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She throws a donkey kick and misses my balls by a centimeter. With my hands in the air, I jump away.
Kiara snickers. “I don’t care who you date, as long as it isn’t one of CCC’s clients. And since I know you wouldn’t, I have nothing to worry about, now do I?”
“Ne—” My words get caught in a cough. “Nope.”
“Perfect. Go downstairs and drink beer with Cody. I’ve got to pick up Jackson from baseball practice.”
Opening the basement door, I tromp down the steps and see my brother-in-law sitting like a king in his mancave. When I say king, I mean a rabid baseball fan wearing socks he hasn’t washed since the beginning of the season.
“Who’s winning?”
“Cubs. Six to one, bottom of the fifth.” Cody takes a sip of his beer as his eyes stay focused on the game in front of us.
I grab a frosty mug and fill it at the bar. It’s going to be a Guinness kind of night. Sitting next to Cody, I make shapes in the frost on the glass, not really paying attention to the television.
“Sup?” My best friend turns to me. “You look a little … pale. Your sister kick your balls into your stomach or something?”
“If I tell you a secret, can you keep it to yourself?”
His brows slide up his forehead as he pauses the game. The man loves gossip. “You know I will.”
“I know you will. But can you?”
“The fuck I just say?”
I let out a sigh. “Even if I say you can’t tell your wife?”
“You have chlamydia?” With wide eyes, he shifts away from me a little. “I know a good doctor, man. They have pills for that stuff now. Shit.” He blows out a breath and runs his fingers through his hair like I told him I had terminal cancer. “Was it Mandy?” His whisper is so low it’s comical.
In a fit of laughter, I die. “What the fuck, man? I say I have a secret, and the first thing you think is that I have an STD? You for real, dude?”
“I-I-I…” His mouth flaps up and down, but no words come out. “I don’t know. You’re young. You’re probably banging, like, five—” He looks me up and down. “I mean, a couple of chicks a week. It’s not impossible.”
“First of all, I’ve never banged anyone without a condom, and I get a check-up every six months. So no, no STDs here.”
Cody relaxes next to me and nods. “Good. That’s good.”
“I’m attracted to someone I shouldn’t be attracted to.”
He shifts away again. “Dude, I love you like a brother, but you gotta know…” What the hell is he getting at? “You’re good-looking, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t look at you like that. It’s cool if you do and everything, but—”
“Are you fucking kidding me? What is it with you and my sister thinking I’m gay? Even if I was, you think I’d have a crush on you?” Dude is so full of himself.
“I mean, why not? I’m not that unfortunate-looking. Your sister thinks I’m hot.” While his forefinger taps his chin, a smirk forms across his face. “What does she like to say to me all the time? Hmm…” He pretends to think for a minute, and I know I do not want to hear the next sentence out of his mouth. “Oh, yes. ‘You’re so sexy, baby. Make me co—’ Oww! What the fuck, man?” The whiny bitch rubs his chest where I karate-chopped him.
“Do not tell me what my sister says to you in bed. That’s just wrong.” I shiver off the heebeegeebees. “I’m trying to have an adult conversation. Are you capable of that?”
“Yeah, of course.” He waves his beer in my direction. “Come on. Tell Dear Cody what’s on your mind.”
I give him a stink eye and almost clam up. But I need to tell someone, and shithead or not, Cody is my best friend. “I’m attracted to Isabel’s mother, Mae.”
Cody’s face drains of all color, and he whistles the single note of “oh, damn”. “Dude, you’re in so much trouble.”
“I know, but if Kiara sees how happy I am with Mae, you really think she’s going to be pissed?” Even as I ask it, I know. My sister is going to gut me like a cold fish.
This isn’t the first time it’s happened to her with one of her caregivers. When you’re working with someone in such close proximity, there’s bound to be some feelings that evolve. Unfortunately the last time, the man’s ex-wife found out and put Child Care Connection on blast. Kiara had a hell of a time cleaning up the mess and recovering her losses. I couldn’t believe how many families cut ties over something irrelevant to them.
Cody turns back to the TV and picks up a wing sopping with buffalo sauce. He doesn’t turn the game back on, which tells me he’s shaken. “You remember the last time this happened? It’s Kiara’s reputation on the line, man. When it comes to that, she’s ruthless.” Sounds like someone else I know. “You of all people can’t do this.” No longer interested in this discussion, he turns the game back on.
