I actually was in a good mood.
And that little blond smart-ass was the reason for it.
I left there and went to pick up Harper, who talked nonstop the whole way home about her birthday party.
About the pink balloons and the cake.
I knew we needed to have a conversation about Caroline, and I just wasn’t sure how to bring it up.
“I’m glad you had a good party, baby girl.” I helped her out of the truck, and we walked into the house.
“Is Violet home?” she asked.
“She went to meet Montana and Blakely for brunch. She’ll be back later.”
She sat down on the couch, and I made my way over to sit beside her.
“I wanted to talk to you about what happened yesterday with Caroline.”
“I don’t like that my mama just comes to see me on my birthday. She’s a stranger. And remember, you told me about stranger danger, Daddy.”
I nodded. “I understand that, and that’s why I wanted to talk to you. When your mom left when you were a baby, I didn’t really know what I was doing. And she came up with this idea to come visit you once a year on your birthday, and I agreed to it because I thought it wasthe right thing. I didn’t want to rock the boat, and I was just happy that I got to have you with me every day, you know?”
“I always want to be with you. You’re my favorite person, Daddy.”
“You’re my favorite person too, Harps.” I tucked her long hair behind her ear. “But I didn’t know what the right thing to do with your mom was, but I want to do what makes you happy.”
“I don’t need a mama because I have the best daddy around.” She shrugged, her eyes wet with emotion, which told me this was something that had been weighing on her. “I don’t want to see Caroline because I don’t know her, and I don’t like that she feels like a stranger.”
“That’s fair. I told her that I didn’t think this was a good idea anymore. I wanted to make sure that’s what you wanted. And if you change your mind and you want to know about her, or you want to see her, you just tell me, okay?”
“I will. I had fun with Violet yesterday. She made my party so special. I think she might be my best friend sometimes.” She shrugged, and I chuckled at how not smooth she was about the change in conversation. My daughter was done talking about Caroline, and I got the message loud and clear.
“Yeah. Violet’s good people, isn’t she?”
“I like that you two pretend that you don’t like each other but everyone knows that you do.” She chuckled.
“She’s pretty easy to like.”
“Is she your girlfriend, Daddy?” she asked, smiling up at me with those rosy cheeks and that toothless smile.
“I don’t know what she is, Harps. We’re good friends and I like her,” I said, feeling like a teenager being questioned by a parent.
“I think she likes you too.” She climbed on my lap. “Sometimes when she’s here it feels like we’re a family. I like it.”
Fuck. Was I messing things up by bringing Violet into Harper’s life, when I didn’t know where this was going?
“Friends can be part of your family too, right?” I asked.
“Do you think we’ll still see Violet all the time when she moves back to her house?”
“Well, her house is going to take a little longer than we thought,” I said, trying to hide the smile from my face. “She had a groundhog do some damage underground.”
Her mouth fell open. “A groundhog ate Violet’s house?”
“Well, I’d say he ate enough to keep her here for a few weeks.” I rumpled the top of her head, and she giggled.
“Lily does her mama’s makeup, and I wanted to see if I could do Violet’s makeup with that makeup kit you got me for Christmas.”
