“Oh, it’s so pretty. I can’t wait to meet her.”
Honestly, neither can I. At least a meeting that equates to more than just a quick handshake between us. Still, I fear that I will want more, and Whiskey can’t give it to me. She wants me to stay in Bailey, and I can’t.
“So, you’re okay with her being here?”
“Absolutely. What are you going to do while she’s here?”
“I don’t know. Before I came out to ask you, I had just gotten off the phone with her best friend who told me in no uncertain terms to shit or get off the pot where Whiskey’s concerned. Thing is I haven’t asked Saul to file the appeal. I meant to, to give Whiskey her life back, but I like saying she’s my wife and haven’t been able to say that for a long time. When I had to chance to call her that, it was short-lived. Now things could be different, but I have her little girl to worry about as well.”
“It’s an instant family, lots of responsibilities. Are you up for it?”
“I think so, unless her kid hates me.”
“Not possible,” Nola says. “Look at Chandler, she seems to adore you. Maybe call Keane and see if y’all can hang out together. The girls are close in age.”
“Yeah, that seems like a good idea.”
“What is?” Quinn asks from behind. He steps out onto the deck and instantly goes to Nola to kiss her. They make me jealous. I want what they have and while I know it’s within my grasp, I don’t know how to pull the trigger.
“Ajay’s wife has a daughter; they’re going to come visit.”
“She does?”
“Yeah, Evelyn, she’s five,” I tell him.
“Damn, married and a step father,” he pauses and starts laughing. “You’re the ‘ninety-day stepdaddy’.”
I glare at him while Nola’s eyes go wide. “Oh, I think I have that book.” She bolts from her chair and heads back into the house while Quinn and I stare at each other. He finally sits down and looks at me.
“What are you going to do?”
I tell him what I know about Evelyn and her father and how I’m concerned with all of the impending decisions I need to make. I want Whiskey as my wife but not at the expense of her daughter’s happiness.
“Take it from me, if her father doesn’t want her and you fall in love with this little girl, adopt her. My mom adopted me, and it was the best thing for my life.”
I hadn’t even thought about what Quinn is suggesting, but I like the idea. However, I’m not going to think too much into it until I can spend time with Evelyn and see how well we mesh. I won’t put Whiskey in a bad spot where her daughter is concerned. I love her too much to hurt her that way.
28
Jamie
The idea of waking before the sun is up is not my idea of a good time, even worse is trying to rouse Evelyn out of bed. This child refuses to budge and keeps slapping my hand away when I try to tickle her. I should’ve told Dhara no, that I didn’t want to go to her stupid concert with her, but Ajay convinced me to come even though I will only see him for a day. Technically not even a full twenty-four hours, but something more like five. Five hours together after not seeing him for six weeks feels like a lifetime apart when I don’t take into account our earlier separation. But I’m trying to forget that period of my life and focus on the future, which is challenging considering Ajay’s elusiveness. I have hope that once I’m out there, things will be different. I’m going to use my time wisely to show him that the three of us deserve a chance at happiness with each other.
“Evelyn, don’t you want to go on the airplane?”
When Dhara told me about the contest she won, I called bullshit. It seemed obvious that she didn’t actually win but rather found something to hold over Ajay’s head to get tickets. That was until he told me Sinful Distraction wasn’t even going to be in town, but that he’d find a way to come see me while I was in Los Angeles. I tried to tell Dhara that I wasn’t going, that it was a waste of my time, but she cried and went on about how she already gave them our names and things were nontransferable. I finally relented but am still leery of the whole thing. It’s just too convenient to be a coincidence.
“Mommy, I tired,” she says, rubbing her eyes.
“I know, sweetie, but you’ll be able to sleep on the plane, and I think it’ll have a TV so you can watch some show
s. You’ll be able to color and read your book.”
“But no math?”
“Nope, no math. Not on this trip.”
Evelyn sits up but keeps her eyes closed. She lifts her arms so I can remove her pajamas and put her sundress on. “It’s warm in California,” I tell her. “But not humid like it is here.”