Wrecked (Clayton Falls) - By Alyssa Rose Ivy Page 0,40
to help.
“All right. Do you want to go?”
“Sure.”
Emily bent down. “Noah, it’s time to go.”
Noah looked up from playing with a toy car on the floor. He really was cute. He had longish, dark brown hair and really big, blue eyes.
“You know that we have the same haircut, bud.”
Emily laughed. “Only because I haven’t had time to cut it.”
“Why would you cut it? The shaggy look is always in for little boys.”
“So is looking neat and presentable.”
“Are you trying to tell me I don’t look presentable?” I pretended to be offended.
“No. I like your hair.” She reached over and ran a hand through my hair.
“But your son needs his short?”
She smiled down at Noah. “At least trimmed.”
I bent down to Noah’s height. “Don’t listen to her, Noah. She’s going to cramp your style.”
He laughed but I doubt he had any idea what I was saying.
“Can you watch him for a second? I want to run to the bathroom.”
“Uh, sure.” I figured I should be able to watch a kid for a minute.
“Be right back.” I couldn’t tell if she was talking to me or Noah.
“What kind of car do you have there?” I slid down onto the floor next to him. He handed me the blue car.
“Car.”
“Yes, it doesn’t really matter what kind it is as long as it works, right?”
He took the car back from me and rolled it around on the worn wood floor again. The car he was playing with didn’t look too far off from what I had as a kid. I guess some things never change.
“All right, I’m ready,” Emily called.
I turned around and my breath hitched. It always did when I saw her—especially with her hair all wavy like it was. She looked gorgeous.
“You ready, bud?” I wasn’t sure why I started calling him that, but it kind of stuck.
Noah held his arms up to me.
Emily shook her head. “No, Noah. Jake doesn’t have to hold you.”
“I’ll hold you.” I bent down and scooped him up. He grinned.
“You don’t have to do that.” Emily reached for him.
“I want to.” I carried Noah outside and waited while Emily unlocked her car.
I put him in his car seat. It only took me two tries to figure out the seatbelts. I hoped I’d get it on the first try the next time.
Emily just smiled and got into the driver’s side. I hated that she was always the one who had to drive us everywhere. It’s hard to make a girl think you can take care of her when you can’t even pick her up. There was nothing I could do about it, so I’d have to find other ways to make up for it—even if I had to get creative.
“Where am I going?” She pulled out of the driveway.
“Turn here.” I led her through the directions to my parents’ house. It wasn’t too far away, and Noah seemed perfectly content playing with his toys in the backseat.
Emily parked in their driveway and looked up at the house. “Wow, pretty.”
I’d never really thought about it, but their house was nice. With a huge, wraparound porch on both levels, it kind of stood out. It was bigger than most of my friends’ houses, and when you add in the pool house I’d spent a few years living in, it was pretty cool. “Thanks.”
Mom had the door opened before I knocked. “Come in, come in.”
Emily had gotten to Noah before me because his seat was on her side, but he had reached out for me as we walked up the front steps. I was holding him when Mom opened the door. She got a kick out of it. She didn’t say it, but I could see it in her smile.
Emily held out her hand to Mom. “Hi, Mary. It’s nice to see you again.”
“It’s wonderful to see you too. And this must be Noah.”
Emily smiled. “That’s him.”
“He’s precious.” Mom patted his head.
“Thank you.”
“I pulled out some of the boys’ old toys.” Mom led the way into the den. She wasn’t kidding. There were all sorts of trucks, cars, and plastic dinosaurs on the carpet.
“You kept all of these?” I set Noah down. He went right over to a yellow dump truck.
“I knew we’d need them for grandchildren someday.”
“You must be excited that Molly’s pregnant.” Emily smiled. From what I gathered, she and Molly had hit it off. They’d even been talking on the phone a little. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it—but I knew it was probably a