Page 32 of This Broken Heart
Charlie looking like a little, petite fairy in her prom dress.
Parker standing tall and proud with a volleyball tucked under her arm.
Reese looking fine as hell in her dance team uniform.
And then, there’s Josh in his football uniform, a gleaming plastic crown on his head.
“Fucking figures.” I mutter to myself. I called it on the day we met. Between his good looks and perfect body, the man is a prototype for high school popularity.
“Did you say something, dear?” Josh’s Aunt Kim is standing in the doorway, watching me with an expectant gaze.
“Just talking to myself.” I laugh, feeling my cheeks heat. “Don’t mind me.”
“You’re tidying up? That’s so sweet of you.”
I shrug, rinsing the dish towel. “Just trying to stay busy.”
“In that case, they’ve turned the living room into a real pigsty. Would you mind clearing some of that up?”
I stare at her for a few beats. “You want me to clean the living room while they’re in it?”
“If it’s not too much trouble.”
20.
Josh
Uncle Kyle has always been a bit of an idiot.
He’s my dad’s older brother and he never really got over the fact that grandpa passed the farm down to my dad, bypassing him. But even back then, Uncle Kyle spent more time getting to the bottom of his whiskey glass than farming. It was sort of a no brainer, but my uncle never saw it that way.
“You got yourself a nanny?” He asks, plopping down in the chair beside me.
I nod, trying to keep my eye on the game. It’s been an effort ever since Erin walked in the house. My gaze keeps straying, trying to figure out where she went.
That sweater keeps making an appearance in my thoughts. It clings to her curves. The neckline had a delicate lace trim, an innocent touch, but it’s got me thinking about what’s under that sweater and those thoughts are anything but innocent.
“Does that make you Daddy Warbucks?”
I spare him a quick glance. He’s got a mean glint in his eye. I turn my attention back to the game. “Just needed some help with the kids.”
“Why don’t you just get married again?” He asks. “You ain’t going to find a wife as long as you’ve got a woman living with you.”
I turn to him, surprised he knew about the cohabitation. His gaze goes over my shoulder, and I turn to see Erin gathering dirty snack plates under Aunt Kim’s careful eye.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
The conversations in the room lull momentarily before people go back to talking. They pretend they aren’t hanging on every word.
Erin shrugs, picking up an empty glass. “Just tidying up.”
“You don’t have to do that.” I say, my voice coming out harsher than I intended.
Aunt Kim hands her another glass, pasting on a guileless smile. “She’s on the clock, isn’t she?”
“Yeah, but not foryou.” I push to my feet, ignoring the stares burning holes in the back of my head. I take the plates and glasses out of Erin’s hands, marching through to the kitchen.
She follows a few moments behind me with more plates.