Page 82 of Fall For Me
“I’m going to work,” she calls out, her muffled voice hitting my ears through the window.
Lowering the glass, I pin her with a hard stare. “If you set foot in that facility before your doctor releases you?—”
“You’re gonna do what? Huh?”
“Test me if you wanna find out.” Shifting the truck into reverse, I stick my head out of the window as I pull out of the driveway. “I love you.”
She pins me with a glare, and despite tossing her middle finger in the air, she says those three little words back.
I know she feels fine now, but she’s going to overdo it and it’s only gonna set her back. Fuck. I bet she won't stay home if I don’t do something. A plan begins to develop in my mind, and I pluck my phone out of my back pocket to call Aiden.
“Hey, man,” he answers with a sigh.
“You okay? What’s the matter?” I ask, pulling onto the highway.
“I’ll talk to you about it when you get here. Jade, baby, please sit back in your seat like a big girl, okay? Yes . . . I know that was a police officer, and if you’re not seated, I’m gonna get a ticket.” He sighs again. “Sorry about that. What’s up?”
“You still need someone to watch Granny, right?”
“Yeah. But she’s being a huge pain in the ass?—”
“Don’t say ass, Daddy. It’s not nice.”
“Sorry, princess. Anyway. I don’t want to put her in a nursing home, but she refuses to let a nurse come in and help her. I don’t know what the fu—what to do. I’m scared, Man. She’s old and fragile.”
The more he talks, the more confident I become that the plan I have in mind is going to work.
“I understand where you’re coming from. Hannah’s being stubborn. I need someone to keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't go to work. Think you can have Cammie drop Granny off with Hannah? I’ll call Hannah and tell her you need someone to watch Granny. You call Granny and tell her I need someone to watch Hannah.”
“You’re a genius. You know that?”
Throwing on my shades, I laugh. “I know. I’ll see you in a few minutes.”
The phone beeps a few times, and I pull up Hannah’s contact.
“What?” She answers on the first ring.
“I just got off the phone with Aiden. He’s gonna have Cammie drop Granny by before work because he’s scared to leave her alone.”
Dead silence hangs from the other end of the call. Pulling my phone away from my ear, I glance at the screen, seeing she’s still there. “Hello?”
“Do you think you’re that smart, or do you think I’m just that stupid? I know what you’re doing.”
I pull into the parking lot next to Aiden’s new Tahoe. He sits in the driver’s seat—a manilla envelope laying on top of his dash—and sifts through papers, a frown tugging at his brow.
“I’m not doubting your intelligence, baby. Look, I’m here, so Igotta go. Just look after Granny, okay?” I don’t give her time to argue before pressing the end button and hopping out of my truck. The locks on Aiden’s SUV click, and I open the passenger door, then slide into the seat next to him.
“Seany,” Jade squeals, bouncing up and down in her seat in excitement.
“Hi, princess. That dress is pretty.”
“My daddy bought it for me. He said he’s good with clothes but doesn’t know a thing about fixing my hair.”
I assess the rat’s nest and laugh. Stepping out and walking to her door, I open it and smile at my second favorite girl. “Hop out, mija.”
“What’s a mee-ha?” she asks, sliding out of her seat.
She follows behind me, and I grab the hairbrush out of my truck, then turn and guide her to face the other direction.
