Anya pouted, feeling a bit put out. “It was Aunt Mary who said it. She thinks Chad has a thing for girls like me.”
Leo was fuming, struggling to find a place to vent his frustration. His mom was unknowingly throwing a wrench into his plans by creating unnecessary competition.
“Get up. I’ll take you home, and we can drop in on your future mother-in-law. I need to have a word with Mrs. Watson about what she’s thinking.”
Leo grabbed Anya by the arm, picked up her bag, and got ready to escort her. But then he caught sight of Anya's alluring outfit.
He quickly rummaged through his closet, pulled out a large white T-shirt of his, and slipped it over her. “Put this on.”
“Chad, this is your shirt.”
Leo cheekily replied, “I’m not blind, you know.”
Once Anya was properly covered up, Leo finally felt at ease and held her hand as they headed out.
On the way, Anya sat quietly in the passenger seat while Leo laid down some ground rules. “You’re not to wear that outfit again unless it’s for me, in private.”
“And no kissing Henry. If you want to kiss someone, you come to me.”
“Don’t bother picking me up from work unless it’s urgent. If you miss me, just wait for me at my building.”
“And keep your distance from your future mother-in-law. She’s got too much time on her hands. I’ll have to find her something to do.”
Anya muttered under her breath, “You're never home. What kind of task are you going to give Aunt Mary? You can’t exactly give her a grandchild to look after.”
Leo just sighed and pulled over, turning off the engine to sit in silence for a moment.
Anya glanced over, puzzled. “Chad, why aren’t we driving?”
“Just… be quiet.”
Leo took a few deep breaths, calming his nerves before starting the car again and merging back onto the road.
When they reached the Cedillo family home, Anya walked in wearing Leo’s shirt and found Naomi. “Aunt Mary, Chad is outside looking for you.”
Naomi set aside her work and headed out. Meanwhile, Anya bit her lip, swapped out of Leo’s shirt, and freshened up.
After about half an hour, the usually bare-faced and sweet Anya reappeared. She dashed out to see Naomi and Bruce just stepping out of their son’s car. Anya, in her slippers, approached, and Leo quipped, “I like you better like this. Much more pleasant to look at.”
Anya kept her hands behind her back, not daring to argue.
With night falling, Bruce returned, running into his son. Naomi happened to be in the car too, so they all chatted about recent happenings.
As it got late, the trio stood at the door, watching Leo drive away.
Meanwhile, at the Irvin household, Andre was also getting ready to leave.
Mia cuddled her son, who wasn’t much help in tough situations. “I raised you with all my heart, and now when I need you to step up, you just roll over and sleep. Henry, all that baby fat was for nothing.”
Henry purred contentedly in his mother’s arms, drifting off to dreamland.
Andre waved goodbye to his in-laws and drove off with his wife and son.
Cooper was on a plane heading home, missing his little nephew.
Mia was plotting out the next few days with Andre. “Cooper is coming back, so I can’t nap during the day when he’s around. I’ll need to turn in early. And your son’s got vaccinations coming up before school kicks in, so I’ll need my rest.”
Mia kept brainstorming excuses to get some shut-eye early.
Andre listened to her chatter like a light breeze passing by.
“Chad hasn’t returned yet, and I need to look after Molly. Honey, maybe you should take me back.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Sweet Mischief's Rollercoaster Romance