The Pick Up Wife (7 page)

“Thank you.”

She nodded, her throat constricting around the lump lodged in the back. “I’m going to leave you three to get acquainted.”

“You’re leaving me alone with them?”

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If she wasn’t mistaken, she thought she saw a flicker of fear in his eyes and she suppressed a chuckle. “Oh, you’ll be fine.” He caught her hand as she passed him and she met his gaze. “I won’t be far.”

He brought her hand to his mouth and swept his lips across her knuckles. Moisture swam in his eyes. “Thank you.”

Not trusting her voice, she nodded and slipped from the room.

“So are you going to live with us now?” LJ

was asking.

“Do we live with you?”

Symmone paused, straining to hear the answer.

“You know eavesdropping is considered impolite,” Melvin admonished.

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She glanced over her shoulder. “I thought you went downstairs.”

He grinned. “And miss whatever other questions those two monsters will ask?”

She folded her arms and rolled her eyes.

“Now who’s being impolite?”

They fell silent. The low murmur of Leo’s baritone was punctuated with childish giggles and plenty of questions. What would he have been like if he’d had the benefit of their entire lives? How different would her life have been, or even the kids’, if she’d blurted the news to him? Would they have opted for a private school rather than the public one she chose?

“Why didn’t you tell me you were bringing him to meet the kids?”

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Symmone dragged her attention back to her cousin. “He asked me to marry him, and I figured this would be the best way to know if he was serious.”

“You two are already talking marriage?”

Melvin opened his eyes so wide his eyelids disappeared into his hairline.

She chuckled. “He’s talking marriage. I want to be sure he’s serious. This isn’t about me anymore. LJ and Jewel come first.”

Melvin leaned over and snatched the envelope from her pocket. “What’s this?”

“Hey!” She lunged for the paper and he held it just out of reach.

“Well?”

“He held the money I sent back in trust.”

She held out her hand. “Give it back.”

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Melvin flipped open the envelope, pulled out the receipt, and his eyes went wide.

Curious, she plucked the page from his fingers and did her own double take. She sank to the top step. “Wow.”

“Yeah. Still think he’s serious?”

She glanced over her shoulder then back at her cousin. “I think so.”

****

Dinner was at Chuck E. Cheese. The aroma of melted cheese and tomato sauce wafted through the air, mingling with the cacophony of childish shrieks, buzzers, and dull thudding from the whack-a-mole game. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen the kids so excited. And seeing Leo interact with them left her a little overwhelmed.

She chewed her lower lip as she watched him 12

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demonstrate rolling a wooden ball up the narrow ramp and it popped into the hundred thousand cup.

Jewel and LJ both cheered. Symmone smiled and her heart squeezed.

She swiped at a trickle of moisture on her cheek. This was what she’d longed for, and somehow he’d managed to capture her children’s affection, or at least their admiration.

Jewel ran up to Symmone and wrapped her small arms around her waist in a tight hug.

“Need more tokens?” Symmone jiggled the cup, the golden coins inside rattling.

The little girl shook her head. “Can Dad spend the night?”

Symmone opened her mouth then closed it again. She slid a glance at Leo who was coaching LJ

on shooting free throws. She returned her attention 12

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to her daughter. “He has his own place; I don’t think he would want to stay. Besides, we have nowhere to put him.”

Jewel stepped back and planted her hands on her hips. “Aren’t moms and dads supposed to sleep together?”

Heat rose to her face, and Symmone fought down her mortification. “You are asking a lot of grown-up questions. Why don’t you try being a kid?”

“Mom, I don’t want him to leave. He’s so nice and fun. And he even showed LJ how to shoot the ball. Cousin Mel couldn’t do that, no matter how hard he tried.”

Symmone chuckled. The little girl had a point, but there were still things that needed to be discussed that didn’t involve little ears.

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“Your dad and I still have some things to work out, but he’s going to be here for you, no matter where he lives.”

