Ryker’s cries have softened to nothing more than ragged breaths, and Jen paces around with him as Vivian follows behind offering motherly support. She is paying no attention to Royce’s family stories or his reasoning for how he knew what to do. She is focusing on her child.

My heart aches for her. Liv has never had more than an ear infection or a scraped knee; the possibility of losing her would bring me to my knees. I love all of these people so much; their pain is my pain.

Royce is still rambling on about his sisters and their kids when Jen marches up to him and bear hugs him. Ryker is smashed between the two, but she continues to hold tight to Royce’s neck.

“I’ll never be able to show you how thankful I am for what you did for us today,” she tells him. Her voice breaks, but unlike Casen, she allows her emotion to show. “I’m so sorry for every mean thing I said to or about you.”

He soothingly rubs her back before pulling way to stroke Ryker’s head. “It was no big deal, really,” he says before turning his attention to me. “I’m sure I’ll think of something, though,” he adds with a wink.

Carly

“Hurry, Liv, we are so late!” I shout from my bathroom. “Grab your shoes and jacket, and meet me at the door.”

My voice echoes down the hallway, and I know the lack of response means I will find a child with neither shoes nor jacket when I finally emerge from my room. I’m supposed to be at work in thirty minutes, and I still have to take Olivia to Vivian’s. I hate being late, and I think this day will prove to be one big smelly fart ready to crop dust me at every turn.

Brushing and curling the last segment of my hair, which looks like a whole colony of mice could live in, the door bells rings, distracting me from my styling mess. “Great,” I mutter, throwing the brush onto the counter.

I grab my shoes and teeter back and forth from foot to foot, cinching them on. “Hurry, Liv,” I shout once more as I race down the hall and through the living room to the entry door.

“Look, Jack, now’s not a good time. I’m running late this morning,” I say as I swing open the door and bend down to finish buckling my sandals.

“Um, sorry, wrong guy,” my visitor smoothly responds, forcing my head up to meet him.

Well, crap on a cracker…Royce.

“Sorry,” I say, standing and holding the door open for him. “He’s been calling and showing up a lot lately now that the divorce is in full swing and getting closer to being finalized. I just assumed it would be him here to bother me.”

He steps through the door, and I catch a whiff of his cologne as he passes. It’s enticing enough that I find myself leaning in momentarily to take in just a little more of the inebriating smell. Sweet baby Jesus, he’s delicious.

It’s early morning; yet, he has this look that says, ‘I’m a rock star, and I don’t keep hours. Besides, I look good no matter the time.’ I don’t think he even tries to be sexy, he just is. His beard, tousled hair that can be pulled into a knot, and tattoos are the qualities that Jen, or even Campbell, would drool over, not me. However, here Royce is, and I can’t seem to help myself. I want to just lick him up.

I pat my hair down and adjust my clothing, feeling somewhat self-conscious in his presence. I then give him a sideways glance that suggests an explanation for his early morning visit.

“I was recording last night with the guys and Casen said Liv left her favorite stuffed animal at their house. I volunteered to bring it over,” he says nervously as he offers her elephant to me and moves further into the house. “So you’re late for work, huh?” he asks, leaving me behind.

“Ugh, yes,” I groan, throwing the stuffed animal on the couch and following him. “I still have to get Liv to Vivian’s house. She’s staying over there tonight since I have a meeting after work with the county about adopting Leah.”

“If you want, I can watch her and drop her off at Vivian’s house later,” he suggests nonchalantly with a shrug.

I stop suddenly, contemplating his offer. “Have you ever even been around kids all by yourself?” I ask, dumbfounded that he would even offer.

He turns to look at me, a confused expression smeared across his face. “Seriously?” he asks. “I love kids. I have about a million nieces and nephews that I babysit all the time.

“You do?” I say, stunned that he is that involved with his family.

“Yeah, apparently my sisters are competing for the steel vagina award or something. I swear, as soon as one announces they’re pregnant, another pipes up and tries to steal her thunder with a similar announcement. We are a family of one-uppers.”

“Wow, lots of warm and fuzzies. I bet Christmases are super special,” I tease.

“Really, though, I don’t have anything going on today. I would be happy to help.”

I look down at my watch and bite my lip as we walk into the kitchen. I don’t look up until I hear Royce chuckling next to me.

“Oh, my God,” I gasp as I stare down at my child who is supposed to be ready to walk out the door. Instead of her shoes and jacket on, she’s standing in the middle of the kitchen with her favorite Disney princess dress and tiara on drinking from the maple syrup bottle. When she notices us, she hides the bottle behind her back and smiles a goopy grin at us.

Royce wipes the smile from his face and slowly approaches her. “You know what’s cool about being a grown up, little miss?” he asks as he takes the bottle from her hands and sits down cross-legged next to her. She immediately feels at ease and takes a place next to him on the kitchen floor as she shakes her head.

I tilt my head in awe of what I’m witnessing, my little girl and this tough rocker bonding over maple syrup.

He leans in like he has a secret, and she leans in to hear it. “You don’t have to hide the bottle from anyone,” he tells her with a smile before taking a big chug of the syrup.

They both giggle at his playfulness, while I nearly throw up. “I can’t believe you just did that!” I say incredulously. “Not even taking into account how unsanitary that was, it was just, well, gross,” I add with a body shiver.

They both laugh even more at my obvious discomfort. “Go. I’ll take care of her. I’ll even swing back by this evening and bring dinner and a movie over.”

I look back and forth between the two of them and then down at my watch. “Are you sure?”

“Absolutely! We’ll make pancakes and have a princess rock concert before we go. Just leave me a car seat, please.”

“Pancakes,” Olivia squeals. “I need a fok n’ knife,” she adds, entirely leaving out the r in fork.

“Dear God, did she just say fucking knife?” he asks with a snort. “I’m not a parent, but I’m pretty sure a four-year-old with a potty mouth is frowned upon in most social circles.”

“She’s a little Dutchy,” I defend. “Those R’s get left out a lot. She is saying she needs a fork and knife.”

He holds up his hand for Liv to high-five and smiles at her. “Either way, you’re one kickass little munchkin. Let’s get our pancake on.” My heart melts a little watching the two interact together. Royce barely knows me, let alone my daughter, yet here he is stepping in to play babysitter. I’m appreciative and impressed all in one.

Liv hops up to give me a hug. “Bye, Momma,” she says, wrapping her sticky hands around my legs. I reach down and kiss the top of her head before she runs back to Royce.

Royce looks to me and throws his hand up in surrender. “Bye, Mom,” he chuckles and waves.

I exhale loudly. “Okay, but please be safe.”

I turn my attention to Olivia who has found herself enamored by this tatted man on our kitchen hardwood. “Liv, this is Mommy’s friend Royce. He’s going to take you over to Grace and Emma’s house,” I tell her, bending down to her eye level to get her full attention. “Is that okay with you?” I ask, hoping it works out because I now have fifteen minute to get to work and it would take at least that to get to Vivian’s. Royce is actually a lifesaver showing up here this morning, even if it was unexpected.