God, Poppy, you couldn’t have used any other excuse?
He chuckles. “Nice, right?”
She turns to me. “Leia isn’t with you?”
“I’m sorry, she’s not.”
Her shoulders slump.
“Hey, is that how you welcome a guest?” Bennett’s exactly the kind of dad I thought he’d be. He’s the dad I had always hoped Sean would be. More hands-on, offering more guidance.
“Sorry, do you want pizza? Daddy was about to order it.” Her voice holds more excitement now.
“There you go.” He musses the hair on top of her head, and Wren pulls away.
Bennett looks at me expectantly, his dark eyebrows raised.
“I should get home to Leia.” It would be so awkward to stay here and eat dinner with only them and no Leia. It would be a betrayal no one but me would know.
“We could pick Leia up and go out for pizza?” Wren waggles her eyebrows.
Bennett laughs, putting his hands on her shoulders and turning her back toward the kitchen. “You need to finish those words. I marked the ones you got wrong. Study them, and I’ll be right in.”
My heart splinters into pieces because I’ve kept this man away from Leia. What was I thinking? But then I remember, he was with Kristie, and they were coming to Willowbrook to be a happy little family. I was tossed aside. Leia and I would’ve changed this entire dynamic. No one had a crystal ball to see that Kristie’s labor would go horribly wrong, and she’d lose her life.
I’ve thought about if I had told him. Would Kristie have used it against him and made him stay in California, away from his family? Who knows where we would all be right now. But Bennett wouldn’t be the man he is right now, and I wouldn’t be the woman I am now. Those two things are certain.
“What do you say? Want to get Leia and go for pizza?”
Hell to the no. Unless I want to unleash my secret right here in your family room with your other daughter within earshot.
“I’m sure she’s probably eaten. My mom is a stickler for dinner time. But raincheck for sure.”
He steps closer, taking all the air with him, and the room shrinks. “Wren’s been asking for a sleepover. I understand you might not be comfortable with Leia coming over here with Nash and Jensen, so my parents can host. I’ll spend the night over there to keep an eye on them.”
He shoves his hands into his pockets and looks wary as if I would never allow it.
“I have no problem with Nash and Jensen, but she hasn’t had a sleepover since… well, Sean. Sometimes she still has nightmares.”
He nods. “Maybe a day play date or something then? Wren’s on me day and night to have time with Leia away from school.”
How do I get out of this? Sure, Nash and Poppy have seen her and not said a word about how her features are similar to Bennett and Wren, but I can just picture Bennett serving her pancakes, seeing his eyes reflected back at him.
“I’ll take them.” The words rush out, and I hope he doesn’t grow suspicious.
I know I need to tell him. I just don’t know how after all this time. How thinking I was doing the right thing back then could feel so terribly wrong now.
“I don’t want you to do that.” He glances over his shoulder. “We could do something together. I mean… if you’d be up for it. Go to the zoo, the park, or the movies.” He raises his hands. “Not a date, just to get them together. Do you know the Millers? We could ask Kayla to come too, and one of her parents if you don’t feel comfortable.”
I laugh at how unsure and awkward he seems.
“Are you laughing at me?”
I shake my head. “No, not at all. Just weird to see you so unsure of yourself. It’s refreshing honestly.”
He tilts his head and leans his shoulder against the wall. “Why’s that?”
“Because you always have it together.”
