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Kat was nodding excitedly. “There is not only a heated pool, but a waterslide!”
Amelia’s eyes went huge. “I’ve never been on one of those. But I want to. Can I go, Mom? Please. Please. Please. Please?”
I ground my teeth. This was what I meant with Lleyton being a good guy but too irresponsible to be a parent. The idea of taking Amelia on a holiday was nice, especially if they’d picked a place that was as child friendly as what Kat was making out. But he should have asked me alone. Now I had no choice but to say yes or be the bad guy.
Lleyton knew it too. He gave me a sheepish smile that probably worked on his mother and Kat but didn’t on me. I’d tell him off later. In private, where our daughter couldn’t hear.
“Where is this place? I need an address, Lleyton. When will you bring her back? Where will she sleep?”
To his credit, he answered each of my questions without complaint. So instead of throttling him, I lifted my daughter’s chin so I could look her in the eye.
“You want to go stay with your dad and Kat for a few nights? Nanny and I won’t be there.”
“That’s okay, Mommy. I’m big now. Dad and Kat will take care of me.”
My heart broke a little, but she was right. I couldn’t stand in the way of her spending more time with them if that was what she wanted. “Okay, Slugger. You can go.”
Amelia squealed and leaned so far out of Lleyton’s arms toward me that I had to catch her. I took her from him, and she put her arms around my neck and whispered in my ear, “It’s okay, Mommy. I’ll leave my bear for you, so you don’t miss me too much.”
I snuggled her back, enjoying the cuddle. “Gonna miss you anyway.” The thought of her being away from me at all wasn’t pleasant, but I knew it had to happen eventually. I set her down on her feet. “Go start putting some clothes and pajamas and underwear into a bag, okay? I’ll come help you in a minute.”
“I’ll help her,” Gran said, following her down the hallway to my bedroom.
I shot her a grateful smile and waited until the door closed behind them before I glared at Lleyton. “Seriously? A little warning wouldn’t have gone astray!”
He laughed like I was joking. “What can I say? We’re spontaneous.”
“Spontaneous. Irresponsible. Same, same,” I muttered.
He slung a brotherly arm around my shoulders. “Come on. Don’t be like that. Amelia is excited.”
I shrugged his arm off me. “That’s the only reason I’m not strangling you right now.”
“Good. Because we have one other thing to ask you.”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “I’m not going to like this either, am I?”
Lleyton didn’t answer and glanced to his girlfriend, waiting for her to fill me in.
Coward.
Kat cleared her long, delicate, swanlike throat. “We were wondering if we could ask a favor?”
I raised one eyebrow but said nothing, waiting for her to continue.
“I have two cats.” She took out her wallet from her purse and flipped it open.
I blinked at the plastic photo holder that dropped out, more than half filled with photos of two gray-and-white, very fluffy cats. The rest of the photos were of her and Lleyton making lovesick faces at each other.
Barf.
But that didn’t explain why they were telling me any of this.
“We were hoping you might be able to feed them for us while we’re gone?”
I snorted. “Uh, no.”
Kat’s face fell, but Lleyton rolled his eyes.
