First Kiss Last by Sara Miller (read e book .TXT) 📗

but there was something about the girl that was drawing her in. She hoped she would get a chance to talk more with her later. For now though, she had pizza and Cade: a delicious combo!

Liam had other ideas. He had stolen her spot on the couch.

“Hey!” she made a fake pout and Liam giggled. It was proving impossible to ever be truly upset with Liam and his sweet nature.

“I’m keeping your spot warm!” He gave her a cheeky grin so reminiscent of his father that it made her heart hurt. While Sky was the epitome of teenage girl in all its glory, Liam was one of the smartest, sweetest, most creative seven-year-olds she had ever encountered. He jumped up to give her back her seat, then climbed onto her lap before she could barely get settled.

Somehow she managed to finish her pizza while snuggled together with Liam and Cade on the couch. With a belly full of food, Liam was practically falling asleep as the program was ending. Cade roused the boy for bedtime.

“G’night, Miss Leah.”

His sleepy voice was so precious. She gave him a quick hug before Cade led him out of the room. Leah sat back and listened to the distant sounds of their nightly routine: brushing teeth, putting on pajamas, and picking out a bedtime story. She loved the rumble of Cade’s voice as he read. Not a perfect read-aloud voice, but one of a determined father who loved enough to read out loud even if it was not his best skill.

As she listened, she heard the click of a door. Sky emerged from her room and was startled to see Leah.

“I didn’t know you were still here.” Sky looked hungrily toward the kitchen, then indecisively back at the hallway, the path to the safety of her room.

“Hungry? I can warm up your pizza for you if you want,” Leah offered.

The teen was more than capable of doing things for herself but Leah had the impression that with the almost nine-year age difference between siblings and only one parent, Sky probably did more than her share. Leah just felt the need to love on her.

“Sure.”

The answer was accompanied by a simple shrug, but Leah took it at face value. Sky had no problem speaking her mind, a trait she probably inherited from both sides of her gene pool. So if she was saying yes, in any form, it was probably legitimate.

Leah followed her into the kitchen and busied herself with the pizza while Sky took a seat at the island. She got out a fry pan and turned on the burner on the stove. When the pan was hot, she slid both pieces into it and waited for them to begin to sizzle.

“Um . . .” Sky was clearly skeptical.

“Trust me. You’ll never microwave it again! Well, you probably will, but you’ll remember this way was better. The oven is best, but who has time for that, right?” Leah laughed nervously. They were both silent for several minutes before Leah asked, “Want to talk about it?”

“Not much to say,” another shrug. “I want to get my nose pierced and Dad freaked the—he freaked out. End of story.”

“Maybe,” Leah also shrugged. She checked on the pizza and saw the cheese was beginning to melt. A few seconds later she slid it onto the plate and handed it over. “Careful, it’s hot.” Leah handed Sky a napkin and a clean fork, remembering the girl often ate her pizza that way.

“Thanks.”

The beginning of a genuine smile flitted across the girl’s face before it just as quickly faded away. Looking at Sky, it was clear that Cade’s ex-wife was a beauty. While Liam took after Cade, Sky must take after her mother. Again, except in the eyes. Skyler had her father’s eyes. Eyes that looked into Leah’s soul just like Cade did.

“You don’t really wanna hear about this.”

It was a statement and a question. Maybe even a little bit of a challenge. Leah considered before answering, giving Sky time to eat a few bites of her food.

“Actually, I do.”

“You were right about the pizza, so I guess I’ll give this a shot too.” Teen logic at its best.

Between bites, Sky laid out her thoughts and Leah was impressed. She was not Sky’s parent. She did not want to undermine Cade’s authority. But she also felt it was very clear that father and daughter needed to have a real discussion.

“Well?” Sky had finished her story and her pizza. She looked at Leah expectantly.

“Well what?” Cade startled them both by entering the kitchen at that moment. He went directly to Leah and wrapped his arms around her from behind, squeezing her to him. “I’m glad you are still here,” he whispered. She squeezed back reassuringly.

“I think we need to talk.”

“Uh-oh, that’s my cue!” Sky hopped down to leave.

“Sky, wait . . .” Leah called out and thankfully the teen listened. “I mean, you, me and your dad. Mostly you and your dad.”

Cade released her and was glowering. “Oh, stop it,” she kissed him briefly on the lips. “Both of you sit,” she pointed to the island.

And amazingly they sat. They mostly faced each other but they each kept an eye on Leah too. “The rules are that you both actually talk and you both actually listen. I don’t have a side or get a vote, but I am here to make sure you both hear each other. Deal?” They nodded. She started with Cade.

“Cade, other than the fact that Sky is your baby girl, what is your objection to a nose ring?”

She watched him think. She loved that she could watch him think. Some people give nothing away on their face, but Cade did.

“Well, she is a child and I’m the dad . . .” Sky started to protest but Leah held up her hand to stop her and Cade both.

“Try again. Your ‘child’ is almost sixteen. She’s a teenager. Two years from being an adult. That’s not really that far. And