Sally grinned.
“Mikey,” Isabella said in a warning tone.
“What?” Mikey asked, poorly feigning an innocent look.
Isabella gave him a glare then controlled her expression and transferred her gaze to Prentice who was blocking the door.
She stopped in front of him. “Mikey would like to stay for dinner, if that’s all right with you.”
“No,” Mikey said, coming up behind her. “I am staying for dinner,” he announced, eyes on Prentice. “I’ve made myself Bella’s designated bodyguard.”
Prentice’s mouth got hard and Isabella held her breath.
“Why does Mrs. Evangahlala need a bodyguard? Is she famous?” Sally asked in a breathy voice and Mikey looked down at her.
“Mrs. Evangahlala is quite famous, cutie pie, but she doesn’t normally need one. It’s just here, where –”
“Well!” Isabella cried (also loudly), interrupting Mikey. “I better get a move on with dinner or it’ll be the children’s bedtime.”
She lifted her brows at Prentice who still looked angry but he stepped forward and took her bag from her. She started to tighten her hold on it but realized it would be silly to wrestle over a grocery bag so she let go.
He moved to the side, motioning with a wide sweep of his arm that she should precede him and she quickly did so, dragging the lagging Sally, who still had hold of her hand, with her.
She and Sally hit the great room, Mikey and Prentice following and she saw Jason was on the couch, his feet flung over the back, a book in his hands.
His eyes came to her.
“Hey, Mrs. Evangelista.”
“Hello, Jason.”
“What is this Mrs. Evangelista business?” Mikey asked, going directly to the kitchen counter and dumping his bag. “She’s feeding you. You should call her Bella.”
“Mikey,” Isabella said, again in a warning tone and Sally danced to the kitchen, climbing up on a stool and rooting through the bag.
“What? Seriously, you’ve twice now bought them a boatload of food,” Mikey returned.
Prentice was also depositing his bag in the kitchen and his head came around, his eyes pinning Isabella.
Well, one could say that Mikey didn’t waste any time with creating havoc.
Then again, he never did.
“I thought Annie bought the food,” Prentice said in a voice that was deeper, thus obviously not so happy.
Isabella opened her mouth to speak but Mikey, unfortunately, beat her to it.
“You didn’t buy that did you?”
Prentice’s eyes narrowed and Isabella wondered if Prentice would find it untoward if, in front of his children, she took off her pump and threw it at Mikey.
She figured he would.
Therefore, Isabella decided to ignore any of this was happening and focus on dinner.
And nothing but dinner.
Except maybe Sally.