“You will watch Lillie if Ruby agrees to go with me to the gala, and you won’t say a word about it.”
She closes her eyes and bows her head as if she’s being martyred. “I will.”
Her behavior is so over the top, but it’s what I needed to hear. Now I’m ready to end this infuriating conversation. The sound of Ruby and Lillie downstairs distracts me, and I turn on my heel, leaving the room and jogging down the stairs.
As I get to the landing, I see the two of them bustling into the house. It makes me smile, and all that tension melts away.
“Dad-day!” Lillie launches into a run, and I catch her, lifting her in my arms. “My broccoli has furry little middles that look like real broccoli! But the beets just look like lettuce leaves with red stems. And Ruby showed me how to pull weeds and give them just a little bit of water. Not too much water!”
Ruby hangs at the door, but it’s too much distance between us. I carry my daughter to where she’s standing. Two pairs of gardening gloves are in her hands, and she looks down at them when I smile. Her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink under my gaze.
“An artist and a gardener?” I grin, letting my eyes roam her face. “I feel like I’m getting a bargain.”
She’s still ready with the snark. “You’re paying me way too much, but I’m worth it.”
No argument here.
Lillie starts to wiggle, so I put her down. She races toward the stairs, and Ruby calls after her. “Wash your hands. No, get in the tub. You’ve got dirt all over you.” She glances at her hands and does a little frown. “I’m kind of a mess myself.”
“I’d be happy to help with cleanup.”
Her eyes narrow, and she gives me a sly grin. “I bet you would, filthy boy.”
It tightens my stomach and makes me laugh. “I meant with Lillie.”
Damn, I really want to be alone with her again. I imagine us in the garden tub in my bathroom suite, pulling her naked and slippery onto my lap…
I’ve got to figure out a way to make this work.
In the meantime, I’m just starting to follow my daughter upstairs when she calls after me. “Hey, um…” She hesitates, and I stop, taking a few steps back. “You feel like doing something tomorrow night? Drew said there’s this Karaoke thing at the Red Cat. Gray thought it might be fun if we all went…”
She’s so awkward, it’s my turn to tease. “Are you asking me out, Miss Banks?”
Her cheeks flame red. “No! It’s like a friend-type thing. A big group of friends. It’s not a date.”
I return to where she’s standing and trace a dark curl off her cheek with my finger. “Drew and Gray aren’t friends. They’re engaged.”
She puts her hand on my chest and gives me a little push. “Yes, but you and I are just friends, so back it up, big boy.”
I love it. Even with me giving her a hard time, she’s ready to be feisty right back. I can’t help a grin, and she looks at my face before shaking her head and walking past muttering something about a dimple.
Crossing my arms, I lean against the doorjamb watching her go. She’s got the cutest little ass. I’m busted checking her out when she stops at the stairs.
“Hey!” Her eyes narrow. “Eyes up here.” Two fingers point at her face, and I chuckle, following her to the stairs. “Do I get any time off?”
I hadn’t really thought about it. “Sure! I mean, I guess so… as long as Lillie’s covered.”
“I just wanted to have lunch with Ma. It’s weird not seeing her every day, and I guess yesterday at church I realized how much I miss her.”
We’d all arrived at the small sanctuary together, but after Ruby took Lillie to her Sunday school class, she returned and sat with her mother. I’d wanted to move and sit beside her, but it felt rude to leave Eleanor alone. Now I’m wondering why I cared.
“You can certainly have lunch with your mom. I’ll ask Eleanor to watch Lillie.” That doesn’t seem to be the right answer.
“No. Don’t ask Eleanor.” She holds up her hand. I’m confused, but maybe she senses what’s going on. Ruby is fucking smart as a whip. “What if I took Lillie with me instead? Ma would love it.”
“I don’t see why not.”
Her lips press into a frown. “It would mess up your daddy-daughter lunch, but maybe you could do something different that day? They opened this new custard shop across from the clinic. It’s supposed to be really good. I wouldn’t know, because—”
