“Well, aren’t you just the prettiest little thing I’ve seen all day,” she cooed, lighting up as she looked from Rosie to me.“You look just like your daddy.”She smiled up at me, and I felt my stomach tighten.
“He’s not my dad,” Rosie replied matter of factly.“My dad died.”
“Oh honey, I’m so sorry.”
“Can we go now?”Rosie asked, looking up at me with tears in the corner of her eyes.
I nodded and handed the woman my card, not bothering to listen when she gave me the total.I grabbed the bag and led Rosie out, my hand protectively splayed across her back as we headed to the gym.
Trevor had been at lunch when I left to go pick her up but was back in the office when we got back.
“Hello!”she said excitedly as she bounced into the room, shuffling around the back of my desk to climb up into the chair.
“Hi,” Trevor replied with a smile that nearly split his cheeks.“How are you, Rosie?”
“You know my name?”She stopped what she was doing as her face dropped in surprise.
“I do,” he confirmed.“I also know your uncle Mike, and my buddy Roman was just telling me all kinds of fun stuff about you before he went to pick you up from school.”
“Like what?”Her elbows rested on the desk as her head lay in her hands while she waited.
“Hmm, let's see.”He tapped his fingers together before widening his eyes and looking from me to her.“He told me that you love superheroes and that Hulk is your favorite.”
She gasped before a smile spread tightly across her face.I opened the bag of snacks and spread them out across my desk before grabbing the two protein bars and tossed one to Trevor.He caught it and gave me a nod.
“Hulk is my favorite, but I also love Captain America.He’s sooo dreamy,” she sighed.
Trevor and I looked at each other and then turned back to her.
She tilted her head back and laughed.
“That’s what Grandma Sandra says when we watch the movies.I think boys are gross, but she says that someday when I’m older, I’ll change my mind.”She opened the small bag of Doritos and fished one out before popping it into her mouth.
I felt a rush of relief wash over me.
“Boys are gross,” a voice said from the hallway.
I looked up to find Mike walking into the room, a look of confusion on his face as he looked between the three of us.
“Why is Rosie here with you?Where’s Quinn?”he asked, looking around as if I had her hidden under my desk or something.
“She had a last-minute meeting and needed someone to pick up Rosie, so I volunteered.”
I kept my answer simple, but I knew he would see right through it.
“Why didn’t she ask my mom?Or me?”He furrowed his brow, then narrowed his eyes.“Since when do you and Quinn talk anyway?”
“I....Ummm....”I looked nervously at Rosie, not wanting to say anything that would frighten her or upset Quinn, given I didn’t know how much she wanted Rosie to know right now.
“Hey, Rosie, I need to go check on the guys in the back.Do you want to come with me?”Trevor asked, pushing away from his desk and waiting for her to join him.
I raised a brow at him, silently telling him to keep an eye on her.
“I’ve got her, don’t worry.”
Once they left the room, I let out the breath I was holding.
“What the fuck is going on, Roman?”
