“Do you have a starfish?” Winter asks me and I glance down at my hand then shake my head no.
“Are you cheating?” Willow asks me under her breath, and I look up from my cards and find her eyes narrowed.
“We’re playing Go Fish, Mouse, why would I cheat?”
“I don’t know but three times now Winter and I have asked if you had a card and you’ve said no, then three times you’ve asked us for those same cards when it’s your turn and gotten a full set. It’s a little suspicious.”
“Very suspicious.” Winter agrees from where she is sitting on the opposite side of the coffee table on the floor.
“Show us your hand.” Willow reaches out quickly trying to take my cards, but I pull them back just before she can grab them.
“Do you really think I would cheat at a kids’ game?”
“If you’re not cheating just prove it.” She gets up and comes to stand in front of me holding out her hand and Winter starts to giggle.
“I think you’re the one who’s trying to cheat.” I use the length of my arms to keep my cards just out of her reach when she grabs for them again.
“Seriously, Clay, let me see your cards.” She leans into me which places her breasts in my face and, if it wasn’t for my niece a few feet away giggling, I would not stop myself from nipping her through that thin fucking shirt she’s wearing, wrapping my arms around her waist, and putting her under me on the couch.
“What’s going on here?” Miles asks, stepping into the house.
“Daddy.” Winter shoots up from where she was sitting and runs across the room to him.
“Hey cupcake!” He lifts her off the ground and kisses her cheek. “What are you guys doing?”
“Playing ‘Go Fish’ and Uncle Clay is cheating.” She informs him as I get up.
“He’s always been a cheater,” Miles tells her, placing her back on her feet then he looks my way and lifts his chin before focusing on Willow. “Hey, Willow.”
“Hey.” She places her hands in front of her and wiggles her fingers together.
“Willow made lasagna for dinner.” Winter tells him taking his hand. “It’s not as good as Mommy’s but it was still really good, and Uncle Clay saved you a plate in the microwave.”
“Baby, we don’t say things like that.” Miles tells her as she pulls him toward the kitchen and Willow laughs but quickly covers her mouth.
“I said it’s really good.”
“I know but you could still hurt someone’s feelings,” he tells her, and she looks over at Willow scrunching her nose.
“Sorry, Willow.”
“It’s okay, my mom’s is better too.” Willow tells her and Winter smiles up at her dad like I told you so.
“All right kid, did you study for your spelling test and do your reading?”
“Yes.” She sighs and he looks at me.
“She got everything right on her practice test.”
“All right, pack up your stuff, we need to get home so you can take a shower before bed.”
“I want to take a bath.”
“If you take a bath, you won’t have time to watch one of your shows after you’re done.”
“Fine, I’ll take a shower.” She gives in and starts to gather her books and things off the counter. I go to the microwave and take out the plate I saved for him that’s covered in plastic wrap and hand it over.
“Willow’s here?” he says quietly.
“She is.”
“Is this going to be a regular occurrence?”
“If I get my way, yes.”
“Let me guess, she’s not making that easy.” He smirks as his gaze goes past my shoulder.
I turn to find Willow in the middle of putting on her jacket.
“Where are you going, Mouse?” I ask her and she freezes then slowly turns to face me.
“Umm.” Her eyes ping to Miles then back to me. “I need to head home.” She rubs her lips together. “I have work early in the morning.” She finishes buttoning up her coat then starts toward the door where her shoes are.
“Damn, didn’t think I’d ever meet a woman in such a hurry to get away from you,” Miles mutters under his breath.
I glare at him.
“Will you be here tomorrow?” Winter asks her.
“Sorry, honey, normally I don’t get off work until after five or six so probably not.”
“Aw, but I liked having you here; it was so fun.”
“It was so much fun.” Willow leans down to give Winter a hug.
“Good luck with that.” Miles says before walking toward the door. “All right kid, give Uncle Clay a hug. We gotta go.”
On cue, Winter runs across the room to me and throws her arms around my waist squeezing tight.
“I’ll see you after school.” I tell her, rubbing the top of her head, and she nods, then zips to where her dad is. I head behind her, grabbing a hold of Willow’s wrist before she can try to follow them out the door, which I know she’s planning on doing.