Junkie(82)

They were both on the floor with a blanket beneath them. Nova couldn’t sit up very long by herself yet, so she was propped up by this giant pillow-like thing that basically supported her weight but allowed her to sit up. Trent was in front of her, almost on his stomach but with his knees folded under him so his ass was in the air. On the floor between them was a toy car I’d bought her that played some girly song. On top of it was a stuffed lion. Trent was “driving” the car and the lion around in front of her, and she was smiling.

He was making the car sounds and everything, totally engrossed in whatever they were playing. Nova had her fist in her mouth, but her smile was obvious.

As I stood there and watched, Trent gently “crashed” the car into her tiny foot covered in a pink sock.

She laughed.

The sound of a baby’s laugh was probably the most innocent, pure thing I’d ever heard.

“Oh no,” Trent exaggerated. “There’s a pile-up in front of the couch!” His voice was quiet but entirely animated. “Hurry, Nova. He needs a hug.”

T held the lion out to her and wiggled it into her chubby little belly. Nova laughed and reached for the toy. When she had it in her grip, she stuck it in her mouth.

“He doesn’t need mouth to mouth,” Trent told her.

She kept chewing him.

He laughed and brushed his fingertips over the hair on her head.

He slayed me. In every possible way I could be slayed.

I didn’t know how it happened, but somehow, some way, he did. It started as a friendship and grew from there. And now…

Now, watching him, my chest swelled and expanded.

Something about his gentleness, the innocence and pureness with which interacted with Nova, told me exactly what kind of man he was.

A good one. Genuine.

I felt lucky to love him in that moment. I understood exactly why I could. I tucked that feeling deep down inside me, because I was sure I would need it later.

I felt a touch on my middle. I tore my eyes off the sight, and Ivy smiled at me. She patted my stomach and walked away, into the kitchen.

Judging from the way she looked at me, I knew. If she was thinking something about me and T, whatever she saw on my face just now confirmed it.

I walked into the room, and he looked up. “Hey, I see you survived Fashion 101.” He joked.

“Ivy has deemed me fashionably saved.”

He pushed back into a sitting position in front of Nova and looked at his phone lying nearby. “You got enough time to grab something to eat before we go.”

“Did you eat?” I asked, still watching him.

It was like my eyes were starved and he was food. Like the rest of the world was in black and white, but he was in color.

“Nah, I was hanging with midge.”

Ivy appeared with a mug and held it over my shoulder. “You forgot you wanted more coffee.”

Right. “Thanks.” I grabbed it and took a sip.

Ivy came into the room, and Nova’s eyes followed her. “Where’s your daddy?” she asked her.

“I told him to shower. He smelled,” Trent replied.

We all laughed, and Ivy plopped down next to her daughter. “He got up and trained with Romeo this morning.”

“Are you going to be at pancake Sunday this week?” Rimmel asked, coming into the room, Romeo right behind her.

Trent looked up. “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

“We missed you last week,” she said.

“Sorry. Drama at Omega.”

“What’s going on?” Romeo asked.

Trent shook his head once. “Nothing. Same old crap. I handled it.”

I didn’t think Con trying to toss him off of his throne was nothing, but I wasn’t going to say anything. He barely talked about the frat all weekend, other than to tell me what happened. I was starting to think there was more to it than he said.

“I know I don’t go there anymore, but I’ll still come over there and help you smash heads if I got to,” Romeo answered.

Trent smirked. “Thanks, man.”

“I have to go get ready for class.” Rimmel made a face. “Last semester ‘til we graduate!”

“Amen.” Trent replied and got up to hug Rim. She was swallowed by his size, but she didn’t seem to notice. She was used to it by now with Rome. “I’ll see ya later.”

“Yes, come hang out this week,” she insisted, pulled back, and went up the stairs, but Romeo hung back.

He held his fist out to me, and I pounded it out with him. “Good luck today.”

“Thanks.”

After a few more minutes of hanging with the fam, Trent and I grabbed a quick bite out of the kitchen and hit the road.

I had an interview to get to.





Trent

GearShark magazine was no joke.