently cradle his squirming body. “I’ve got you.” I lay him against my chest, bouncing him as I walk across the hall to the nursery so I can change his rank diaper. “If I smelled that bad I’d cry too.” I kiss the top of his downy soft baby hair.
Laying him down on the changing table I clean him up and put on a fresh diaper. His cries stop once he’s no longer dirty, turning instead to small whimpers as he sucks on his closed fist. Swiping a binky I press it to his lips and his mouth opens greedily. I stifle a laugh as his siblings come flying into the room. Matteo holds the book protectively against his chest.
“We picked one,” he announces, skidding to a halt before he slams into me.
“Alrightie, then.” I take the book from him and sit down in the rocker, allowing Cristian to lie on my chest.
Bella and Matteo sit down cross-legged on the floor in front of me, but before I can even open the page the doorbell rings.
“He’s here! He’s here!”
Matteo and Bella take off out of the room, barreling down the stairs like their cute little butts are on fire.
“Don’t you dare open that door!” I yell after them as I get up with the baby and follow them at a much slower, less dangerous, pace.
They stand in front of the door, dancing on their toes while they wait for me to open it.
I unlock it, letting it swing open and—
“What are you doing here?” The words tumble out of my mouth in astonishment.
In front of me, Abel grins like he’s won some fucking prize. “Blondie.”
“Mr. Popular,” I retort. “You didn’t answer the question.”
“Uncle Abie!” Matteo bounds at Abel and somehow—super human speed and strength, I guess—he’s able to catch him.
“Uncle Abe-e?” I raise a brow and he shrugs, grunting as Bella launches like a missile at him too.
He steps inside with the two kids clinging to him like little baby monkeys.
“Matteo couldn’t say Abel and Abie stuck.” His eyes rake up and down my body and it feels like he’s undressing me with each sweep. I’ve never had a look do that to me before and I hold back my shiver, because I don’t want him to know what he does to me. “How’s my littlest nephew?” He reaches out and his large hand swallows the infant’s head whole.
“Ready for a bottle,” I answer, but I’m positive it was a rhetorical question so I immediately want to facepalm myself.
He moves toward the kitchen and somehow I’m the one following him. I don’t think my brain has started computing since opening the door and finding him standing on the threshold. The last thing I expected was for Giulia’s brother, the kids’ uncle, to be Abel. I was expecting someone much older.
“Wait.” I stop in my tracks and Abel does too, setting down the kids before looking at me over his shoulder. “You mean to tell me, you’re staying the night here and watching three kids by yourself?”
He turns around fully. “Um, yeah.” He crosses his arms over his chest and while it looks defensive, his smirk tells me this is entirely in challenge. He likes me underestimating him. I think the jerk gets complete enjoyment out of surprising me at every turn.
First, he’s not actually a jerk. He’s a decent guy.
Then there’s the fact he’s not the womanizer I thought he was.
Now, he’s fucking Uncle Abie—actually make that Fuckable Uncle Abie. It’s clear in only these few minutes he loves these kids and they love him, which means dammit he’s great with kids.
He’s the whole fucking package and for some reason, it makes me both want to hit him and fall dramatically into his arms like a damsel in distress—a damsel who promptly rips off her bodice.
I always did like sneak reading those bodice ripper novels my mom hid from me. Clearly, they’ve left an impression all these years later.
“Are you guys ready for the zoo?” His eyes are focused down below on the two eager children ready to soak in attention from him. Meanwhile, he opens a cabinet, blindly grabbing a cooler and pulling it down.
“Yes!” Matteo jumps up and down, barely able to contain his energy.
“Oh, yes,” Bella responds, clutching her hands under her chin. It’s her go-to gesture and I’m a sucker for it every time.
“You guys want peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch?”
They nod eagerly and he gathers everything he needs while I grab breast milk from the freezer to prepare a bottle for Cristian.
Watching Abel, I remember the conversation we had about him living with his sister and her family. I just never imagined it would be one of the families I babysit for. What are the odds?
Fate, my mind whispers in my ear in quiet reminder.
