Page 39 of Knotted their Beauty

“Yes. You were awesome during my lesson. I have a fruit bar. Will this tide you over for the next few minutes?”

Her coloring book is back in my bag, and her hand is firmly in mine as we begin walking toward the sidewalk. It’ll be easier for me to use the app on my phone to call a car. I’m getting better at using these things, but I still worry I’m going to fuck it up somehow.

Or worse yet, maybe something will happen out of my control. What if the person picking us up is a killer? Or what if I order food and the driver gets it wrong? Then I might be dead, or Cali might cry because she’s hangry and upset.

Ugh, it’s exhausting to be me sometimes.

Putting down the car seat, I hand Cali the bar from the front pocket of my bag once she agrees it’ll hold her over and I plug the information needed into the app.

The amount of sweat pouring off my body is disgusting. I feel clammy and wet at the same time due to how stressful my lesson was and I need a shower.

“Once we get home, I’ll grab some of the fruit I chopped up earlier. Then I need a little quiet time. Do you think you can color a little longer, and then we can walk to the park afterward?”

“I can do that,” she mumbles, her eyes almost crossing as she chews. Poor kiddo, she was really hungry. I’ll put some rolled up ham on her plate too.

Once the ride share slides to a stop, I check that the license plate matches who is supposed to pick us up. Working quickly, I install the car seat into the middle seat and help Cali into it. I hate to make people wait, but the driver is patient enough. A quick glance tells me I have everything I need and I close the door and collect Cali’s trash.

“Seat belt.” Cali’s reminder is met with a quick pull of my restraint belt to click it into place, and then the driver pulls away to take us to our destination.

Fuck, I need a nap.

I’m dragging by the time I hustle Cali and I inside the building. I can feel my phone vibrating in my pocket, but my hands are currently too full to answer. Ves said he might call to see how my first lesson went.

It’s probably him.

By the time I get inside the penthouse, I completely forget he called.

“Okay, snack time and then I’m going to shower.”

“It’s the middle of the day. Don’t you usually do that at night?”

Calista is insatiable with her questions and I nod patiently as I begin pulling out containers of fruit from the fridge.

“This is true, but I feel hot and sweaty. Driving lessons are hard,” I explain. “It’s a lot to remember while you’re also paying attention to everything around you.”

“It’s only hard because you’ve never done it before.” Ugh, she’s such a great cheerleader.

“Yep. You’re right.”

Setting her snack in front of her, I pack everything else away, but not before popping a strawberry into my mouth.

“Mmm. So good.”

Cali grins at me, as she bites into a grape, and I remember to pull her coloring book and crayons out of my bag. This thing is still a staple in my life since I’m lugging essentials for both Cali and I as we move through our day.

“If I take too long, you can have a few minutes to watch Bluey.”

It’s the least I can do. She’s right, I’m breaking the flow of our day, but I feel so gross.

The phone buzzes again in my pocket and I groan.

Shit. I try to watch my mouth around Cali, though I’m sure she’s learning the entirety of her more unsavory vocabulary from her father. Stepping away as she occupies herself, I pull it out to answer it.

“Hey.”

A request for video pops up and I wince as I press accept.

“Hey yourself. Why are you so sweaty?”