Jewel huffed. “But can he spend the night?”

“Yeah, can I?”

Symmone looked up to find a crooked smile on Leo’s face.

“Yeah, Mom, can Dad spend the night?”

Three pairs of eyes, three faces all wore identical expressions of hope. After seeing him with the kids, she didn’t want to see him leave either.

“Okay.”

****

Long after the kids were asleep, Symmone sat on the front porch. Muffled laughter drifted from the house on the corner, some faded love song wafted through the air, while the bass 13

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knocked in some unseen vehicle. The screen creaked behind her, and she glanced over her shoulder. Leo handed her a bottle of water as he settled on the step beside her.

His thigh brushed hers, igniting a tingle of pleasure. “They are beautiful, Symmone. LJ is a card, and even though he lets his sister boss him around he still gets what he wants in the end. And Jewel has no problem speaking her mind.”

Symmone laughed. “You haven’t heard the half of it.”

He rested his hand on her knee. “You’ve given me so much more than I ever expected, than what I deserve.” He picked up her hand, twining her fingers with his. “I want this, Symmone. We have to make this work because I want a family. I want you and LJ and Jewel.”

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The emotion and conviction in his voice shook her to her core. She’d waited a long time to hear him say those words and now that he had, she wasn’t sure if she could totally let go and let him take control again.

“This was just one day, Leo. There are no breaks when it comes to parenting or when you get tired or the kids get sick or you get sick. You don’t get a do-over or put your career before them, and you can never break a promise to them.” She held his gaze. “Ever.”

He drew her into the haven of his arms. “I understand what you’re saying, and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be a part of this family. I came back with the intention of marrying you, and I’m more determined than ever.”

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She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, a hand lingering over his heart. “I don’t know if I can ever marry you, Leo. I don’t know if I can trust you to take care of me like that again.”

A gentle squeeze was his answer.

“Are you okay with that?”

“Honestly? No, but I understand. Are you willing to live with me?”

She stilled. Was she? This was the only home her children had ever known. This was the place where she was able to stand on her own.

“I won’t uproot the kids. Change is hard enough without having to make new friends,” he was saying. “I just want us to be a family and I’m willing to move here to make that happen.”

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A fourth person in her tiny two-bedroom would not work either. She straightened.

“Seriously?”

He smiled, his teeth gleaming against the night. “Give me a few days and I’ll have a solution to our housing dilemma. In the meantime, we need to discuss our sleeping arrangements.”

A tingle of desire shivered down her spine.

“There’s only the foldout in the living room.”

His smile widened. “Interesting. Brings back memories of our first apartment. Remember how we had that studio and the only bed we could fit in the space was a futon?”

She nodded with a slight smile. “We were so happy then.”

He rested his hand against her cheek. “We can have that again.”

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She wanted to believe him with all her heart, because she was falling for Leo a second time.

“I have a few more days before I have to return to work and I want things settled between us.”

“If it’s too much…”

“It isn’t!” He inhaled. “You are more important than my job, but I need to know we’re okay before I can go back to work.”

She searched his face. The last time she’d seen him this earnest was when he’d proposed. “If you keep going at this pace, we’ll be okay.”

He nodded. “Tomorrow I want to take you and the kids out for brunch. Then I want to take you to dinner.”

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Once again she was struck by the sincerity in his voice. “I’d like that.”

****

Leo checked out of the hotel. He had a lot to prove to Symmone. The last thing he wanted was to break the fragile bond between them. The children were already on his side and despite the years of not knowing them, he felt as if he’d been there every day of their lives.

He stretched his legs in front of him as he pulled his laptop closer. Something definitely had to be done about the sleeping arrangements.

Sleeping next to Symmone the last few nights and not being able to touch her as he had in his hotel room was frustrating him more than he cared to admit.

