Called Up Read Online Free PDF Page B

even close to attractive?
    Shifting her gaze away from him, she said, “Nothing. I’ve got it from here. Don’t you have a harem waiting somewhere?” There had to be someone ready to step up to the plate. Why he hadn’t been spending more time out there, she had no clue.
    Before he could offer any response, Lola appeared in the doorway. “Oh, goodness!” she exclaimed, dropping down to her knees as she gathered her boys into her arms. “Look how clean my babies are! Were you all good listeners?”
    At Lola’s questioning look, Fitz gave a half-hearted grin. The triplets were the triplets. No one had any illusions they actually behaved.
    In response, Lola gave a big, broad smile. “I can’t tell you how nice it was to have a free afternoon,” Lola was saying. “That was amazing. Thank you guys so much.”
    “It was nothing,” Fitz said, shrugging. And that was true. Mostly. Peggy Miller wasn’t a nothing, not even after all these years, but that had just been a blip of nastiness Fitz was now well used to handling. Although for Deke, the Peggy part was probably the big highlight. He’d even had dinner with her and her whole gang.
    Except when Fitz glanced over at him, their eyes met and she saw that look again. Not the look from a few minutes ago, thank goodness. She didn’t think she could take that again. This was the one she only saw on his face when he was worried about Lola and thought no one else was paying attention.
    It passed through his eyes as she watched, turning into his trademark easy grin as Lola raised her head. “Like I said downstairs, Lo. Anything you need.”
    “Well, that’s good,” Lola answered with a grin of her own, although this one somewhat apologetic. “Because I do kind of need one more thing.”
    Having been the primary designated driver for years, Deke clearly knew where this was heading. He leaned back against the doorframe. “Jules is too drunk to drive herself home.”
    Lola nodded. “If Fitz could drive Jules’s car home, and, Deke, you could bring Fitz back here afterwards...” She shrugged as her voice trailed off.
    With a sigh, Fitz straightened up. Jules was her sister. And they weren’t exactly besties, but Fitz did love her.
    So she smiled and said, “Of course.” Without another look at Deke, she headed out the bathroom door.
    * * *
    Deke didn’t mind playing chauffeur one bit. He needed some time to get his head straight. He had almost kissed Fitz, for fuck’s sake.
    He was unlocking the truck when Matty screamed bloody murder. Thinking someone was dead or at least now bleeding profusely, Deke tore around the front of the house, coming to a sudden halt when he realized it was just a tantrum the likes of which Deke had never seen. He took in the scene. No blood, but Jules was kneeling on the ground, trying to contain Matty, while Lola watched from the porch, an upset Silas in her arms.
    Deke glanced down at Fitz. “What happened?”
    Fitz took a startled step back when he spoke. God almighty, he hoped it wasn’t because of what had happened upstairs in the bathroom.
    “Matty wants to spend the night here with Si,” she said, “but Jules told him his dad is coming to get him in the morning and...”
    “ I don’t want to go with Dad! ”Matty wailed, pushing away from Jules so hard she had to put her hand behind her in order not to fall.
    “Whoa.” Deke went over to Jules and Matty and crouched beside them. “Dude, you can’t go around pushing girls. You gotta be gentle.” Matty and Jules weren’t his by blood, but Deke was as much Matty’s uncle as Nate was, so he had no problem getting in Matty’s face. “What’s the problem here?”
    The boy’s eyes filled with a fresh set of tears and his lip started trembling. “I don’t want to—”
    “Go with your dad,” Deke cut in before the hysteria took hold again. “Okay. But it’s one of those things you just gotta do.”
    “But...but...” Matty sputtered. He looked over at Si and