Just then, a line forms at the counter, and though Mel’s handling it all, it’s clear she needs help.
“I need to go. I—”
“I know. Just one hour, please?” I give her my best pleading eyes, the move more sincere than it’s ever been.
Somehow, that does the trick because she acquiesces. “Fine. Tonight. One hour. But that’s all.”
“Great. You know Wolfie’s?” She nods, and I continue. “Meet me at 8?”
“That won’t work. I can do 9.”
“Yea, great. That’s great.” I tell her, but she’s already turned away, busying herself making drink orders.
I grab my stuff and head out. I have nowhere to go for a couple hours but hanging out while she works borders on creepy. I head over to the gym before class because I’m wide awake and I need to blow off steam. Willa has my head scrambled, but hopefully tonight I’ll get some answers.
Chapter 10
Willa
My baby girlis having a rough day and I can relate. She’s fussy and cranky and nothing soothes her. “Same, girl,” I tell her as I lower her squirmy little body into the bathtub. Granted, I’m not teething, but I’m antsy and unsettled. I’m meeting Knox in two hours, and I have no idea how it’s going to go. Will he demand custody? Or give me papers signing his rights away? We never formalized anything all those months ago, and I’m kicking myself now. But I was paralyzed by fear. There I was, pregnant and alone, poor as fuck and just trying to hold my life together. His rejection—of me and our child—cut more deeply than I ever could have imagined. I think the only reason I recovered is because I had to take care of myself for the baby’s sake. And I have. I might not be winning at life every day, but I’m here, showing up and doing my best.
The warm water seems to chill Rose out a bit, and she’s mesmerized by the bubbles, so I blow them on her tummy, making her smile. “That’s my sweet baby. Let’s get you rinsed off and into fresh clothes, ok, Rosie-girl?”
She babbles at me, and I take that as a yes. I dry her off, lotion her up and put her in the pjs with the strawberry feet. She stretches her little legs out and I realize this is probably the last night for this outfit. Ugh. How is my little one growing so fast? I finger-comb her soft, thick hair. It’s dark like her dad’s, and my heart hurts that he doesn’t know her, but I can’t help but want to protect her from the heartache he might bring.
With Rose in my arms, I pad out to the kitchen and warm up a bottle and then settle into Ian’s comfy couch to feed her. She’s a hungry little thing and soon enough, I’m laying her down for the night. Mrs. Lipton will be here any minute. She’s a godsend since I forgot Ian was closing tonight.
“Thank you so much. I’m so sorry for the short notice,” I tell her, grabbing my bag and jacket from the hook.
“It’s no trouble. I love watching that sweet little girl of yours. I brought a good book,” she holds up a thick little book with a half-naked firefighter on the cover, “so I’ll just read and keep an ear out. If Rose wakes up, we’ll just have story time.”
I can’t quite tell, but I think she’s serious. “Sounds good... I shouldn’t be long, but—”
“No worries, Willa. It’s hours yet til my bedtime. Besides, I’d rather listen to Rose’s little coos than hear Daryl snoring in the La-Z-Boy next to me,” she jokes.
“Alright, well, thank you.” Grabbing my keys, I head out the door, but I have no idea what I’m really walking into.
* * *
Wolfie’s is crowded,but maybe it’s always this way. I’ve never been here. My usual haunts are the coffee shop, the campus daycare, the consignment shop downtown, and Target.
I glance around and see Knox waving to me from a booth in the back, so I head in that direction, that anxious feeling returning to the pit of my stomach.
“Hey,” he stands and reaches for me, but I hold my bag protectively in front of me, like a cheap, fake-leather shield.
I slide into my side of the booth, but he remains standing. “I’m gonna order a drink. What can I get you?”
“Just water is fine,” I tell him. He nods and turns toward the bar. I pull my phone from my pocket, hoping Mrs. Lipton has texted me with an emergency SOS, but I have no such luck. In fact, she texted me saying Rose is still sound asleep.
Knox returns with a beer and a pink drink in a margarita glass. “You don’t have to drink it. I just thought...well, it kind of smells like that perfume you wear, and I can’t get the scent out of my mind. I thought you’d like it, but—it’s cool. No pressure.”
“Thanks,” I acknowledge, smiling. This is what has me losing my mind. This Knox in front of me is so far removed from the one who coldly dismissed my texts a year and a half ago. I take a sip, and it’s good, really good. “But… didn’t you get carded?”
“Nah,” he says. “The bartender, Lindsay, is a friend of mine, so she’s cool about it.”
“Seems like you have a lot of friends,” I say, unable to keep the bitterness out of my voice.
He winces. “Yea, look. About yesterday...Jesus. What can I say? I’m sorry. In a million years, I never imagined you walking out of my bathroom, but...still. I...I haven’t been a saint since we were together, obviously, but Jesus, Willa. If I had thought there was a fucking chance in hell for us after our last text, I’d have been a goddamn monk.”