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He glanced at the clock at the top of the screen and grimaced. If he didn’t leave now, he would be late seeing the realtor. He answered a couple of e-mails and on the last one his finger hovered above the Send button. The final e-mail regarded the company picnic in a few weeks. His boss wanted to meet his family, and he still hadn’t mentioned the outing to Symmone. Yet there was one tiny obstacle: he hadn’t told her the real reason he came back.

With a gulp he pressed Send. She would have to understand. He was doing this for them.

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Chapter Eight

Symmone hummed a tune while she rolled silverware. The last week was the best she’d had in a very long time. Leo had been adamant about being a part of every aspect of the children’s lives.

A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she recalled the parent-teacher conferences. She let him take the lead. The teachers, while polite, were bursting with curiosity.

One teacher even went so far as to pull her aside and ask where Leo came from. She placed the silverware in a waiting tub and continued. Every night he helped the kids with their homework. She 13

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wondered how much of that would change once he returned to work. So far, he was hanging in there.

As a show of faith, she quit her second job.

She had to admit it was refreshing not having to work until the wee hours of the morning. And it was nice sleeping next to Leo on a nightly basis. So often she wished for him at night and now that he was there, she wished they had their own room.

She placed the last silverware roll in the tub and dusted off her hands. Tonight. Leo was taking her to dinner. Just the two of them. Before she went out, she had to buy a dress. Every other time they went out the kids were usually with them, and since she hadn’t dated she really didn’t have any suitable clothes for a romantic evening. She knew where to find the perfect dress.

****

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Twenty-eight minutes later, dress and shoes purchased, Symmone nosed her little Malibu toward home. Melvin had agreed to watch the kids. She missed her cousin not being around as much, but she also knew it was time for her to let go. Braking at a red light, she drummed her fingers on the steering wheel as she waited for the light to change. Too bad she didn’t have time to get her hair done; that would be a real treat.

Smiling, she looked through the windshield, the light turned green, and she stepped on the gas.

From the corner of her eye a dark blur headed her way. She glanced around. Traffic was already moving. Horns blared a frantic warning before metal screeched against metal.

****

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“The doctor said I was fine.” Symmone leaned heavily against Leo as he helped her up the stairs. Even with the dose of painkillers in her system, her body ached and her shoulder throbbed.

“Your shoulder is dislocated, and you have a concussion. That is not fine.” He wrapped a strong arm around her waist as he opened the door.

“Stitches. You have stitches, for crying out loud.”

Symmone placed a hand to her head with a grimace. “Could you not yell? And he said slight; otherwise they’d have kept me. God, my head is tap-dancing.”

“You’re lying down and not moving.” While he may have sounded harsh to anyone else, all Symmone heard was the concern.

“Are the kids okay? I don’t want to worry them. Oh no! I’m supposed to go on their field trip 14

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to the museum. They picked out their sleeping bags and everything.”

He paused and faced her. “You’re in no condition to go on a sleepover, and besides, you have no vehicle.”

She sighed. “I just want to soak in a hot bath. I hurt all over.” A soft moan escaped when she shifted.

Melvin and the kids stood in the hall. He grabbed their hands when they surged forward.

“Let ’em go,” Symmone said and braced for the hugs. She couldn’t bear to see the tears on her children’s faces. They’d never seen her so banged up before. She managed a small smile. “I must really look bad if you guys won’t even hug me.”

LJ looked her up and down. “You should sit down.”

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“Did you get stitches? Can I see?” This was from Jewel.

Symmone would’ve laughed if it didn’t hurt so much. “Maybe when it’s time to change the bandage.”

“That’s just gross, Jewel.”

The little girl smiled. “I think it’s neat. Did I tell you we get to dissect a frog next year?”

The sofa bed was already made and waiting.

Symmone sank gratefully onto the mattress. “This feels so much better. I need to lie down for a bit.”

Leo was already kneeling in front of her untying her shoes. “You should really eat something.”

“After I sleep. The meds are really kicking in now.” She swung her legs onto the bed. Tension eased from her body as she settled onto the bed.