Her CEO Stalker and Her Second Chance Mate Chapter 96

Briar

It took us 15 minutes to find the damn thing and turn on some Sesame Street. A few moments later, while Carter and I were digging through the fridge to throw together some breakfast, Meri’s babbles came through the baby monitor. How often did Carter babysit? I thought as I moved up the stairs to go get her. I changed her diaper. He had all the basics for watching small children overnight at his disposal. He either took his babysitting very seriously, or he often was the crutch when his married friends needed a night out. The kids easily settled in, like this was a normal occurrence. Carter was way too good of a man. I thought as I walked back down after changing Meri. He was a rare breed. I thought. She’s not even your breed. The words taunted me.

When I rounded into the kitchen, the smell of coffee brewing and the scrambled eggs and cheese Carter was rustling up for the kids hit my senses. He smiled at me glancing at the baby in my arms as he took the pan of cooked eggs off the burner. He opened his arms and Meri reached for him, so I went about dishing up the kids' food as he walked away, tossing the kid in the air and catching her to Meri’s delight. She giggled happily each time he caught her. I busied myself filling the kids' plates with what Carter had made.

“Come eat!” I called the other two, and the sound of the TV cut off. Alley and Kade soon found their spots and started eating as Carter passed me Meri.

“Omlets?” he asked. I nodded, sitting down with Meri, who dove into her food with both hands. A steaming cup of coffee appeared before Carter went back to fixing our food, and his own cup of coffee. I took a sip as Meri dropped bits of eggs into my lap. Rosie eyed the morsels but stayed a few feet away. Respecting that she would get clean up duty the second the kids left the table. Tucker rubbed along my legs, then disappeared somewhere. The kids finished up about the time Carter was done with our breakfast. He took Meri from me, whiping her hands off with a damp cloth before setting her on the rug in the living room floor. He set a hearty omelet down in front of me before he sat next to me with his own. Alley sat on the floor with Meri, playing with her while we ate.

“So you're the neighborhood babysitter?” I asked, glancing at him. His smile was boyish, realizing I had caught on.

His knee rested against mine as he met my eyes, then looked at the kids.

“My sister has four, I’ve been babysitting since the oldest was in diapers, he's eight now. I popped a bite into my mouth, the taste of mushrooms cheese, and spinach causing me to hum in approval. He watched me as he took a bite of his own.

“Amber and I grew up together; her Mazzie and I were always close. Blaze, Amber’s husband, too. They are both only children, so I took up uncle duties,” he said before he shrugged the topic off as if it were nothing. That got me thinking about my own uncle and that these kids were lucky to have him in their lives. We had just finished our breakfast when there was a knock at the door. I startled.

“Its just Amber,” he let me know as he stood.

How did he know? I shook off the thought as he let Amber in and the kids ran to her and she scooped Meri up.

“Did you have fun with Uncle Carter and Auntie Briar?”

I blinked, why did she call me that? Whatever words Carter was saying to Amber as the kids mushed about all they did with us. Maybe it was just what they did here. She knew Carter and I had a ‘thing’ but Auntie? Only cricket called me that and it was my most prized title.

“I’ll go get your bag,” I said avoiding the fray, a well muscled man with a dad bod and a beard walked in, Blaze, no doubt. 

I disappeared upstairs, Rosie following me, and I found Tucker in the pack and play as I grabbed Meri’s lovey. I grabbed the bag and sat on the bed, making sure everything she gave us was inside. Insecurities bubbled up. What the fuck was I doing with Carter? Rosie hopped on the bed as I zipped up the bag and licked my face. I wrapped my arms around her and sighed. I was so tired of my trauma getting in the way. I stood going downstairs. I went to hand off the bag when Alley hugged me. 

“Auntie Briar, when can you babysit us again?” My heart dropped. I had loved every second of last night and seeing Carter like that, loving on the kids, playing with them. It had spoken volumes to me about the type of man Carter was, the kind of father he would be to his kids one day. But Auntie already? I didn’t know what to say, or maybe the words just seemed too familiar for someone the kid had just met. 

I found myself saying,“Anytime, kiddo,” I smiled down at her as Blaze took the bag from my shoulder. I looked up, I hadn’t met him yet, but his smile was all I needed to tell me that he approved. He wasn’t one of those people in this town. He picked up Kade, but he reached out to me. I took him and gave him a tight hug.

“I’ll miss you, kiddo,” I said, passing him back to his dad. Why was this so hard?

Carter and I stood on the porch and waved them off as they drove away.

“I hate when they leave,” he grumbled. I eyed him curiously. “What?” he asked as we walked inside.

“I dunno, I guess you surprised me this time,” was all I was willing to say.