Then, lifting her eyes to meet mine, she said earnestly, “You’re a good man, and I’m happy you and Nemi get along so well.”
“Me, too.” I pushed her hair away from her face, taking in her the small earrings, circles with a gap in the middle of them, in her ears. They were delicate and sweet, just like what I was holding. “And I’m so grateful to you for trusting me with her, but also trusting me with you.”
As she leaned down to kiss me again, I swore blind I wouldn’t make her regret trusting me. It couldn’t be easy to be a parent and trust someone else with your kid. I knew from what Naomi had told me tonight that Heidi hadn’t intended to have a relationship with anyone until after Nemi had gone to college, so she was allowing me a spot in her life that took a lot from her to give.
What she didn’t know was that I was giving her—and Nemi—a part of me I’d only ever shared with my family, so we were both making ourselves vulnerable to each other.
I also intended to give her more until she had all of me.
“My tattoos,” I began, watching as she frowned at the random change in topic. “Me and my brothers all booked in with Mace and Ellis to get them done on the same day. We’ve added different things to them over the years, but the one under my neck and some of the ones on my arms match theirs.
“They’re pieces of us that represent our family—just like the restaurant does—and the others are symbolic of who we are as individuals. After Maude died, I had ‘fight’ tattooed on my ribs, because that’s what we have to do in life, even if it’s not physically each time.
“Mom hates our tattoos and regularly mentions it, but they mean something special to all of us. I had some of the artifacts that were brought up from Port Royal in Kingston put on my arm to remind me we’re never forgotten. It would have been easy for the archaeologists to leave it all in place to get covered in silt and just share photos, but they brought them up, so those people’s parts in history are here forever.”
“That’s beautiful,” she murmured, tracing over the ones on my forearm. “I remember Katy telling me about Port Royal at some point and how they went to see it when they were in Kingston. I’d love to go sometime, especially to hear the bell under the water at night.”
“It’s eerie, but it’s beautiful. I’ll take you and Nemi one day so she can see where the pirates went. She can also go around the fort and play in the Giddy House, which makes me dizzy each time I go in it.”
“Maybe you can bring some photos with you one day so she can see it?” she suggested, moving her fingertips slightly higher up my arm.
“Photos? I don’t need those if I’m taking you there to see it for real. That’s our plan to work toward, okay?” I knew giving us a goal would show her I was committed along with everything else I’d done and said. I was being brutally honest, though, and I was going to make the trip happen.
It might have been a different first date from what I’d imagined, but when I dropped her off, I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way home.
Chapter Twelve
Heidi
“So, how was the date?” Jacinda asked as she trimmed my hair. Not waiting for my reply, she combed through the next section until she had the ends pinched between her fingers and began cutting back into it. “Sweet Jesus, woman, what do you use on your hair? It’s like cutting through air.”
“I’ve been using that Molton Brown stuff I told you about and doing the Olaplex deep conditioning thing once a week. I think I’m going to stick with it because my hair’s never felt this good.”
I deliberately didn’t answer her first question, just focused on my hair. Nemi was at daycare today, and I fully intended on relaxing while I had some time off between cakes and parenting. It was only a few hours, but I needed them desperately.
“You need to alternate your shampoo and conditioner with another one, though. Your hair can get used to the products and formula, so alternating it will keep your hair like this.”
“Noted.”
With her station right next to Jacinda’s, my sister could hear everything that was being said. “I already told her to do that, but she didn’t want to spend that much on another set with import duties on top.” Sayla winked at me. “I’ll bet she’s already decided which one she’s getting, though.”
“It’s not the same brand. I watched the review that Evie did on that Fudge set and bought them afterward.”