Finally (Neighbor from Hell #12) - R.L. Mathewson Page 0,53
with rage. Not that she could blame him…
“Can we do a movie day tomorrow?” Abbi asked as she grabbed a book off the large stack that Charlie kept on the coffee table and climbed onto the couch next to her brother.
“I’m sorry, sweetie. I can’t tomorrow. I have to get up early and go to a convention,” Charlie said, wishing that she’d splurged for a hotel room since she really wasn’t looking forward to the two-hour drive in the morning.
“What about tomorrow night? We could camp out in the living room and watch movies,” Dustin said.
“I’m sorry, sweetie, but I have plans tomorrow night,” she said, only to add, “We could have a movie day this weekend and maybe play outside?”
“Can we build a snowman?” Abbi asked, looking hopeful.
“Are you going to make us sing the Frozen song?” Charlie asked, unable to help but smile when she saw the devious little smile that Abbi was trying to hold back.
“Yes, I am,” Abbi said, nodding as she tossed her book on the couch and jumped off with a sigh and a, “Bath time?”
“Your Daddy is going to have to give you a bath tonight, sweetie. I have to get some stuff done before tomorrow,” Charlie said, sighing sadly because she looked forward to bath time every night.
“But…” Abbi began as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth as she threw her father, who looked really pissed right now, a worried look. “Daddy doesn’t know how I like my bubbles.”
“And he doesn’t give me double-kisses when he tucks me in,” Dustin mumbled sadly.
“I know, guys, but you’re just going to have to try to get through it for tonight,” Charlie said with a sad shake of her head that she knew would annoy the man that had been trying to get her alone all day.
She could have made it easy on him, but…
Where would the fun in that be?
“Do we have to?” Abbi asked, making sure to look appropriately pitiful as she glanced back at her father, but Charlie didn’t miss that devious look in her eye when she did it.
Biting back a smile, Charlie murmured, “I’m afraid so.”
Glare aimed at her, Devin bit out, “Bedtime,” only to narrow his eyes when the kids made sure to sigh sadly as they reluctantly made their way over to her for their goodnight kisses.
Once they were done, they sighed heavily and slowly made their way upstairs, pouting the entire way as Devin leveled one last glare at her before following them upstairs. Deciding to get some work done while she waited, Charlie headed into her apartment as she mentally calculated how long it would take Devin to give the kids baths, get them dressed, tucked in, and read them a bedtime story before he came down here to make her pay for tormenting him all day.
Not that she did it on purpose…
Okay, so maybe she’d tormented him a tiny bit on purpose, but that was only because she was nervous. She’d spent most of the night driving herself crazy thinking about that kiss until she couldn’t take it anymore. She found herself heading for her apartment door, wondering if that kiss was really as good as she remembered only to find herself cooking everything that she could get her hands on around seven this morning when the reminder of why they couldn’t rush this came walking into the kitchen wearing tighty-whities and an adorable smile.
Hoping to distract herself, Charlie walked into her office, unable to help but smile when she spotted all the drawings covering the walls that the kids had made for her, sat down at her desk, and turned on her computer only to stare at the letterhead that she’d created with the blank spot where the name of her business should go.
She really needed to come up with something soon, Charlie thought, sighing heavily as she leaned back in her chair and slowly spun around, looking for inspiration. Without a name, she couldn’t get a domain for her website, create her Facebook page, Twitter, incorporate, or do more than half the things that she needed to…
Dustin and Abbi, she thought as she took in all the drawings surrounding her and found herself smiling as she turned back around in her chair and started playing around with their names until she came up with Dabbi Digital Marketing and-
“That’s perfect,” Charlie said, smiling as she sat back in her chair and stared at the name of her new business.