Maybe Matt's Miracle(8)

I notice they’re all getting to their feet. “Did you guys pay the bill?” I ask.

Paul nods. Skylar is trying to push money at him, but he refuses. I have to remind myself to pay him for their part of dinner later. She protests, but he ignores her, just like he should. She huffs and shoves the money into her purse.

“Thank you for inviting us,” she says. She goes to Seth and starts to take Mellie from him, but I reach around her and pick up the sleeping girl instead. Mellie wraps her arms around my neck and her legs around my waist, and she clings to me like she’s a Velcro monkey. My heart stutters a little. I like this feeling. I like it a lot, and my heart aches because I will never have this.

“I can take her,” Skylar says, holding out her hands.

“I got her,” I say, and Seth stands up with Joey wrapped around him. I hitch Mellie a little higher, and she makes a snuffling noise against my neck. I don’t have any desire to put her down.

“We’ll see you at home?” Paul asks, shooting me a questioning glance.

I nod. He rushes all our brothers out the door as Reagan, Emily, and Friday say good-bye to Skylar. I hear some murmured words about calling them if she needs help, and she smiles at them and goes in for a round of hugs. We step out onto the sidewalk, and she says to me, “I can carry her. The apartment’s not far.” She raises her hands again, and I turn my body away, blocking her.

“I’ll carry her home,” I say. I would feel like a heel if I let her, and she would never be able to carry Mellie all the way in those heels she’s wearing, anyway. And secretly, I’m glad I got the opportunity to spend some time with the kids.

She lets us into the apartment, and Seth walks toward the room the girls share, if the two beds are any indication. He pulls the covers back and drops Joey onto the sheets. He pulls her coat off and tosses her shoes to the side, and then pulls the covers up over her. I do the same with Mellie, and I’m glad they didn’t have to take baths or change into jammies because they’re not related to me and I wouldn’t know what to do with that.

“Thanks for the help,” Seth says quietly.

“Anytime,” I reply. He turns to walk out of the room, but I grab his shoulder. “Seth,” I say. “You’re not alone, kid.”

He looks into my face. “I know,” he replies softly. “Good night.” He turns out Mellie and Joey’s light and pulls the door closed behind us.

“’Night,” I say.

I blow out a heavy breath as I walk back out to the living room. Seth disappears into his room without even a comment toward Skylar.

I jerk my thumb toward Seth’s room. “You always get the silent treatment from him?” I ask. Makes me want to jerk a knot in his ass, but he’s not mine. And I don’t think he’s doing it to be disrespectful. I think he’s doing it to ease her burden to a point where it’s nonexistent. I don’t know if I should jack him up or give him a medal.

She shrugs. “I don’t mind.” But her voice is small. “The girls all tucked in?” she asks.

“Yeah,” I say. I follow her to the kitchen. I would like to say it’s just so that I can talk to her, but it’s kind of because I like the view of her ass. She’s kicked her heels off and is padding around in her stockings. I wonder if they’re thigh highs with one of those little garter belt things. I swipe a hand down my face, trying to wipe my thoughts away. She has a boyfriend.

Skylar pulls a bottle of wine from the fridge and pours a glass. “Have some?” she asks.

I’m not really a wine drinker. “No, thanks.”

Her eyes narrow, and she reaches into the fridge and pulls out a beer.

“Now that I will take,” I say with a laugh.

“Kendra must have liked beer,” she says. “That was in the fridge.” She holds up her glass. “Do moms drink wine?” she asks.

“Mine did,” I say. I follow her into the living room and sit down on one end of the couch. She sits on the other.

“Was your mom a good mom?” she asks.

“The best.”

“Lucky you,” she says with a noise from the back of her throat. “I was raised by nannies and cooks and housekeepers. A constant rotation of them.” She lays her head on the back of the couch and looks up at the ceiling for a moment. Then she drains the last of the wine in her glass and sets it on the side table. She yawns, covering her mouth delicately. “Sorry,” she says. “Long week.” She smiles, and my breath catches until I remember it’s supposed to go in and out.

“I should go,” I say.

“You don’t have to leave,” she says. “It’s nice to have someone to talk to.”

I settle back again. I don’t want to leave. I like this quiet silence with her, and I don’t know why. “Do you want some unsolicited advice?” I ask.

She snorts. And it’s so damn cute that I can’t keep from grinning. “I’ll take all the advice I can get.”

“Tell Seth he should go out for wrestling.”

Her eyebrows shoot up. “Wrestling?” she asks.

I nod. “He loves the sport. He was a regional champ last year.”

She sits up a little. “When does it start?” she asks.

“Next week.”