The Mistake (Bad Bridesmaids #1) - Noelle Adams Page 0,52

Line up the women, and I’ll make my way through them like bowling pins if will make you happy.”

“I’m not trying to make me happy. I’m trying to make you happy.” She actually didn’t like the idea of women lined up to try to snare Keith. Attempting to make him theirs.

He didn’t feel like theirs.

He felt like hers.

But that was silly and selfish and irrational, so she didn’t indulge the feeling. Instead she reached out and put a hand on his forearm, just next to his watch. “I promise I am.”

“I know you are,” he said with the slightest edge of roughness in his voice. “That’s why I’m willing to give it a try.”

“Good.” She felt better now. Like whatever the lurking conflict might have been had been entirely dealt with. She was about to say something. She wasn’t even sure what. But she didn’t have the chance because Eva ran in just then wearing pink cotton knit pajamas decorated with unicorns. “Can Uncle Keith do my chapter tonight?”

“If he doesn’t mind.” Serena glanced over at Keith to check his expression.

He was already standing up. “Of course I don’t know. What book are you reading now?”

Eva scampered back to her bedroom, following by Keith at a more leisurely pace.

Every night since Eva was born Serena had read out loud to her. After Eva learned to read, they started taking turns, passing the book back and forth so they both could read out loud.

It wasn’t an unusual activity, but it had become almost a ritual for them. On the few times Serena was out and had to miss Eva’s bedtime or when Eva was with her dad, it always felt like something was missing in her day.

Keith had taken his turn at the nighttime reading several times before, and Serena chuckled as she heard the two of them talking about the book about fairies Eva was currently making her way through.

After checking her phone for a few minutes, Serena got up and wandered down the hall to check on their progress. When she peaked into the bedroom, Eva was propped up on two pillows with her huge stuffed elephant tucked under the covers beside her. Keith was sitting on the chair next to the bed, leaning forward as he read, the book held in both hands over his knees.

In a few minutes, Eva stuck out her hand in a silent demand, so Keith handed her to book so she could take her turn.

Serena’s heart ached in her chest as she watched. She wasn’t sure why the little scene moved her so much. It wasn’t new or unusual or particularly sentimental.

In fact, it felt familiar. Like a truth she’d always known that was only now coming to the surface.

Eva’s big brown eyes followed the words on the page as she read and occasionally lifted up to check and make sure Keith was listening attentively.

He was. Of course he was. He spent more time with Eva and took her more seriously than the girl’s own father did. Lately, Scott had been busy with his new girlfriend and only wanted one weekend a month with his daughter, only their agreement allowed him two.

Just then, Keith glanced back over his shoulder, as if he sensed her presence. He gave her a little smile—surprised and pleased, as if seeing her unexpectedly made her happy.

Her heart squeezed with feeling as she smiled back. In a lot of ways, he was the bedrock of her life. She really wasn’t sure what she would do without him.

“I’m reading,” Eva pronounced with a frown. “Not Mommy.”

“Sorry,” Keith said, turning back quickly. “Just checking to see if she was spying on us.”

“Why are you spying on us, Mommy?”

“I just wanted to hear what was happening in the book. I’ll only listen a minute, and then I have to go do the dishes.”

“Okay,” Eva said with great condescension. “You can stay for a little while.”

Serena smothered a smile, and she could see Keith was doing the same thing. He made an impressive attempt to keep his face sober, so only Serena knew he was laughing inside.

After another minute, Serena’s heart became dangerously full, so she turned and walked back down the hall toward the kitchen. They’d left the pile of dirty dishes in the sink, and she hated to have them waiting in the morning, so she always did them the same night.

She’d gotten through loading the plates and cups into the dishwasher and was working on the pizza pan when she