“That looks good,” I tell Amari before grabbing the bowl. “Can you set the table while I put these in a fancier bowl to beserved?” She nods her heads and grabs the utensils out of the drawer. “Use these napkins.” I hand her a bag of white napkins with some kind of swirly design around them. These should help make the dinner look more presentable, as opposed to using plain old paper towels.
As Amari prepares the table with the utensils, I set all the food out in the middle of the table.
"Mmmm, it smells good,” Amari says as she inhales the aroma of everything in front of us.
I set the last plate down and look at the table with all the food we made. “We did a good job,” I say, wrapping my arm around her. This is more impressive than the fucking hot dogs that Liam brought out that everyone was so in awe of. I can hear their voices replaying in my head,How sweet of you, Liam! Oh, my gosh, Liam!Over fucking hot dogs? I shake my head. “Do you want to go get everyone and tell them dinner is ready?”
Amari nods with a wide grin and runs down the hall, yelling, “The food is ready!”
I head back to the kitchen and open a couple bottles of wine and sparkling apple cider for Amari.
Kevin rounds the corner, dramatically sniffing. “Damn, it smells good.” He looks over the island at the table, turns back around, and slaps me on the shoulder. “You must be trying to get laid.”
Both Kevin and I turn our heads to someone, clearing their voice. Liam stands there, staring between us, and Blakely’s eyes are wide with surprise. I throw Kevin's hand off my shoulder. “He’s fucking around.”
“Yeah. I am. Plus, there is no one here that he can sleep with. Or would sleep with,” Kevin says with his mouth twisted, holding in his laughter.
I hand Kevin the bottles of wine. "Here, take these to the table.” He grabs them and quickly leaves.
I glance over at B and Liam. They’re talking about something under their breaths. I didn’t want to start anything tonight. It’s our last night. I truly wanted everyone to have a good dinner. Or did I? I sigh to myself. Before I head to the table, I notice Liam let go of Blakely's hand and walks over to the table by himself. Blakely watches him walk away, her shoulders slumped. That comment obviously caused some tension between them.
Fucking Kevin.
Everyone trickles in, amazed at the food we prepared. The same comments Liam got when he brought out the stupid hot dogs are what I’m getting. I keep my thoughts to myself. I’m proud of myself. A few years ago, I was eating out of boxes and bags, and now I can cook a whole damn meal. That’s something to be proud of.
"So, Amari, are you excited to go back to school?” Bryn asks.
I can’t believe how big she’s getting. I remember the day we brought her home from the hospital and how in love we were with her. How in love Blakely and I were. I’m still madly in love with her. I know she feels the same way. Or at least I’m hoping she does. It’s crazy how things have changed over the years. There is one thing I have always been grateful for. Blakely never taking Amari away from me, and for her to still keep a good relationship with me. Even when I didn’t deserve it. That’s why I know she deserves more than anyone can ever offer her, and I want to be the one who at least tries to give her everything she deserves.
"Yeah,” Amari says.
“Do you have any boyfriends?” Paige asks, moving her eyebrows up and down.
Amari smiles slightly, shying away from the questions. I narrow my gaze as I stare at Amari's reaction to that question. I look over at Blakely, and she has a tight smile on her face, as if she didn’t want me to find this out.
"Amari,” I say, and she looks up at me. “Do you have a boyfriend?”
She stays quiet, eyeing her mother, trying to hold in her smile. I glance between B and Amari, wondering what the hell is going on. I know it’s an innocent little boyfriend-girlfriend deal, but why didn’t Blakely tell me about this? We tell each other everything when it comes to Amari.
“He’s just a friend,” B says.
“Why didn’t you tell me about this friend?” I ask in a calm voice, trying not to ruin the mood, even though knowing my little girl has a so-called boyfriend is ruining said mood for me. She’s not allowed to date yet. Not even close. Hell, she’s not even supposed to have boys that are friends, not at this age. I was a boy once. I know what goes through their minds. Nothing of that sort went through my mind that young, but still, the longer I can keep her away from boys, the better.
Liam glances over at me. “He really is just a friend.”
My mouth drops at the words that came out of this mouth so casually.
What the fuck?
Why doesheknow about this, and I don’t? My stomach twists, and the calm I was trying to maintain slips away, replaced by a wave of disbelief and frustration. Liam, of all people, knows my daughter has a boy in her life, and somehow, I’m left in the dark?
I try to keep my cool, but it’s difficult. “Wait. How doyouknow about this, and I don’t?”
Liam sits up a little taller. “He came over a couple of times to play.”
To play.
To play what?
