ImPerfectly Matched! (The Match #2) by Mj Fields Page B

smiles, “I like Darby and the cat.”
    “Yeah, I know you do,” I say sitting up and climbing off the bed. “How about you go in there and use the bathroom.”
    “And you make pancakes, cause it’s our day off,” she says scooting off the bed.
    I nod. “Sure is, but how about we…” I pause because what am I gonna say to her? Can’t tell her the truth about what’s up, it’s my job to keep her sheltered… safe. “You use the bathroom and I will see what I can find around here.”
    She’s in the bathroom and I am digging through cupboards that aren’t ours, trying to find food that’s not ours, and feeling like the weight of the world is on my damn shoulders.
    I find flour, which is a start, but it’s not a mix.
    I look up and Kat is bouncing down the stairs. She’s in some short pajama shorts and a tank, braless, which makes damn sense because she is at her home and it’s her day off. But damn.
    She’s got no makeup on and looks like she did Wine Wednesday when I convinced the guys to come with me. I knew what was going down at the shop, I knew she was about to be handed something she was completely capable of handling but would somehow try to convince everyone, including herself, she couldn’t handle.
    Regardless, that’s the damn night shit changed. She was sexy all the damn time, but when her guard was down and was less made up, she was damn near perfect.
    “What?” she scowls and flips me off.
    Like I said, damn near.
    I shake my head and she tilts her head. “You okay?”
    Holy shit, did she really just ask that?
    “Looking for pancake mix. Hope you don’t mind. It’s our Sunday morning ritual,” I manage to say without sounding stunned.
    “Catch.” She tosses me her phone. “Google it. You don’t need mix and everything should be here.”
    “You sure?” I ask as she walks past me to the sink.
    “I’m sure,” she says and the phone buzzes in my hand.
    I look at her then back at the phone.
    She rolls her eyes. “Have at it, look, I give no fu-”
    “Morning sugar,” Natalia says smiling as she runs out and wraps her arms around Kat’s legs. She rubs her face against her leg as she squeezes her.
    “Wow, well, hello,” Kat says and actually smiles.
    “Thank you for the sleepover. I loved it.”
    “Me too,” Kat nods, looks at me and rolls her eyes.
    I’m about to ask her why she rolled her eyes when Darby catches Nat’s attention and she’s off across the hardwood floor toward her.
    “That piss you off?” I ask.
    “What? No,” she shakes her head.
    “My kid, the eye roll?” I whisper my inquisition.
    “Chill Poppa Bear.” She rolls them now more dramatically.
    “Bugs you though,” I say.
    “You bug me, she’s, I don’t know, cool?”
    I nod and look around trying to refocus on the task at hand. Making sense out of the senseless shit surrounding me.
    “I could use your help out here,” Kat calls while walking to a door that I assume goes to her garage. “Nat can you make sure Darby gets her orange juice, she doesn’t come full to life without it.”
    “Uh huh. Let’s go Darby.”
    I walk out and see a black Pontiac Trans Am. It’s gotta be mid 1980’s. It has T-tops, tinted windows, rear spoiler and nice aftermarket aluminum rims.
    “This yours?” I ask walking around admiring it.
    “No, I stole it last night so you’d have something to drive,” she says as she opens the drawer to a workbench.
    “Why?”
    “I didn’t really steal it. Damn you’re moody today.”
    “And you’re not,” I say opening the door and sliding into the driver’s seat.
    The interior is black leather and looks like it’s been taken care of. “Sweet ride Kat.” I look out as she walks up with the keys. “Why don’t you drive it?”
    “It’s not practical. It’s a gas hog.”
    “Then why have plates on it?”
    “In case I’m feeling impractical.” She hands me the keys.
    “I don’t need charity Kat, I can-”
    “You’re such a dick.”
    “Oh, I see,”