I opened my eyes when I was gently laid down on a bed. Sebastian pulled a blanket over my body and looked up when I turned over to watch him.
“Where did you go?” I asked, my voice sleepy.
“Just had something to take care of,” he said, brushing a strand of hair out of my face, then left.
I fell back asleep a few minutes later, dreaming of talking knives and purring dolphins.
***
“Did you just put chocolate in the cutlery drawer?” Malena asked, startling me.
I slammed the drawer in question shut and whipped around to face her. “Don’t sneak up on me like that or your key privileges will be revoked.”
She handed me a coffee she’d picked up on the way over. “Are you hiding chocolate from your kids again?”
I cradled my coffee; I was grateful she’d stopped at Sweet Dreams on her way over. “Maybe. Desperate times and all that. They’re not supposed to eat that much chocolate anyway. I’m keeping them sugar free by sacrificing myself and eating it.”
“Of course you are.”
“Hey, no judging.”
“I wouldn’t dare.” She snickered and looked around. “Where’s your new roomie?”
I’d told her about Sebastian when she called last night to tell me she’d drop in this morning. I’d put off telling her as long as I could but had to fess up. To say she was intrigued would be an understatement.
“On the phone.”
He was on the phone a lot. The thing rang constantly.
“How are things going?” she asked.
“Splendid.”
“Interesting choice of words.”
“Shut up.”
She raised her perfect brows. “Is that all you got?”
I stuck my tongue out at her, and she chuckled.
“Did you message that Peter guy back?”
I groaned from where I was sitting on the counter, one of my favorite places. “Why would I? We both know it would never go anywhere.”
“I think you should give him a chance. He sounded nice.”
“So did Clive.”
We both sipped our coffee in silence, remembering the mess I’d gotten myself into. Clive was the first guy I’d dated after Jim, and he’d turned out to be a deranged stalker. And while Peter looked good on paper, I had no intention of messaging him.
He was one of the single dads at Luca’s preschool and had asked me out a few times. He messaged me again a few days ago, and I was running out of excuses not to catch up with him. I thought he’d give up, but apparently he just thought I was playing hard to get.
“Maybe I’ll go out with him tonight,” I said, surprising not only Malena but myself.
“Really? Don’t tease me like that, because that would just be cruel.”
I laughed and jumped off the counter when Luca and Lena came running back into the kitchen, Luca wearing his sweatshirt inside out.
And that’s how it would remain since I didn’t have the energy to get him to put it the right way around.
“Five minutes, buddy. Then we have to go.”
“I don’t wanna goes,” he complained, not looking up.
“Sorry, Sötnos, but I have to work.”
And watching both of them while trying to work would just about kill me.
Malena left after another whispered conversation about my possible date. Maybe I should just go. He could be a really nice guy.
But to find out if he was, I had to give him a chance.
Mind made up, I grabbed my phone and texted him back.
Me: Hi, Peter, dinner sounds great. What night is best for you?
He responded right away.
Peter: How about tonight?
Me: I’ll see if I can get a babysitter.
Peter: Sounds good.
I was staring at the message when Sebastian came into the hallway. “Ready?”
I startled and dropped my phone. We both bent down to pick it up, and Sebastian saw the message.
“You’re not going out tonight,” he announced, his voice gruffer than usual.
“Why not? It’s not like I’m going to run away while my kids are still at home.”
He pulled up to his full height. “I’m supposed to watch you. If I tell you to stay at home, you stay at home.”
I threw my arms up, ready for battle. Now I would go on this date out of principle. “This is ridiculous. You can’t keep me in the house all the time. I have a life.”
Even if it was a small and pathetic one.
“You aren’t a prisoner in your house. You go outside to drop off Luca. And yesterday you went to the supermarket.”
My eyebrows shot up my forehead. “Are you serious right now? I need to go out and see people. Otherwise, I’ll go crazy.”
“Malena was literally just here. That should tide you over for a few days.”
I stepped closer, my eyes narrowed. “That’s different and you know it.”
“If you go on the date, then I’m going with you.”
Excuse me, what?
I scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Dead serious. That’s the only way you’re going on that date.”
“Fine,” I growled.
“Fine,” he growled back, his arms crossed over his chest, his stupidly perfect face distorted into a scowl.
We dropped Luca off, and then I worked for the rest of the day. Stella agreed to watch the kids, so after I put them to bed and made sure they were asleep, she came over.
I was already dressed in my favorite skintight black jeans, a silky green top with thin straps that dipped low down my back and black heels. I loved heels, needing the extra height. I’d also gone heavier with the makeup than I normally would—as much as my skills allowed, at least.
I didn’t know who I was trying to prove a point to, Sebastian or myself. We hadn’t spoken a word to each other for the rest of the day. First, he was busy on his phone, and then he was gone for a couple hours in the afternoon, so he obviously didn’t need to keep an eye on me all the time, especially not on a date.
Besides, there was a guy watching the house all the time. I didn’t
