Birthright

I’m working. Later on, I’ll call and see if it’s okay for you to go over to Brock’s.”
    “I don’t want to go to Brock’s. I want to stay and help you. I’m going to pick up my toys, like I’m supposed to.”
    “Are you?”
    “Uh-huh. And I’m not going to kill the bad guys in the toilet anymore.”
    “Okay.” She pressed her lips to his brow. “We’re okay.Go ahead and pick up your things, then I’ll put the Star Wars video on for you.”
    “Okay! Come on, Elmer!” He raced off with the dog scrambling after him.
    Lana pushed at her hair again, though it was hopeless, then got to her feet. Though her phone began to ring again, she ignored it and walked into the kitchen, where Doug was sipping a mug of coffee.
    “I guess this was an educational experience. I’m sorry you walked in on all that.”
    “You mean that I walked in on all that normal?”
    “This isn’t our usual routine around here.”
    “Doesn’t make it less normal.” He thought of his mother again, with some shame. “One person has to hold all the lines, occasionally some of the lines get snagged.”
    “You can say that again.” She reached into a cupboard for a small green vase. “My own fault, too. Why send Ty to the sitter’s when he could be here with me? I’m his mother, aren’t I? So what if I’m trying to run an office out of here, and my assistant’s on vacation? Then when things get a little complicated, I take it out on a little boy and his brainless dog.”
    “I’d say the little boy and his brainless dog played a big part.” He lifted a mangled shoe off the counter. “Which one of them chewed on this?”
    She sighed as she filled the vase with water. “I haven’t even worn them yet. Damn dog nosed it right out of the shoe box while I was trying to deal with the flood in the bathroom.”
    “You should’ve called a plumber.” He bit back a laugh when she bared her teeth at him. “Oh, you did. I’ll take a look at it for you.”
    “It’s not your job to fix my toilet.”
    “Then you don’t have to pay me.”
    “Doug, I appreciate it, I really do. I appreciate your taking Ty out of the line of fire until I calmed down, and helping him pick the flowers, and offering to stand in as emergency plumber, but—”
    “You don’t want anyone to help.”
    “No, it’s not that. It’s certainly not that. I didn’t get involved with you so you could handle plumbing and other household crises. I don’t want you to think I expect that sort of thing just because we’re dating.”
    “How about if you start expecting that sort of thing because I’m in love with you?”
    The vase slid out of her fingers and hit the counter with a clunk. “What? What?”
    “Happened about fifteen minutes ago, when I walked in and saw you.”
    “Saw me.” Stupefied, she looked down at herself. “Saw this ?”
    “You’re not perfect. You’re damn close, but you’re not absolutely perfect. That’s a big relief to me. It’s intimidating to think about being with someone for the long haul—which is something I’ve never tried with anyone before, by the way—if she’s absolutely perfect. But she spills coffee all over herself and doesn’t get around to brushing her hair, yells at her kid when he deserves it, that’s worth thinking about.”
    “I don’t know what to say.” What to think. What to do. “I’m not . . .”
    “Ready,” he finished. “So, why don’t you just tell me where the plunger is, and I’ll see what I can do.”
    “It’s, ah . . .” She waved a hand overhead. “Already up there. I was . . . I couldn’t . . . Doug.”
    “That’s nice. It’s nice that you fumbled.” He caught her chin, kissed her. “It’s nice that you’re a little scared. Should give me time to figure out how to handle this.”
    She managed a helpless gesture while bats bumped around in her stomach. “Let me know when you figure it out.”
    “You’ll be the first.”
    When he walked out, she braced a hand on the counter. Once again, she looked down at herself.
    He’d fallen in love with her because of coffee stains and messy hair. Oh God, she realized as her heart fluttered, she was in trouble.
    This time when the phone rang, she picked it upabsently. “Hello. Yes.” She winced. “This is the law office of Lana Campbell. How may I help you?”
    Minutes later, she was streaking upstairs where Doug, Ty and the dog all huddled around the toilet. “Out. Everybody out. I have to shower.