Page 42 of Recipe for Rivals

Dusty

Fine. Table that for now, because I have something better. Are you free Saturday after the game?

Nova

I’m not dating right now

Dusty

Cool. Not relevant, but cool

Nova

Then you’ll have to explain

Dusty

I have a way to get you all the furniture you want, and it won’t cost you more than a couple hundred dollars

Nova

I’m listening

Dusty

Are you and your kids free after the game? I’ll need a few hours of your time

I didn’t realize I’d started holding my breath until Nova’s next message came in, and I let out a massive exhale.

Nova

Yes

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

NOVA

I hada feeling Dusty would have an aneurysm if he saw the air mattress I’d been sleeping on, so I was glad my bedroom door had been closed when he’d come over the other night. Why the man had taken it upon himself to become the advocate for our furniture situation, I didn’t know. He saved people by trade, which made me think he was one of those types who didn’t like to stand by when someone needed help.

It didn’t mean he had any sort of preference for us or ideas about dating, apparently. He’d been extremely clear about that. It meant he saw a problem and felt it was his duty to fix it.

Admittedly, not my favorite trait, but if he knew of some warehouse selling cheap furniture, I wouldn’t turn down a real bed. I might even be tempted to dip into my savings.

I filled our bottles with ice water while the kids got dressed. Ben insisted he was well enough to play in the game today, so I took a page from Desi’s book when I’d asked about Kendall’s injured wrist—I was going to trust his body and let him make that call. He knew how he was feeling better than I did, for sure.

My phone rang, so I answered it. “Hey, Blair. Just about to head out. Ben has a flag football game this morning.”

“Does he still wear that Kylo Ren helmet everywhere? I’d love to see him take down another kid in that thing.”

“I think it would be frowned upon. They just take flags off each other—there’s no tackling.” I hunted through the cupboards until I found Alice’s yellow bottle. “What’s up?”

“Just checking in. Are you feeling more settled?”

“Still sleeping on the floor, if that’s what you mean. We might remedy that today.”

“I wish I could go shopping with you,” she whined. The kids were growing louder in the background, and I missed my nephews. Blair seemed to go into a room and close the door, because the sound grew muffled. “Maybe we should come out and visit.”

“In the middle of March?”