Page 86 of The Keeper

“No? Are you sure?” I ruffled her hair again, making her erupt in fresh giggles.

“What’s so funny?” Carina entered the kitchen, wearing an oversized T-shirt, shorts, and sneakers. She carried a giant tote bag over her shoulder, and my pulse kicked up so suddenly I almost jumped at the sensation.

Smooth, Wilson.

“I told Daddy he needs a better social life,” Evie informed her. “He falsely accused me of using that as a way to get more sleepover approvals.”

My eleven-year-old was already throwing around terms like “falsely accused” at the breakfast table. I wasn’t sure whether I should be impressed or concerned.

“Are you?” Carina asked, raising her brows.

“I would never,” Evie said, her eyes wide and round. “Don’t you think he needs a better social life? Briana says her mum has been a lot smilier since she started ballroom dance lessons.”

Carina laughed. “As much as I would love to see your dad do the foxtrot, I’ll leave the details of his social life up to him.” Her eyes found mine, and my pulse ratcheted up another notch. She gave a small smile, which I returned with a hopefully restrained one of my own. Evie was watching, and I didn’t want to rouse her suspicions further by breaking out into a full grin.

I leaned back in my chair and tried to appear bored when Carina reached past me to grab a piece of toast. Her sleeve brushed my arm, and I fought the ridiculous urge to lean into her touch.

I really was like a damn schoolboy with a crush. If my teammates could see me now, they’d never let me hear the end of it.

In fact, they’d come close to discovering us last night. Carina and I barely had time to fix ourselves before Adil and Yasmin burst into the lounge, searching for a private space to do exactly what we’d finished doing. (For someone who’d been so insistent on a double date and “getting to know each other” during the shared car ride, Adil had quickly forgotten about everyone except Yasmin.) Luckily, they’d been too enamored with each other to question our flimsy excuse for why we were flushed and alone in the back of the house.

The second we made it back to the party, we’d run into Scarlett and Brooklyn, who’d pulled Carina away and stuck by her side all night. I’d sought out Whitney to apologize for leaving her so abruptly on the dance floor—I’d told her I needed to use the toilet, and I just…never came back. I’d found her at the bar, and she’d tossed some choice but well-deserved words my way before she stalked off to flirt with another footballer.

I’d left soon after, and this was my first time seeing Carina since we parted ways last night. What I’d done had been dangerously reckless. Blatantly staring at her on the dance floor, following her to the lounge and having sex there when we’d been at a party, surrounded by our friends—all of that had defied my usual caution. But I was tired of fighting my feelings. If I had to choose between safety without her and risk with her, I chose her.

Eventually, Carina and I had to discuss what’d happened, but for now, I let myself savor the fact she’d chosen me too.

“I like your shirt,” Evie told her. Carina’s shirt had a four-square grid displaying the penguins from Madagascar. JUST SMILE & WAVE BOYS was written above the grid while SMILE & WAVE was written below.

“Thank you. I figured a zoo day is the perfect day to wear it.” Carina took a bite of her toast and smiled. “I like your shirt too. You ready to see all the animals?”

“Yes. Especially the giraffes!” Evie bounced with excitement. “And the tigers, and the lions, and the sloths…” She rambled on as we finished eating, cleaned up the kitchen, and piled into the car. She finally paused for breath to text Briana and tell her we were on the way.

“Are we sure we’re not forgetting anything?” I asked while Evie typed furiously in the back seat.

Carina double-checked her tote. “I have sunscreen, water, snacks, bug spray, a portable fan, a first aid kit, and disposable ponchos in case it rains. Oh, and a disposable camera for cute retro pics. We should be good.”

“How were you able to fit all of that into one bag?”

“Never underestimate the power of a woman’s bag,” she said serenely. “Right, Evie?”

“Right.” Evie looked up from her phone. “You should already know this, Daddy.”

“Thank you. You get it.” Carina reached back with one hand, and Evie gave her a low five. They exchanged a conspiratorial glance before turning identical sly smiles on me.

“I don’t like you two ganging up on me,” I grumbled, pulling out of the drive. “That’s not how this is supposed to work.”

But I was smiling. I couldn’t help but think how much the three of us felt like a genuine family—and, even more unexpectedly, how easily I could get used to this.

CHAPTER 34

NOAH

When we arrived at the zoo, it was already packed with Sunday crowds and families making the most of the beautiful weather. Evie had forgotten all about us when we picked up Briana, and the two ran ahead, stopping intermittently to take pictures and ooh and ahh at the exhibits.

Carina and I followed a few paces behind them. I wished I’d worn lighter pants than jeans; despite the breeze, it was getting warmer by the minute. Or maybe clothing choice and the weather didn’t make any difference when Carina was around. My body always ran hotter in her presence.

“This is nice,” she said. “I haven’t been to the zoo in ages.”