“Well, it had to be said, dear. Now that’s over with, I’m going to spend some time in the living room with the kids and your father. Can you wash this up for me, please?”
“Yeah, we’ll do it.”
Ryleigh let go of his hand and stood from her chair. Keenan watched her tight fitted blue jeans as her perky butt swayed.
“Hey, man. I’m Luke.”
Keenan startled at this newcomer, not expecting anyone else present. He shook Luke’s outstretched hand when he got up from his seat.
“Hey. I’m Keenan.”
“Yeah, figured that. I hope you’re taking my sister back with you?”
Keenan assessed this strikingly white blonde guy. His hair came down to his shoulders and his powerful physique and height almost took away of his boyish grin. He guessed Luke younger in age as Ryleigh, but not by much.
“Yes, sure am.”
“You love having me here, just admit it,” Ryleigh said to her brother while she leaned in over the kitchen table to pick up the four coffee cups. Keenan searched the counter for a towel to dry the cups with, but watched how Luke snagged it.
“I’ll do it, sis. It’s my turn to do the dishes this week.”
“Okay. Only if you’ll remember I’ve offered to help you next time, it’s my turn to do the dishes,” Ryleigh seemed pleased with herself as she smiled at her brother.
“No way. It’s only four cups. I’m not counting this as offering help. Where was your help after dinner, eh?”
“He’s got you there, Ry.”
Ryleigh huffed a breath, “Oh, it’s like that already?”
Luke and Keenan shared a smile. The bickering siblings felt like home to Keenan. He had three younger brothers and two younger sisters. It had been a long time ago he’d lived with his parents, but seeing the Walker household brought back all kinds of memories.
His parents’ house had also felt crammed, that’s why he could relate to Luke’s bantering. Especially after his sisters reached puberty, Keenan wanted to leave the nest with lightning speed.
Maybe that’s why he moved in so fast with his high school sweetheart? Evangeline and he couldn’t wait to get a place for themselves and have some privacy. It surely sped things up between them when Evangeline got pregnant at age twenty-two.
Not that he’d ever regretted a single thing. He wouldn’t dare to think about a life without Tommy.
“Dad! Can I sleep here tonight? Liv has a bunk bed, and I can sleep in Ryleigh’s bed on top because she’s sleeping at our house.”
“We’re not having a sleepover tonight, son.” The moment he’d said it, he knew what Tommy’s reply would be.
“But I never have sleepovers. It’s not fair.” With his pleading puppy eyes, Tommy added, “Pleease.”
“We brought nothing with us,” he held his hand in the air to stop Tommy from interrupting him, and said, “And I already gave you my answer. We can set a date for sometime on a weekend, okay? That way you can come over earlier in the day and even have dinner here. What do you say?”
“Hmm. Okay. But can I sleep here this weekend?”
Ryleigh laughed, and Tommy smiled up to her. On Fridays they had their weekly family dinner at his parents’ house, so Keenan said, “We’ll have to check with Ryleigh’s parents, but perhaps you could stay here this Saturday?”
“Thank you!” Tommy ran out of the kitchen and Keenan overheard him say, “My Dad said I can come sleep here this Saturday!”
Keenan followed his son into the living room and added to Ryleigh’s parents, “If that’s okay with you, that is?”
“Of course, the more the merrier. I hate how you’ve snaffled our Ry to stay at your house. It only seems fair you bring your boy here for a night to stay with us.”
Ryleigh leaned in and gave the top of her father’s gray hair a sweet kiss. Ron grabbed a hold of Ryleigh's arm and pulled her in for a moment longer.
When Ryleigh let go of her father, she connected her eyes with Keenan and for the first time since they’d met, her smile seemed shy and a tad uneasy. Realization hit him right in the chest.
They would have this Saturday night all to themselves.
Ryleigh and him.
Home alone.
For an entire night and morning.