“Nothing like a little woo-woo to the rescue,” I said, then snuggled into my covers and fell asleep fantasizing about khaki pants, polos, and the sexiest arms I’d ever seen.
Chapter Five
Jack
Saturday morning, I woke to find three sweet faces staring at me from the side of the bed. “Are you awake?” asked Charlie.
“Nope. Sleeping.” I lifted the blankets and the kids climbed in, shifting and giggling until we were a pile of Coopers, warm and snug.
Charlie played with my hair.
Connor drew a lazy finger between the freckles on my forearm.
Even Garrett curled in, forgetting for a second that he thought he’d outgrown his childhood at the ripe old age of nine.
These were the moments that kept me going. The four of us, together. No screaming or fighting, just contentment. I’d do anything for these little people and hoped, at the end of it all, they remembered snuggling in bed on the weekends instead of broken soda bottles and grumpy Dad yelling at them at parties.
The rest of the weekend passed in a blur of karate classes and soccer practice, with a little running late and forgotten snacks to make sure I didn’t get too cocky. Monday morning happened and I didn’t burn breakfast, though by the time I got home from work, it seemed I’d used up all my children’s goodwill. The house was a wreck. The sitter had that crazed look in her eyes that meant I’d have to find a replacement soon. And the kids?
They seemed bound and determined to draw blood.
Garrett launched himself off the couch at Connor and the two tumbled to the ground in a pile of sprawling limbs, howls, and blond hair. As I tried to untangle them, Charlie leapt onto my back, begging for a pony ride and nearly strangling me with my tie.
It was at that moment the doorbell rang. Charlie dropped off my back while the boys stilled. “Pizza!”
I didn’t know who started the chant, but they all took it up, whooping and dancing in circles as I did my best to make them hear that I definitely hadn’t ordered dinner. (Yet.) When I pulled open the door, I found Amelia on the porch with a box in her hands. Her hair was pulled over her shoulder in a braid, with soft waves breaking free to frame her face. Her lips were painted pink and her eyes gleamed in surprise as my tribe peered out from around me. She wore yet another long, flowy skirt and a tank top with the word “Bad” scrawled over the picture of a donkey wearing a Rosie the Riveter bandana. It took me a moment, but when I got it, I stifled a laugh.
Charlie pushed in front of me and waved. “I didn’t know you delivered pizza.”
“That’s not a pizza box, stupid.” Garrett harumphed and I placed a warning hand on his shoulder.
“Be nice to your sister.”
Amelia crouched. “Your dad’s right. Be nice to Charlie and maybe, I’ll let you see what I brought.” She gave him a conspiratorial look as she straightened. “I hope you don’t mind me stopping by. I got the idea in my head after the party Friday and haven’t been able to put it down. I brought some stuff for you guys.” Her cheeks pinked but she held my gaze, and I liked the way it felt. She was direct. Open. Real.
I stood back and held open the door. “Come on in.”
The kids eyed her warily in that way I’d come to know meant trouble. It was the way they looked at every new sitter I let into the house. They were sizing her up, distrustful from the start, and I had no idea why. They hadn’t been like this when Natalie was around. They’d been sweet. Happy. A little wild, sure, but they always settled down when I called them on it. As I led Amelia into the living room, I gave the kids my scariest Dad look. The one that threatened their very existence if they misbehaved. Charlie grinned. Connor blushed. Garrett scowled. It wasn’t exactly a promise to be good, but I’d take whatever I could get.
Amelia perched on the couch without so much as raising an eyebrow at the toy explosion covering the floor. “I know some of us don’t believe in essential oils—” she gave me a crooked grin “—but I’ve found they can really be helpful when I’m anxious.” She lifted the lid off the box and the children leaned in to study the contents.
I hung in the doorway, hands shoved in my pockets as I watched her pull out a necklace and two bracelets. They were made of colored beads and looked a lot like the jewelry she wore.
“I made these for you guys. Charlie, the necklace is for you and these bracelets are for you boys ‘cause I didn’t think you’d want a silly old necklace.” She handed over the trinkets, then went on to bring out tiny bottles of essential oils, claiming they all helped with stress. With the patience of a saint, she let the kids smell each one, sometimes multiple times, in order to choose the one that ‘spoke to them most.’ When choices had been made, she dropped some oil onto a lava stone in each piece of jewelry.
“Now, when you feel all grumpy or like you can’t sit still, just give that a smell. I bet it helps.” She grinned at the kids as they sniffed their jewelry, then glanced up at me. “You’re welcome to try some too. If you want. You never know, it might surprise you.”
I couldn’t care less about aromatherapy but joined Amelia on the couch anyway, cranking open bottles and giving them a whiff as the kids pointed out their favorites. Her fingers brushed mine as she passed me a bottle and a jolt of need flashed through my body with the heat of a wildfire. It had been a long time since I’d felt that kind of chemistry and I had no idea what to make of it.
“That’s my favorite one.” Amelia indicated the bottle in my hand.
Thankful for the distraction, I twisted off the cap. “Vetiver, right?”
Surprise lit her face. “Good memory.”
I took a whiff and while it did smell like dirt, it also smelled like warmth. Like a hike through the forest in the fall. Like moss and waterfalls. It was deep and intense, and I let out a long sigh as my shoulders softened. “Huh.” I sniffed again. “Seems like this is my favorite too.”
Amelia grinned like she’d just discovered a long-lost friend. She bumped her shoulder against mine then brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “See?” she said to the kids. “Your dad likes to smell like dirt too.”
Charlie burst into laughter, rolling onto her back and kicking her legs in the air. Connor wrinkled his nose and giggled while Garrett asked for the bottle to give it another try, then declared it did smell pretty good after all. When I first walked into the house, I was sure we were in for a bad night, but as the five of us sat in my living room, a feeling of contentment settled over me. The frantic looks on the kids’ faces faded, and it seemed like maybe, just maybe, the Cooper family would have a normal evening, after all.
Amelia pressed four bottles into my hands, making sure I knew which kid preferred which scent. “You can put a drop or two on the lava beads whenever they need recharged. As for you? Just smell the vetiver right out of the bottle, or I could make you a bracelet too.”
“You just moved to town. I’m the one who should have gotten you the housewarming gift.”
“You’ll get me back later.” Her smile lit the whole damn room. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your evening, so I’ll get out of your hair. Say goodbye kiddos and be good to each other. Remember, this is your tribe. You guys will have each other forever if you nurture the relationships.”