Not Even Close (A New Generation) by Elizabeth Reyes (books to read in a lifetime txt) 📗

added when Nine began to protest. “Doesn’t mean all collegegirls are looking to get their freak on. This guy.” Beast shook hishead. “Tell ’em, B. How much time did you have to get your freak on when youwere going to school full time?”

Byron thought about that for a moment remembering all thoseweekends he was up into the wee hours of the morning writing papers andstudying for finals.

“Zero,” he said with a frown knowing that was a bit of an exaggerationsince he had gotten his freak on more often than not.

Then he had to laugh because he was sure what Nine was thinking.Byron remembered also going into college under the assumption that it was goingto be one big party. While he had enjoyed his college days, it’d also been alot of hard work. Still, given Byron’s own experience with the majority ofyoung college freaks, but especially the one he’d deemed different andturned out to be completely wrong about, he wouldn’t bother arguing.

Byron turned to his brother ignoring the temptation to ask if hecould clarify who was getting things signed for daddy and who had the boyfriend.Especially not after Nine’s spiel. Instead, he got right to what he knew hisbrother would want to know about ASAP—his wife and their temporary sitter. “Checkedon Ali like you asked. She’s good but your sitter Natasha’s sick or something.”

“Sick?” Beast asked peering at him. “She seemed fine this morningwhen she got there.”

“Yeah, well you know Ali. Guess Nat’s sniffling and shit got Aliworried about her getting the girls sick, so I told her to go ahead and sendNat home and I’m picking up the girls at school.” He glanced down at his watch.“Matter of fact I gotta go. They’ll be out in about twenty. Don’t worry your housekeeperis with Ali until you get home. I’m taking the girls to eat and the movies, soAli won’t have to worry about them for at least a few hours.”

“Thanks, man.” Beast started to dig in his pocket. “Easy on thecandy and don’t let Elsie talk you into McDonalds. That kid can live off thatcrap. They like Olive Garden at least that’s better—”

“I got it.” Byron shook his head motioning to the money Beast wastrying to hand him. “These are my girls too, remember?”

Beast smiled nodding as he slipped the two fifty’s he’d beenready to hand Byron back into his money clip. “Don’t spoil them too much. Alisays she doesn’t want them to start feeling entitled.”

“Yeah, does that ever stop you?”

Turning away with a smirk, Beast didn’t comment as Nine startedasking him something about the shop. Byron said his goodbyes and walked away.Nine’s spiel about young college girls was still in his head. It didn’t happen often,but Byron actually had to agree this time about Nine’s theory. He just hatedthat Nine had dredged up an unsolicited memory. One he’d since buried way backin his head.

Ever since, he’d sworn off any girls he deemed too young, immatureand likelier to put him in a situation like that again. He wasn’t about toallow a repeat of that shit. It’s why he was axing any temptation of gettinginvolved with someone like the little college girl who’d caught his eye today. Especiallyone who looked young enough to be jailbait. In fact, he shook off all thoughts ofher and decided he’d concentrate on the only other thing that ever had himsmiling genuinely lately. He’d do just the opposite of what his brother hadasked—indulge in some big-time spoiling.

“Did you know that owls are nocturnal, Uncle B?” Elsaasked as she twirled her pasta with her fork.

Byron nodded wiping his mouth as he finished chewing. He turnedto Lucy whose little brows were furrowed just above her glasses and seemedconfused. “Of cose, they’ah not tuhtles. That’s silly.”

Trying not to laugh outright because he knew from experience sensitiveLucy didn’t appreciate being laughed at, he took a sip of his soda.

“Not turtles,” Elsa said then giggled. “Nocturnal. Itmeans owls are mostly active at night. Like bats and raccoons. We learned aboutthem last year in the first grade, so you’ll learn about them next year, Lucy.”She turned to Byron with her big front toothless smile. “But we had an assemblyin the auditorium today. They brought in animals from the zoo. One of them wasan owl.”

“I didn’t get to go,” Lucy said her bottom lip beginning to tremble.

“It was only for second and third graders.” Elsa turned back toByron wide eyed now. “I had no idea owls were that big. He was huge. Myteacher called him majestic.”

“I’ve never seen an owl in puhsun.” Lucy’s eyes welled up and herlip was really going at it now though Byron could see she was trying to hold ittogether by pressing her little lips together.

“You just turned five, baby girl.” He reached out for her hand andkissed it. “There’s a lot you haven’t seen or experienced yet. Means you got alot to look forward to.”

She reached up to remove her glasses and wiped her eyes nodding softlywith a sniffle, then turned to Elsa. “What coluh was he?”

“Mostly brown but his chest was white.”

Elsa went on all bright eyed telling them more about the owl andthe other animals at the assembly, but Byron was already all over it. It wastoo late to do it today, but the shop was fully staffed Friday and while Beastmight protest at first, Byron was certain his brother would give in to letting thesetwo play hooky from connecting the dot lessons and coloring in the lines for aday at the zoo with Uncle B that Friday. Since spoiling these two littleprincesses was the only thing that kept a smile on his broody ass these days thiswas as much for them as it was for him.

By the time Elsa was done bringing them up to speed about herschool’s assembly, Lucy was past her minor meltdown and instead seemed completelycaptivated by all big sis had to share. Byron hadn’t wasted any time. He’dalready purchased tickets to the zoo on his phone as Elsa had spoken. The biggerElsa smiled as she spoke and wider Lucy’s