“You should come.”
It takes me a moment to realize Abel is talking to me.
“Huh?” I swivel around to look at him, sure I didn’t hear him right.
“The plan was for me to only take these two,” he tosses a thumb over his shoulder where Matteo and Bella pillage through the pantry for snacks, “while Cris stayed home with the sitter for the day, but since that sitter is you…” He trails off, shrugging his shoulders as he smears peanut butter across a slice of bread. When I don’t say anything he stops, his eyes meeting mine. “You should come,” he repeats.
Me, Abel, and three kids in a zoo. This sounds like the start of a really bad idea.
“Cristian and I will be fine here.” My reply is hesitant, because frankly I’m not sure my ovaries can handle an entire day watching Abel interact with the kids.
He lays his hands flat on the marble counters. I stare at his hands. His tan, muscular hands, with thick, corded veins running up into his arms—
“What if I want you to go?”
“I … I…” Words flee my brain. Up, up, and away they go too far out of my short reach to grab.
“It’ll be fun,” he says, and begins making a fourth sandwich. I guess it’s decided then.
Abel, Matteo, Bella, Cristian, and I are all going to the zoo—as if this whole thing isn’t enough of a zoo already.
* * *
Abel is driving a mini-van.
A mother-fucking mini-van.
And here I am riding beside him in the passenger seat with three kids in the back.
Just call us Mom and Dad.
Glancing behind me I peek in the mirror attached to the headrest so the driver can see the baby in the rearview mirror and find that Cristian has fallen sound asleep. Matteo and Bella are currently distracted by Lilo and Stitch, which immediately started playing when the car started.
My gaze drifts to Abel and I’m still stunned that he’s here.
My brain seems to refute the fact that he’s their uncle and now we’re on a road trip of sorts—the drive to the National Zoo will probably take us at least two hours, especially with the weekend traffic.
Abel’s lips turn up but he doesn’t take his eyes off the road. “Like what you see, Blondie?”
My cheeks redden at being caught, but I stick my chin haughtily into the air unwilling to cower at being called out. “Maybe there’s a bug on your face.”
That smile of his widens. “There’s
not.”
“So confident,” I mutter, crossing my arms over my chest and staring out the windshield.
“Why wouldn’t I be? You kissed me.”
“I kissed you back, big difference.” I kick my flip-flops off and rest my bare feet on the dashboard.
“Kissing back is still kissing.”
“Ugh,” I toss my hands up, “you’re impossible.”
“Impossibly handsome? Charming? Irresistible? All three? Definitely all three.” He answers his own question.
“Abie? Are we dare yet? I wanna see the snakes. Sssssss. Snakes are my fave. Specially da yellow one. It looks like a banana. I wike bananas. Did you bwing bananas?”
I look over my shoulder at Bella and find that despite her question her eyes are glued firmly to the movie.
“Not yet, Princess. I’ll make sure you see the snakes. And no, I didn’t bring bananas but I’m sure I can get you one if you really want.”
Princess? He calls her Princess? Be still my heart.
“Otay.”
“How many times are they going to ask if we’re there yet?” Humor laces my words, because we only left ten minutes ago and haven’t even gotten on the interstate.
“Um…” He pretends to think. “Approximately a million more times. It’s a blessing Cris can’t talk yet.”
“But he can cry.”
“Don’t remind me.” He gives a small laugh and I know he’s not at all bothered.
As he glances in the rearview mirror at the three kids something in my heart stirs. A longing, not for him, but for this—a family of my own with a husband who loves me and adores our children more than anything.
When Abel peeks at me, catching my eyes, something inside me jolts. I know it’s my heart. I might think it’s not him I’m longing for but my heart disagrees. That treacherous, emotional bitch is waking up and saying him, I choose him.
And that thought terrifies me because when something is real that’s when your heart doesn’t just hurt it breaks.
* * *
The trunk slowly lifts up and Abel and I stand behind it like we’re waiting with bated breath for the villain in a movie to appear. Except, it’s empty.
Desperately Seeking Roommate Page 12
