on this hot little lawyer and if you don’t show up to entertain her daughter, it shoots my chances to hell.”
“Is that all I am to you, just some kid you can use to get a girl?”
A grin tugged at his mouth. Now there was the feisty nine-year-old he knew and loved. “Basically. You got a problem with that?”
“You’re incorrigible.”
He couldn’t help but laugh. “Where’d you hear that?”
“At school. And you are. And you’re obnoxious too.” She released her arms and sighed. “And I’m not mad at you. I just don’t want to see her tomorrow, that’s all.”
He slid his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “I know, sweetheart. I know this is hard. It’s hard on all of us, especially your dad. You’ve got to cut him some slack on this one.”
She swallowed the tears and leaned into him. “I like things just the way they are, with you and me and Daddy. I don’t want her around messing things up.”
“She won’t.”
“She will.”
“Give it a chance, okay? Just give it a chance, Julia.”
“I don’t want to.”
“Then do it for me. She’s my sister, and I love her. And you’re my niece, and I love you. Do it for me if you can’t do it for any other reason.”
On a long sigh, she pulled back and wiped her face. “Okay. But you owe me.” Her eyes narrowed. “And you owe me for tonight too. If this girl ends up being a total bore, you’re gonna owe me big time.”
“Thanks.” He nudged her off the bed. “Now get your shoes. We’re late.”
***
Mitch glanced over at Julia and studied her profile illuminated by the dashboard lights. She needed a firm hand right now, someone to tell her the way it was going to be. Ryan was having problems of his own. He wasn’t exactly handling any part of this well.
Who could blame him, though?
“Now don’t go embarrassing me,” he said, refocusing on the road.
“Would I do that?” Julia batted her lashes.
“Yeah, you would, especially when you’re pissed at me. No telling amusing stories about me or bringing up personal stuff.”
“Like how you drink milk straight from the carton? Or how you wear your jeans until they’re basically walking before you wash them?”
He cringed. “Yeah, like that. And no bringing up past girlfriends with her, either. I’ll have to take you down if you do.”
She smiled. “You like her.”
“Yes, I do.” A frown tugged at his lips. “Why does everyone keep saying that?”
She reached over and tickled his side. “Aw, she’s your penguin.”
“My what?” He wiggled his way out of her grasp. “Cut that out.”
“Your penguin. You know, penguins. They mate for life. Penguins are one of the only animals on the planet that do that, like humans. It’s sweet. You’ve got yourself a little penguin, Uncle Mitch.”
“I didn’t say I was mating with her for life. Where the hell do you pick up this crap?”
“At school. School’s full of crap.”
“God, you’ve got a smart mouth. And no swearing in front of her, either.”
“Why not? You do it.”
“Yeah, I also get drunk and burp. Doesn’t mean I want you doing it.” He pulled to a stop in front of Simone’s big old Victorian house. “Try to play the nice, polite niece part for me, at least for tonight. I know it’s a stretch.”
She eased out of the car and eyed the house. “Three new album downloads for my ipod.”
Mitch squinted at her across the hood of his Land Rover.
“What?” Julia asked, looking shocked and surprised by his reaction. “I figure this is worth at least three. I’ll make you a list. You can get download them for me tomorrow when I’m off doing you yet another favor.”
“Blackmail doesn’t work with me.”
“Oh, it will,” she said with a grin and headed up the front steps.
Simone answered the door in bare feet, snug jeans, and a fitted T-shirt that accentuated her perky breasts. Damn, she was hot. He wasn’t in the market for a penguin, but he wanted at least one date with the curvy lawyer.
“Hi,” he said. “Sorry we’re late. The shrimp is Julia.”
Julia frowned up at him, then held out her hand. “Hi.
Simone shook her hand, her brows lifting as if she were impressed with Julia’s manners. Score one for the shrimp. “It’s nice to see you again, Julia. You probably don’t remember me, but you and your mom came to visit us a few times when we lived in Baltimore.”
Julia studied her face. “Um…no. I don’t remember. I must have