Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2)(22)

“Martus,” Larissa announced and then proceeded to clap loudly.

I glanced up at the table while I poured Willow’s coffee.

Willow was grinning at me, “I do believe you’ve been awarded the honor of Larissa adding your name to her limited vocabulary.”

So Larissa liked me. I winked at her and she giggled again clapping her small pudgy hands. I wish her aunt was that easy to win over.

Reaching into the fridge I grabbed the gallon of chocolate milk my mom had sent home with me along with a few bags of groceries yesterday. Grabbing a sports top bottle out of the cabinet I poured some chocolate milk into the bottle and walked it over to the table with Willow’s cup of coffee.

“Here ya go ladies. Coffee for the gorgeous red head and chocolate milk for the beautiful blonde.”

“Choctate! Lowlow! Choctate!” Larissa squealed excitedly.

Willow chuckled then looked up at me and gifted me with a full on smile.

“Thank you.”

I was making progress. Nodding I headed back to the fridge to whip up a bowl of cereal and an omelet.

“Low, can I have my hoodie or do you need it? I can’t find my leather jacket.” Cage came walking out of his bedroom interrupting my time with the girls. I’d almost forgotten he was still here.

Willow stood up and pulled the hoodie off. I almost dropped the eggs. She was wearing a tight black tank top that didn’t reach her belly button.

“No you can take it. All my clean clothes are here.”

Cage walked up to her and grabbed it bending down to kiss her on the cheek then giving Larissa the same attention.

“Alright girls be good. Larissa don’t give Low a hard time okay?”

Larissa stared up at Cage smiling but she didn’t agree to anything.

“Be careful,” Low called out as Cage headed for the door.

“Always,” he responded then left.

I didn’t let myself look back toward Willow. She really needed to put on a shirt. One that didn’t show me her smooth flat stomach and perfect little belly button.

Her phone started to ring and she grumbled, “finally,” then stood up and walked toward the living room before answering.

“Where are you?”

“I had class this morning Tawny. You didn’t even call me.”

“No, I’m at Cage’s.”

“Because there wasn’t even milk at your house. Larissa was starving.”

“She’s about to eat now.”

“Well when will you be here?”

“I’m exhausted Tawny.”

“Whatever.”

“NO!”

“Okay fine. Just please go get some food first.”

Willow growled before walking back into the kitchen.

“Tawwy.”

“Yes that was your Mama. Remember you call her Mama not Tawny.”

“Mama”

“Right. Mama.”

“Shit.”

I choked on my coffee and spewed it all over the counter top.

“Larissa I told you NOT to say that word. It is a bad, bad word. Ugly.”

“Mama shit”





Willow let out a loud frustrated sigh and covered her face with both her hands. I carried the bowl of cereal over to the table.

“Yes Mama said that word but it isn’t nice. Pretty little girls don’t say that word,” Willow began explaining.

Sitting the bowl down in front of Larissa, I bent down so I could look her in the eyes. She smiled brightly up at me obviously enjoying the attention.

“I like princesses Larissa. Do you?”

She nodded and clapped, “Pinsesses”

Perfect.

“You know Princesses don’t say that bad word.They like to use the word skittles instead.”

Larissa studied my mouth a moment as if trying to take that in then her big green eyes lifted back up to mine.

“Skiutles”

“Yep, skittles. It’s a princess word.”

Larissa beamed and looked at Willow, “Skiutles!” She announced loudly.

Willow laughed and nodded.

“Yep skittles,” she replied looking less tired. Her eyes shifted to meet mine and she mouthed, “Thank you.”

I nodded my head and grinned at her before turning and heading back to the kitchen to make the best damn omelet imaginable.





Chapter Eight





Willow



I finished the last bite of my omelet. It had been delicious. I’d been a little embarrassed by how ravenous I seemed after the first bite but Marcus obviously seemed pleased by my gobbling up the omelet so I thought, screw it, and enjoyed myself. The boy could cook. Larissa had long since finished her cereal and her chocolate milk. She was currently sitting on the floor with Marcus as he stacked up her blocks just so she could knock them down again. He’d moan and act like it was the worst thing ever that she’d knocked down his blocks causing her to giggle louder. He was sweet, he could cook, he was good with kids, he was smart, he had goals, he was freaking perfect. No doubt he’d make some country club daughter a very good husband. That thought felt like I’d just swallowed a brick.

A knock on the door interrupted my dark thoughts and I stood up to go get it. Surely Tawny wasn’t already here. I wanted her to get groceries first. Larissa needed food.