hands and knees and work while the man tried to get her on her back. She did so well, though. Mommy was the best, she lasted so long.”
“Yay, Mommy,” Ryan cheers as I scowl at Zoey while she chuckles at her own ridiculous wit. I can only imagine how Ryan is going to put that into her own words when describing to Bryce how her week has been next Saturday.
I roll my eyes and glance up at Ryan in the rear-view mirror. “Yeah, baby. Mommy did really great. How did you do while Mommy and Zo Zo were busy?”
Ryan goes on and on about the toys and the other children she met until her eyes grow heavy and flutter closed. Soon, both of the girls are snoring softly, exhausted from their exciting day. “Shit,” Zoey grunts. “That was quick. I thought they’d be able to hold off until we got back to your place.”
“So did I,” I grumble. “They must have really worn them out.”
“Yeah, I have a feeling they’ll happily go back each week.”
I nod in agreement as I turn down my street and get us home. I pull into my drive not long after, and my eyes can’t help but rake over the fixed railing. I still can’t believe Bull showed up here in the middle of the night with his welder. I mean, I get he wanted to help because his team cut it up, but it wasn’t necessary. It was my kid who got her head stuck in the stupid thing, but either way, I’m eternally grateful. Dad probably wouldn’t have cared that it had to get cut to save Ryan, but the thought of it broken weighed on my soul all day until he came to fix it.
I park the car and hop out, watching with a smile as Zoey goes right for Coby's door. She's the easy one. That baby could sleep soundly through a freaking rave. I lean in to unbuckle Ryan, the light sleeper, who needs a more practiced set of hands to maneuver her out of her seat during naptime.
We get the girls inside and into bed to finish their naps, and as I walk out of Ryan’s room, I find Zoey rifling through Coby’s closet, pulling out clothes and grabbing a handful of diapers. “Ahh,” I grumble. “What the hell are you doing?”
She looks across at me before checking that Coby didn’t stir with the sound of my voice. “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m taking the girls for the night.”
“Okay … but why?”
“Because you have your date with your man tonight.”
“First of all, you need to stop calling him that, and secondly, there is no date. I never agreed to a date.”
“He is so your man, and yes, there will be a date. I saw the look in his eye. That man is coming here at seven to sweep you off your feet and take you on the night of your life.”
I roll my eyes as she throws Coby’s things into a bag before grabbing some wipes to go with it. “I seriously doubt it,” I tell her. “Besides, he’s not the guy for me. I mean, sure, he’ll be fun as hell for a night or two, but he isn’t the real deal. He’s a player. It’s written all over him, guys that look like that are only interested in hitting and quitting. Another baby daddy is the last thing I need in my life.”
“I think you’re underestimating him,” she tells me. “I saw something in him. He really likes you. Like, really likes you.”
“Okay,” I scoff as we walk out of Coby’s room and into Ryan’s to do exactly the same thing. “I think you’re losing your mind. You know, I saw him get a random text after midnight? Now, I might be slightly out of the game, but I know what a text message at that time of the night means, and I am not going to allow myself to fall for a guy like that. He’s trouble. He admitted that much himself.”
“What do you expect?” she says. “A guy who looks like that is going to get plenty of ass, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s a bad guy. He just likes sex—all guys do. Besides, if you’re holding out for a guy who’s taken all of three women in his life, has a minivan, and not a hint of trouble, you’ll be bored and unsatisfied.”