“Carl is the same thing, except he hangs around because of the money.” Her breathing picks up and her arms wrap around her stomach. She’s keeping something under the vest. “My dad has a lot of money. After I turned eighteen, she lost the child support. So, my dad issues me the money. He pays for my car, my school and my expenses. Without him knowing, he pays for her rent and things.”

“How?”

“My dad overpays me, but I also go without. He thinks I want to live with roommates because I want the full experience of college. Because the rent’s cheaper, he deposits extra money into my bank account.” She blows out a huge breath and it must feel good to be so truthful with someone else. “It’s the only reason I haven’t taken Matty from her. I know she seems God awful and I hate that you had to witness what happened tonight, but Matty makes her better. If I don’t hear from her, I stop by and if she’s having a hard time, I usually take him.”

“You gave her such a hard time yesterday.”

Her teeth nail down on her lip and wetness fills her beautiful hazel eyes. “Yeah. Well, sometimes I get overwhelmed. She’s been on me for more money. I just gave her money for Matty’s baseball to find out she never signed him up.” She throws the picture to the ground and I inch forward, taking her hand in mine. “It’s so ridiculous, Rob. She’s his mother; why can’t she just act like it?” Her head falls to my chest and my hand begins smoothing down her hair.

“I’m sorry.” I can’t think of anything else to say. She got dealt a shitty hand in life and has tried to make the best of it. Which is odd, because I got a royal flush and still managed to fuck it up.

“I just wish she’d straighten her life up. Because pretty soon I’m going to end up being a twenty-two year old college student raising my brother.” Her arms wrap tight around my waist and she draws even closer to me with sobs escaping her throat. All I can think about is what the hell I should be doing to make her happy.

“PAIGE,” MATTY WHISPERS while tapping his finger to my arm. I wrestle a little, picking up my head. Panic strikes when I spot a drop of drool on Rob’s shirt from using him as a pillow. His whole Linkin Park shirt is dampened from my saliva.

“Oh God,” I softly say, slowly inching away to sit up so he doesn’t wake up. Somewhere between my tears and complaining I must have fallen asleep and he felt an obligation to console me. Damn, I didn’t want him to see this, my fucked-up family side.

“Is he your boyfriend?” Matty leans in, whispering in my face. I love this kid.

I don’t answer but shake my head and point to the door for us to leave. He tip-toes with his finger to his mouth, peering back at me with each step and I follow him, doing the same. The second I shut the door, Matty busts out laughing. “Shh . . .” I tell him and he sucks in his lips.

“Sorry,” he says in regular tone and I shake my head from his inability to be quiet. If he wasn’t so adorable, I’d be angry. If Rob wakes up and I have to experience the morning after, I’m fairly certain my face will resemble a tomato. Not like it’s the normal morning after; we didn’t have sex. I glance down—yep, I’m still dressed.

“Let’s go make some breakfast,” I lightly swat him on his butt and he runs down the hall, holding his butt. He slides to a stop at the top. “Can we have pancakes?” His eyes light up and I laugh.

My hand ruffles his hair. “Sure you can, buddy.” Rob’s deep voice echoes through the quiet hallway and my last breath catches in my throat. My eyes dart to him leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed. God, all my snot and tears are still embedded in that shirt and I become embarrassed to how I lost myself last night. Then he eyes me while stepping out from the doorway. “I happen to make the best . . . out of everyone that lives here.” He chuckles at his own joke and when his lips turn up into a smirk, I can’t help but laugh.

My heart beats faster with every step he takes closer. “I’m starving,” Matty screams and scampers down the stairs while I remained fixed on those ocean-blue eyes.

“Hi.” Such a simple greeting after what happened last night. His hands don’t veer out of his pockets, but the intensity in his eyes sends goose bumps along my skin.

“Rob,” I begin but he shakes his head.

“Are you feeling better this morning?” he asks and now it’s warmth filling my heart.

“I am, I’m s—”

“Don’t. We’re friends, remember.”

I smile and the tingling in my nose signals tears will start soon if I don’t squash this moment.

“Friends.” I turn away from him to descend down the stairs, but then I flip back around, leaving me inches from his face. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome. I’m not due to work until one; if you want I can watch the little guy while you go to class.” He doesn’t appear fazed by the inconvenience Matty would bring to his day. It’s a nice change of pace.

“Thank you, but he has school, so I’ll drop him off on my way to class.”

Disappointment fills his eyes. “Okay.”

I remain on the landing like a moron for an uncomfortable amount of time before I venture down the stairs. Rob follows and by the time we’re in the kitchen, Matty’s searching the cabinets for food.

“Pancakes coming right up.” Rob takes out a pan and I pour a cup of Dex’s orange juice for Matty and he sits down.

“What can I do to help?” I come alongside of him as he cracks an egg and tosses it in the sink. No one would ever think Rob could cook by his outward appearance. I pegged him as more of a burrito in the microwave kind of guy.

“Nothing. Go take a shower, I got this.” He smiles over to me while whisking the ingredients and I purse my lips from smiling. “What are you trying not to laugh at?” he stops mid-whisk and furrows his brows.

“Just . . . you . . . so Betty Crocker.” My mouth widens into a smile and he pretends to narrow his eyes at me.

“If you want to continue to reap the rewards of my cooking, I suggest you strut up those stairs and take a shower.” Saying nothing further, I begin to go upstairs and he swats my butt with a dishtowel.

Matty’s in full laughter, bending over and all when I grab my ass and turn back around to him. The bowl is in his hands again and he’s staring up at the ceiling while whistling as though he did nothing. Slowly sauntering over, I inch up on my toes to reach his ear. “Don’t start things you can’t finish.” I watch his body stiffen before he turns his head to the side.

“I always finish, Paige . . . always.” A zillion little bursts of fireworks shoot off in my stomach. I should have known better than to bait him; I never win our teasing matches.

I back up, “going.” I announce, still hearing Matty laughing. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I overhear him asking Rob to teach him how to do that.

When I enter my bedroom, I’m surprised to find almost everything in place. My shoulders fall, trying to recall if we had finished by the time I had my meltdown. I’m fairly certain there were still drawers hanging and clothes strewn. A warmth fills my whole body when I think about Rob fixing everything and coming back to hold me again. No . . . I shake my head, but there’s no other explanation.

I grab my robe and scurry into the bathroom, shedding my clothes into a pile on the floor. When I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror on my way to the shower, I do a double take. Holy Mother, I look like shit. My eyes are red, puffy and is that drool dried up down my chin? Thanks to this, my cheeks match my eyes now. I cup my mouth, blowing into my palm to smell my breath. Crap, I’m surprised he didn’t pass out from my horrendous morning breath. Way to seduce him, Paige, with your knotted hair and smeared makeup, I’m sure that will do the trick.