Page 61 of Reckless With the Rookie
He looks at his watch.“Four thirty.I’ll see you tonight.”
“Okay.”
I practically float back to the nurses’ station.Magnus has a demanding schedule, but he always makes sure I know I’m important to him.He likes simple things, like I do.
A movie or a board game with the boys is a fun evening for us.He showed us how to make Swedish meatballs last week, and he brought over some salty licorice his mom sent him that the boys tried and pretended to like.
It’s horrible.I told him I was calling the police after taking one bite, and he told me American root beer is a crime against cuisine.
Root beer is delicious, so we’ll have to agree to disagree on that.
Leo walks out of the room he and Mara were in, a hospital transport person rolling Mara out in a wheelchair behind him.
“Time for my roll of shame,” Mara cracks.“Thanks for not making me feel like a dipshit.”
Kari walks up to stand beside me, saying, “You’ll be back before you know it.Call us if you have questions.”
“Thank you.Thanks, Blair.”
Once they’re out of earshot, Kari says, “She’s adorable.”
“And hilarious.”
“How do you know her?”
“We met through my sister.She’s a friend.”
“How’s your charting going?”
“The stars have aligned and I’m completely caught up.”
She arches her brows.“We just might get out of here on time tonight.”
We come close to leaving on time.It’s seven twenty when I leave the hospital, and seven forty-five when I pull into my garage.
Magnus’s Trailblazer is in the driveway, a light layer of snow covering it.When I walk in the house, the spicy, savory smell of Chinese food makes my mouth water.
I hear laughter in the basement.When I walk downstairs, I see Eli dancing.
My son Eli, the shyest kid I know, is dancing on some kind of mat, following lights that are bouncing from square to square to lead his feet.
“Go, go!”Magnus calls from the couch.
“No!”Jules howls from a recliner.“Don’t break my record!Aunt Jules is the dancing queen!”
Coop laughs, running over to hug me when he sees me.
Magnus stands and smiles at me.I told him I’m not ready for kissing in front of my kids, so he always keeps a safe distance.
“Hey, there’s food upstairs,” Jules says.“Magnus ordered enough for an army.”
“That’s what you do,” he says, shrugging.
“No!”Eli cries, stopping his dance.
“Dude, that was still really good,” Jules says.“You almost broke my record.”
“I want to do it again,” he says, which is classic Eli.
