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couch. For the first time, Charmaine didn’t feel like working on her project, and she turned over and dropped off to sleep. All through the night, she told herself to get up and get into bed, but her body refused to move and her head never stopped dreaming of Elliot.
     

Chapter Six
     
    Would the brownies work? Charmaine wasn’t sure, but they were the only treat she knew both how to make and that were in her house. She kept a full refrigerator now and stocked cabinets so Amaya could eat well. Charmaine’s cooking skills weren’t terrible, but she was no Betty Crocker either. She knew where her limitations were, and they included the project Amaya’s daycare stuck her with.
    “Daycare,” she grumbled, annoyed. “Do they think they’re a school? And it’s freaking summer time!”
    Elliot’s door opened. He peered out into the hall to gaze up and down it. “Who are you arguing with?”
    “Myself.” She shifted from one foot to the other and chewed her lip. “Um, these are apology brownies.”
    He gazed at the plate and had the audacity to poke at the foil. “Are you any good?”
    “For real?”
    He raised his eyebrows, amusement in the green depths. “I don’t want to be poisoned.”
    “You know I don’t like you, right?”
    The bastard’s grin grew broader, and he leaned against the doorframe. His chest flexed a little behind one of those stretchy T-shirts. Black was a yummy color on him, but the sleeveless design made him look thuggish, so out of character. She bet he got a kick out of the look and posed in front of the mirror. “I thought you were over here to say sorry. I’m not feeling it. And why do you look amused all of a sudden?”
    “Me?” She shook the thoughts from her head. “No, I really am sorry, Elliot. You’ve been like a friend, and I brushed you off.”
    “Like a friend?”
    “Or something.”
    “Aunt Charmaine,” Amaya yelled from next door. Her hair was a tangled mess, undone. She’d gotten into it earlier. Amaya had decided an hour ago, it had to go.  “Did he say he’ll do it?”
    She’d cut Amaya’s hair after she cut out her tongue. Charmaine sighed in longsuffering.
    “Do what?” Elliot asked. “So this ‘apology’ is about getting me to help with something else?”
    Charmaine shoved the plate into his hands and turned to walk away. “Forget it.”
    She heard his step behind her and glanced back. He was barefoot. Elliot had nice white man feet, as silly as that was, pale skin, big, neat and manly. She liked them for some reason. There wasn’t much physically anyone could hate about the guy.
    “Why are you following me?”
    “A wholly mammoth is gesturing,” he quipped.
    She wrinkled her nose at him in confusion. He pointed, and she turned to see Amaya gesturing, excited.
    “Oh, no, wait. It’s just Amaya,” he said.
    “Haha, funny. I have to cut her hair.”
    Amaya screamed and grabbed her head. She ran into the apartment and disappeared. Charmaine heard the bathroom door slam. Charmaine took her time entering and let Elliot follow. He shut the door.
    “Are you serious about cutting her hair? It’s so beautiful.”
    “You think everything is beautiful.” Charmaine had to admit she was feeling testy. The attraction she had for him wouldn’t let go, and he always caught her at her worse. For once, if he could catch her being an incredible mom… it wouldn’t outweigh the crazy.
    “She doesn’t want it cut.”
    “Are you on her side?” Charmaine snatched the plate of brownies from his hand as he bit into one and held another in his palm. She set the plate on the coffee table, and he wandered after them to sit down. “You like to make yourself comfortable here.”
    “I am. Thanks.”
    She moved behind him and hovered her hand near his hair while he obviously took in the mess they left of the living with all the construction paper, the glue, and the cardboard boxes.
    “Project day?” he guessed.
    “The two lopsided things over there are