Page 67 of The Do-Over

“Yeah, comforting.” Even though I couldn’t see her, I imagined her nodding with certainty.

“You want to tell me why you locked your dad out?”

She sighed with feeling. “The babysitter can’t come tonight, and Daddy says I have to go with him to school ’cause he has a big test and he has to take it, but it’s boring to go there with him.”

“Your dad has to take a test? For what?”

“He’s working on his Bachelorette degree.”

I stifled a laugh. “I see.”

“Daddy says school is important, which is why he needs to go. He says he moved to Texas to make a better life for us, and he can’t get any distractions.”

This only brought more questions to mind. Not your business, Perci.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Nate move down the hallway. “You could stay with me tonight. If your dad’s okay with it.”

“What am I okay with?” Nate stood above me, a fierce wrinkle in his brow.

I rose. “Lilah could stay with me while you take your test. If you don’t mind. You wouldn’t have to take her with you, and I feel like I owe you for, you know, the thing.”

“Could I stay with Miss Perci? Please?” Lilah asked through the door.

A rush of air blew past Nate’s lips. “Fine.”

Slowly, the door opened and revealed Lilah, dark hair damp, dressed in pink and green pajamas along with her trusty rain boots. She glared at her father. “I don’t like how you sounded.”

Nate ducked down, meeting her eyes. “I don’t like how you locked me out of the apartment, so I’d say we’re even.”

The two battled each other silently, and it was then I saw a strong resemblance—less in how their faces were formed and more in how they used their faces to form identical mutinous expressions.

With a growl (that may have made my toes curl a little), Nate ducked inside and returned with a backpack slung over his shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay with this? I wouldn’t ask, but I have a midterm tonight and I can’t miss it.”

“It’s okay. I don’t mind.”

He pressed his lips together and rubbed a finger over one of his eyebrows. Finally, decision made, he pulled the door closed and the two of us trailed behind him as he marched down the hallway to my apartment. He stopped and wheeled around to face us.

“Lilah, be good. Listen to Perci. Don’t touch anything unless you ask first. Don’t ask a million questions. Do not tell her about the mating rituals of storks or whatever, and don’t force her to watch any of those nature shows.”

Lilah rolled her eyes. “Daddy, please.”

With a huff, he turned to me. “Thank you for this. I appreciate it.” He handed me his phone and asked me to program my number in. “I’ll text you with mine.”

“Is there anything else I need to know? Has she eaten dinner?”

“Yeah. A small snack is fine. Nothing to drink after 7:30.”

“Is she a gremlin?”

He bit back a smile. “Oh, and… just a second.” Dumping his backpack, he jogged down the hallway and ducked back into his apartment. When he returned, he held up a small pouch. “No peanuts. She’s allergic. If something happens, do you know how to use an EpiPen?”

I nodded. “All of Miss Marge’s employees have been trained.”

“Good.” Nate hesitated, giving us one last long look.

“We’ll be fine,” I said with a smile. “I swear.”

He heaved his backpack on his shoulder. “This is a huge help. Thank you.”