He steps closer, and his kind eyes land on Anjali. He’s smiling down at her and for a flash I think he’d be such a great dad. Then he says, “She looks like Benjamin Button.”
A laugh bubbles out of me. “JP, you can’t say things like that!”
“She kind of does!” He’s laughing the laugh that lights up his whole face.
“Well, not out loud,” I add.
“Oh, when have you ever kept your thoughts to yourself?” he asks.
My heart jumps at the insinuation that he knows me well. “Well, I’m a changed woman,” I respond quickly.
He nods, his gaze sweeping over me. “A lot can change in a year then.”
I raise my eyebrows and nod at the door where his beautiful fiancée has waltzed by the doorway wearing his sweatshirt. He nods once. It comes across as an apology for an unfortunate event, but I’m certain he meant it to be a bashful recognition of an awkward moment.
“Can I hold her?” JP asks, changing the subject.
“You should probably change out of your airport clothes first,” I say.
The moment lingers. He swallows, his eyes dancing over my face. “It’s really good to see you.”
I nod. “It’s good to see you again too.”
He’s hesitating, nervously rubbing his fingers together like he doesn’t know what to do with his hands, and I’m againgrateful to be holding my niece. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.”
“Yeah, I didn’t know you were coming either.”
We both open our mouths to say more and close them, letting out uncomfortable laughs.
“JP!” Audrey calls from outside the nursery.
He throws a thumb over his shoulder. “I got to—um—I’ll just—”
“We’ll catch up. I’ll keep the baby warm for you.”
He disappears out of the room, and I wait ten seconds before heading back downstairs with Anjali cradled on my shoulder.
“This will be fine. It was only a few months,” I whisper against the warm skin of her scalp and her sweet baby hair. “Right, Anjali? Everything will be fine.”
Her only response is a long, loud shart that oozes up her back and turns her once-pink sleeper the color of Dijon mustard.
“Or that,” I reconcile. Because she’s right. It could all turn to shit.
twenty-three
Claire:No!
Lena:that motherfucker
Me:I can do this, right? Pretend like we were nothing. It’s not like we were officially together.
Lena:he took care of you when you were sick in the hospital
Claire:You met his family!
Lena:the most serious situationship ive ever seen
I groan.
