Betting with the Bride

Chapter Five

My best friend nudges my arm with a teasing smile playing on his face. “Aww, does someone not like our new boss?”

“Oh hush, you know I have never exactly favored snobby rich people,” I remark.

“Ives, he could be different, you know, he could be your type,” Chad hopes.

I scoff at the horrendous idea. “You sound like a teenage girl! And don’t call me Ives,” I despise that nickname with a passionate hatred.

“Oh, Ives! Don’t be in denial,” he jokes, poking my side.

I slap at his hand with a scowl. “Get back to work,” I order, flashing a smile before leaving.

“Ivory, come here,” Janice calls from the middle of a circle of children.

A few kids surround me, curious as to why I’m here. A pair of miniature hands reaches up to hug me, and I sweep him up into my arms. His arms circle around my neck as a small giggle escapes his blue lips.

“Landon, why are your lips blue?” I ask him, my voice suspicious, but kid friendly.

“I had a rasp-ber-barery blue Popsicle!” my coworker’s child exclaims giddily.

“And you didn’t save any for me?” I feign disbelief.

Landon cups my face tenderly, “Iv, you can have one next time, I promise!”

“Okay, I guess,” I mumble, pouting.

“Don’t cry or you can’t have one,” he orders.

“Okay squirt, I have to go talk to Mommy, okay?” I set Landon down, and he runs off with another toddler.

Janice exasperatedly sighs when I come in hearing distance. She shakes her head, “What am I going to do with him?”

I glance back at Landon who is about to burst into tears, probably for the third time today. Janice starts to walk over to him, but I grab her elbow, and she stops to turn towards me.

“Let me,” I say before approaching the crying boy.

 I crouch down to become eye level with him, and I take his small hands in my larger ones. Through glazed over eyes, he stares up at me.

“What’s wrong baby?” I ask him, my voice soft and soothing.

“The… the di-dinosaur is… gone!” he wails.

“Did you look for it?” I question him.

It hadn’t occurred to him that he might actually have to find it. His lip quivers as he shakes his head at me. I stand up, but continue to hold one of his hands.

“Come on, I’ll help you find it,” I promise before leading him to the toy box.

We dig through the box, and find a Buzz Lightyear, a few Barbies, tons of match box cars, but no dinosaur. As we reach the bottom Landon’s hopeful smile sinks.

“Now we’ll never find it!” he cries with frustration.

“Are you sure we even have a dinosaur?” I ask him, not able to recall seeing one.

It takes him a moment, but it finally dawns on him. “There’s a dinosaur at Daddy’s,” he tells me.

“You silly goose! We looked and looked for nothing!” I laugh as I tickle his stomach.

Landon cackles and squirms under my touch, and I tilt my head back and chuckle at his expression. When I pull my hands back, and let him catch his breath, he sends me a glare.