“I betcha this popsicle’s gonna get your sore throat to take a hike. What do you say, Shortstack?” If ever a topic needed changing, it’s now. Sirena looks as if she’s ready to sink through the floor. I know the subject of family and parents isn’t one she has the slightest desire to get into right now., and protecting my girls means from everything, even uncomfortable moments.
CHAPTER6
SIRENA
Ithought I knew Jonah Taylor. Sure, not everything. But around Loft, I’ve determined he’s the boss least likely to be stressed out or grumpy. Callum, for all Lumi’s brought him into the light, is still quiet and watchful. Liam and Casyn are goofballs when the doors to the club are closed, but the moment guests show up, it’s as if they morph into hyper-protective beast mode. Not just over the woman they share, my coworker Marlyce, but all of us dancers.
Jonah’s always just…Jonah. Kind of like the golden retriever in kids movies, who’s always there taking care of everyone and putting out positive energy. I know he watches me more than any of the other girls, but I’ve always chalked it up to the chemistry I can’t allow to grow. In another lifetime, sure, I would love to take him up on the offers for dinner or a date.
I couldn’t envision him like this, though. Maybe, if I had, I wouldn’t have turned him down so many times. From the moment he looked over my shoulder and caught sight of my daughter, I’ve seen a side of him I never expected. The respectful, casual flirting is gone. In its place is a take-charge dominant energy that needs no words. He knows what we need, and he’s the one who will provide it.
“What time does she usually go to bed?” He’s crouched down beside the bed, rather than sitting on the edge of it. I wonder if he’s intentionally giving us space, so we feel safer, or if it’s just his natural instinct.
“The sitter has her in bed by eight on school nights. We stay up a little later when I get to be home with her.” I’m so lucky Fitzy hooked me up with a neighbor who’s a student and willing to come hang out here in the evenings while I work. Since she’s able to spend most of the time studying while Lavender’s asleep, she barely charges me anything.
“It’s close to six now. How about I go make some dinner for us all while you give her another cool bath? Then you can both go to bed after we eat and she takes some nighttime cold and cough medicine?”
There hasn’t been anyone to take care of us since I turned eighteen and moved us out of the foster home. The temptation to lean on Jonah and let him handle all of this is huge. I feel as if I’m taking advantage of his goodness, but I’m so freaking exhausted from the stress of carrying it all I’m unsure I have it in me to resist.
“Okay. I know I should tell you I don’t need any help—”
“But you aren’t gonna. You’re going to let me do this for you, with no strings attached. Because if nothing else, Sirena, I’m your friend. Allow me to be that.” His eyes implore me, making it clear that despite his forceful words, he’ll back off if I insist. I’m not going to insist. I nod my agreement.
“Okay, you ladies, stay here. I’ll be right back.” He winks at my daughter, making her giggle and blush. Aside from the random men we encounter at the store or the library, Lavender doesn’t have much occasion to be around adult men.
She sees my former foster dad, Dwight, every so often, but he hardly counts. He’s nearly as short as I am and weighs half as much. It’s a mystery how he manages to wrangle unruly foster teens into behaving, but somehow, he does. Still, Dwight’s energy is gentle and deferential. Nothing like the brute size and good-natured dominance pouring off Jonah tonight.
Before I wrap my brain around Jonah, here in my home, helping with my sick kid, he’s back and handing me several different children’s medications while juggling a reusable shopping bag filled with who even knows what.
“Not sure which medicine preferences you have, so I grabbed a couple options Ma suggested.”
“You called your mother about your employee’s sick child?” Even before the choices that led to me being kicked out of the house as a soon-to-be teen mom, my own parents were hardly the type to caretake me when I was ill. I can’t even imagine the look on my mother’s face had I asked her for help as a teenager, much less as a grown adult. I’m pretty sure Jonah’s the same age as Callum and the twins, which means he’s in his thirties.
“No. I called my mother aboutyourlittle girl. Don’t get it twisted, Bunny. I’m always going to want to help out my employees as best I can. But I only call my mama for help when it’s really important.” He keeps stealing pieces of the wall around my heart.
He rises to his feet, all eleventy feet tall of him, and ambles from my bedroom as if he’s been here a hundred times. I look at Lavender, who’s watching the door as if she’s seen a superhero come to life.
“Mommy, that boss isbossy!” Her heartfelt emphasis makes me laugh like I haven’t in who knows how long. I realize I never properly introduced Jonah to her, but it didn’t seem to make a lick of difference to him. I give her a dose of cough medicine and hustle her into the bathroom. With any luck, dinner will be a quick affair and she can get some sleep with the help of the meds.
“Is this for me?” Her question is hushed, as though she’s afraid too much noise will notify the toy patrol to come remove the wonderland our bathroom has been turned into.
Where usually there’s a bottle of kid’s shampoo next to mine, tonight there’s a row of brightly colored bath toys lined up like vibrant play soldiers along the side of the tub. There’s floating animal squirters, bathtub crayons, and some of those washcloths that swell up into sponges and shapes when they get wet. A new bath towel hangs from the bar to the side of the tub. Cartoon princesses smile from the fluffy terry cloth.
I know this is Jonah’s handiwork. I just have no clue what it means.
CHAPTER7
JONAH
Dinner is easy enough to put together. A couple cans of princess-shaped noodle soup, grilled cheese with ham, and premade Jello squares from the deli section at the grocery store doesn’t take much effort. Lavender’s playing in the bath while Sirena supervises her, the toys I bought providing an excitement for the little girl I hadn’t counted on hitting me as deep as it is.
“Food is ready whenever my girls are.” Cheesy? Absolutely, but the way it makes them both giggle is the only thing that matters to me.
“I think the bath and meds are really helping. She’s much less flushed than earlier, and her chest doesn’t sound as gunky. Don’t you think?” Sirena’s looking at me as though I have the answers, and fuck, if that doesn’t make every part of me swell with pride and affection. I want her to always consider me as her first resource when she needs something. This is a good start.
“Definitely. Shortstack, we haven’t formally met yet. I’m Jonah Taylor, and I work with your mom.”
“Cuz you’re her bossy boss.” My little girl giggles and extends her hand to meet where I’ve got mine outstretched. Yeah, my little girl. I said what I said. I don’t know, or care, where whoever the sperm donor who helped to create her is. Lavender Reed is as much mine as her mama is. The heart knows what it knows, and mine’s never felt such immediate and overwhelming love as it does for these two.