Page 42 of Prospect Year
“Thank you,” she signed and lifted the delicate petals to her nose, breathing in the faint fragrance. Holding up a finger, she reached down and lifted a sheet of paper from the coffee table where she’d been sitting when he arrived.
“What’s this?”
She tapped the page in his hand.
He looked down. A poem. In her handwriting. “I didn’t know you wrote poetry.”
She tapped the lines on the paper, then his chest.
He began reading. This is . . . He reread the last lines. Me. This is about me. Us. Our friendship. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you.” As usual, her smile said more than he ever realized a simple gesture could relay.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the voices of children running through the foyer interrupted their exchange. It was like the club had radar to interrupt at the most inconvenient moment. He turned toward the door.
“There you are,” Skye said. “You were great today. I told Dad all about it. And after you left, I got a lecture.”
“From your dad?” Lola wondered.
“No. From the guy who just stares at me all day. He’s so hot. Today, he walked up to my locker after lunch and asked what I was doing with an older man.” She squealed with excitement.
Mia signaled for her to continue.
Skye glanced toward Blade, now standing in the doorway, then continued. “I said I didn’t know what he was talking about. Told him you graduated two years ago and that’s not old. Then I asked if he remembered you.”
Lola laughed. “You got his attention.”
“I want to ask him to prom, but Dad and Mom both say he needs to ask me. But he doesn’t talk to me. And I know for a fact he doesn’t have a girlfriend.”
“You have a prom date, so don’t worry about that, you’re going,” Blade said.
“Dad!” Skye whirled, throwing her hands to her hips.
“You’ll have fun. Lola here will make sure of it.” Blade raised his brows.
Skye twisted her face and pushed past her father. “Mom’s right, you’re unbelievable.”
Lola’s hands flew in the air. “Prom? I’m too old for that.”
“Nonsense. You’re the only one of us who can pass. We’ve already established that.” Blade threw his arm over Lola’s shoulder, walking with him into the foyer. “You’ll be at prom for my baby girl. As her escort or in the shadows. Put it on your calendar. Make sure she has a good time, and if anyone touches her, take care of the problem.” Blade slapped Lola’s back and moved away.
Zane shot through the door with Kingsley close behind. He headed straight for the dining room, where Skye and Jacob were settling at the table with homework next to Amber. Kingsley ran past Lola and into Mia’s arms. “What’s going on?” Lola wondered aloud, now seeing Junior enter followed by Rash.
“I told you to be home before six, didn’t I?” King reminded him.
“Yes,” he replied, the word rolling slowly from him.
“What do you think all the letters were? We’re taking the old ladies to dinner,” King informed with a laugh. “Don’t worry, we thought of you too. Our gift to you is that we’ll pick them up before bedtime.”
Brick walked in as King opened the door to leave. He dropped the diaper bag on the bench next to the door and herded the kids into the house. Mercy ran past her brothers and toward Zane before they disappeared down the hall to the playroom. Settling the infant into Lola’s arms, Brick said nothing before turning back to leave. As he opened the door, he paused. “Nine,” he told Lola with a nod then disappeared.
Nine. That meant three hours with a house full of rambunctious kids. What else could possibly happen?
“What’s for dinner?” Skye asked, taking the baby from Lola’s arms.
He grinned. “I did promise you dinner, didn’t I? Only I didn’t say I was cooking. Better get some take-out ordered.”
“Oh. Can I do it? I know what everyone likes,” Skye offered.
“Knock yourself out,” Lola agreed just as the door swung open yet again. Cowboy appeared with Chasity on his hip.