“You don’t have to leave on my account,” Palmer says, walking into the room. She stops to hug me, and I kiss her cheek before she moves to Brooks and perches on his lap. She simultaneously kisses him while stroking her daughter's cheek.
“I have a date.”
“Oh, someone we know?” she asks.
“Yep. She says I’m her favorite.”
“We all know that title belongs to me.” Brooks chuckles.
“Blake?” Palmer guesses.
“Who else?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Someone closer to your age and not related to you, maybe?”
“Not tonight. I promised my first niece we could go out for pizza.”
“That’s sweet of you,” Palmer says. “Once the baby gets here, alone time will be short-lived for a while.”
“Hey, I offered to take Remi with me.”
“You’re an angel, but we’re good. Thank you for the offer. I miss my girl.” Brooks clears his throat. “And my husband. A quiet night in is exactly what we need.”
“Well, if and when you’re ready for that break, call me.”
“You’re going to have to compete with Mom and my mother-in-law,” Brooks tells me.
I lift my arms and flex my muscles. “I can take them, and if these don’t work”—I motion toward my biceps—“I have these.” I bat my long eyelashes that frame my baby blue eyes. I’ve been told many times that my eyes are lady killers and I have been known to use that to my advantage a time or two. No shame in my game.
“You’re too much.” Palmer shakes her head and grins.
“I’ll see you guys later.” With a wave, I head out the door, and I’m off to pick up my date.
“How was your first week of school?” I ask my niece. She’s sitting across from me in the booth because that’s what big girls that go to kindergarten do. Her words, not mine.
“Uncle Rush, it was so much fun!” she exclaims. Her voice is loud, but this place is packed tonight, and no one even turns their head at her excited reply.
“Yeah? Did you make any friends?”
“So many friends. Except for Jacob.” Her little nose scrunches up in distaste.
“What happened with Jacob?” I ask, already wondering what I’m going to have to do to get this kid to leave my niece alone.
“He pulled my hair at recess.” She’s appalled, and I have to clamp my mouth shut to keep from laughing. “Then, when we were in line to go to lunch, he tapped on my shoulder but moved to the other side.” She rolls her eyes. “He was trying to trick me.” She scowls.
“That’s not cool,” I say, feeding into her annoyance with this Jacob kid.
“Right?” she asks, sounding much older than her five years.
“Aside from Jacob, the meanie, what was your favorite part?”
She taps her index finger against her chin. “Miss Greene. She’s so nice and so pretty, Uncle Rush.” There are two kindergarten classes at Willow River Elementary. One of the teachers taught me, and the other has been the center of my thoughts over the last week.
My reply is halted when Blakely starts bouncing in her seat, waving her arms in the air. “Miss Greene!” she calls out.
I turn when I hear a soft feminine chuckle. “Blakely, how are you?” Crosby asks. Feeling my gaze, her eyes find mine. “Rushton.”
“Are you having a dinner date too?” Blakely asks, and I make a mental note to pick her up something special for reading my thoughts and voicing the words.
“I’m going to order something to take home to eat.”
“Alone?” Blakely asks, her brow furrowed.
“Yes.”
“No. You can eat with us, right, Uncle Rush? Miss Greene can have some of our pizza. I gots pepperoni, we can share,” she tells Crosby.
“Got,” Crosby and I correct at the same time.
“That’s what I said.” Blakely scoots over in the booth and pats the spot next to her. “Sit.”
“I really don’t want to intrude.”
“No intrusion. Blakely was just telling me about her first week of school. She’s rather fond of you.”
Crosby’s eyes soften as they move to Blakely. “She’s such a joy,” she replies softly.
“Join us. I insist.”
“What he said.” Blakely is once again bouncing in her seat.
“You’ve already ordered.” Crosby tries to protest.
“More food than we can eat. Breadsticks, a large pepperoni, and large meat lovers.”
“For the two of you?” Crosby asks, her eyes wide.
I shrug. “I’ll just box up the leftovers and send them home with Blake. My sister-in-law is expecting their second baby in a few short weeks. This way, she won’t have to make lunch tomorrow, and it gives both her and my brother a break.” Her eyes soften at my words.
“Then you should save it for them.”
“Nah, there will be plenty left over. If I need to order another to pull off my plan, I will. Please. Join us.”
“Please, Miss Greene.” Blakely puffs out her bottom lip and bats those long Kincaid eyelashes, and I know Crosby is going to be joining us for dinner.
“Thank you.” She slides into the booth next to Blakely.
It’s hard as hell not to just stare at her, but I’m not that guy. This night was about my niece, and while she’s with me, it will remain that way. I can sneak looks at her sexy teacher without her noticing.
“So, you told me about Jacob and Miss Greene.” I flash Crosby a grin. “What else happened this week?”
“We got to color the letter A, and Miss Greene told us all kinds of words that start with the letter A. We had reading time, and recess, and lunch, and it’s so much fun.” She sits back against the booth as if her confession took all her energy. I’m not buying it. I’ve seen my niece in action. She’s got more than that in her.
“So, you love kindergarten?” I ask.
“Yes. I love it so much, Uncle Rush.”
“Here you go.” The young waitress places our breadsticks on the table. “What can I get you to drink?” she asks Crosby.
“I’ll have a root beer, please.”
“Sure, your food will be out soon.” She’s gone from the table as quickly as she came.
I dive in, placing a breadstick on one of the plates and cutting it up into more manageable pieces before pouring some of the pizza sauce onto the plate and placing it in front of Blakely. I then add two more to another plate, with some sauce, and hand it to Crosby.
“What? I don’t get mine cut up too. What kind of establishment is this?” she asks, humor lacing her tone.
“It’s ’cause he wants me to tell him he’s my favorite. I have lots of uncles, and they do nice things for me all the time.”
“I do it because I love you and because I know it will be easier for you to eat,” I tell my niece.
“And he wants to be my favorite.” She looks across the table at me. “Miss Greene will be your favorite if you cut hers as well.” She then looks back at her teacher and gives an exaggerated wink that causes Crosby to burst with laughter.