“I…” Grayson looks around the room. “Hell, I don’t know. Make yourselves at home, I guess. There’s water and soda in the fridge. And Evelyn’s stuff is—” He moves his arm, indicating the entire room. “Everywhere. I’d love to tell you where to find certain things, but I have no fucking idea.”
Caroline laughs lightly, a pretty sound that makes me smile in return. God, everything about this woman is pretty.
More than pretty.
She was pretty as a teenager. She was also kind and carefree and so easy to be around. I’d definitely been looking forward to seeing her again and catching up.
But it turns out I wasn’t prepared at all to see her again, given she’s not a girl anymore. She’s a woman. She’s a confident, gorgeous, smart woman who has been traveling the world and becoming even more interesting and intriguing and, yes, beautiful.
“We’ll find whatever we need. I’m not worried,” she assures Grayson.
“Well, that would make one of us.” He shakes his head. “I don’t mean I’m worried about you being here. I’m just worried in general.”
“Go do your meeting or whatever. We’ll be right here.”
He seems to want to say more but just shakes his head again, turns on his heel, and heads for the bedroom.
As soon as the door shuts behind him, Caroline turns to me. “Wow, I think he’s really in over his head.”
I cast a look around the room and chuckle. “What makes you say that?” I ask dryly.
Caroline looks down at the baby in her arms. “What do you think? Is your daddy having a hard time?”
Evelyn’s brow furrows and her bottom lip pushes out.
“I’m gonna take that as a yes,” Caroline says. She reaches up and rubs the little girl’s bottom lip. “That is quite a pout you have going.”
Evelyn’s face scrunches, and the lip begins to tremble.
Caroline looks at me. “Uh oh.”
“Don’t worry, Evie,” I say. “We’re going to help. How about we work on making your apartment smell a little better first?”
Evelyn’s pouty lip goes away as she looks at me. I step closer and turn so she can see Noah’s face. “This is Noah. Do you want to be friends?”
Evelyn studies Noah but doesn’t say anything.
“Maybe Noah can borrow your swing,” I say, moving toward the swing next to the couch. I lower Noah into it and press the button to start it gently rocking.
Evelyn is watching us with clear suspicion. Fair enough. Three total strangers are here in her space, taking over her stuff, and her dad just disappeared.
We’re lucky she’s not screaming.
Caroline carries her over to the jumpy-seat toy. “Evelyn, you sit here and watch Noah.”
She puts the little girl in the seat and twirls a couple of the toys on the tray. Evelyn isn’t impressed.
I chuckle, and Evelyn looks up at me. Then she practically knocks me over with a sudden toothless grin. I can’t do anything but grin right back at her.
“There you go,” Caroline tells her, propping her hands on her slim hips. “We’re not so bad, are we?”
Evelyn looks at her. And frowns.
Caroline’s eyebrows arch. “Say something else,” she tells me. “Talk to her.”
“What do you have to be so grumpy about at only seven months of life?” I ask Evelyn. “Or was it your past life that’s got you so down?”
Evelyn looks up at me, and sure enough, grins before putting her fist to her mouth.
