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Chapter 23 Oakley
Friends.
A groan rips from my chest as I toss and turn in bed.
What the fuck was I thinking?
You can’t be friends with someone you’re in love with.
Especially when she’s engaged to another man.
Sitting up in bed, I scrub a hand down my face.
I should stay the hell away from her.
But I can’t.
Because she looks at me like she needs me.
Like I can fix her.
As if I’m the remedy for whatever turmoil is happening inside that beautiful head of hers.
And if there’s even a small chance I can take the edge off the fucked-up situation I caused…I’m fucking doing it.
I’m grabbing my gym bag off the floor so I can get a quick workout in before my shift starts when I hear a knock on my door.
I open it and I’m greeted by my frazzled looking Dad who’s holding a happy as can be C.J.
I’m begi
“Hey.”
Dad swiftly places C.J. in my arms. “Can you watch her for an hour or so? An emergency happened at work and I have to get my ass to the office before an atomic bomb goes off.”
Given he has a high-stress job, there’s always an atomic bomb threatening to go off. However, I’ve rarely seen him so out of sorts so whatever’s going down must be big.
“Sure.” I bounce C.J. in my arms as she reaches for my cheeks. “You want to hang out with your big brother today?”
She grins. “Uh-oh.”
I keep wondering if she’s ever going to say my name right, but I know I’m going to seriously miss her calling me Uh-oh the moment she does.
“Thanks, I owe you.” Dad hands me her diaper bag. “Everything is in here.” Bending down, he kisses C.J.’s head. “Daddy loves you, be good for your brother.”
With that, he takes off and C.J. stares up at me in wonder.
It’s never been just the two of us before.
“You hungry?”
“Hungry,” she repeats, as if testing the word on her tongue before shouting, “Chee-chees.”
Fortunately for her, I know that means she wants her Cheerios.
Unfortunately for me, my dad forgot to pack them.
Shit.
As if sensing they aren’t anywhere to be found, she starts screaming Chee-chees at the top of her little lungs.
Fucking hell.
Thinking quick, I rummage around my cabinets and fridge. However, all I have is beef jerky, soda, a few bottles of water, and some left over takeout.
The way C.J.’s face scrunches tells me she isn’t happy about this one bit.
Cue the meltdown in…five, four, three, two…one.
Attempting to soothe her by walking around my apartment, I scan my brain for something she might like.
That’s when it dawns on me.
“Hey, baby sis. You want some ice cream?”
There’s an ice cream shop about a block away which is easily in walking distance.
Suddenly, her cries of injustice over no Chee-chees comes to a halt.
Crystal is super strict about never letting her have any sugar, but given C.J.’s big bro is the epitome of a rule breaker, I grab my wallet and head out the door.