“What’s the cost?” the client calls to me from the storage room.
It’s a sign, I think. The universe is warning me not to get overly invested in a personal relationship with Zack. “There, um, should be a tag on the bottom,” I say.
If only, I think,potential relationships came with price tags, as well.
—
“THIS LOOKS DELICIOUS,”Zack says as he spoons the étouffée on top of the rice on his plate. I’ve gone to some trouble with dinner—salad, whole-wheat rolls, and green beans, as well as the rice and étouffée—but I’m downplaying the effort by having us eat in the kitchen, with everything in bowls on the table. Zack and I have large glasses of iced tea on our green print placemats, and Lily has a cup of milk.
“I love it when we all eat together, jus’ like a real fam’ly!” Lily exclaims.
“There are all kinds of families,” I say, putting some green beans on Lily’s plate.
She takes a gulp of milk. “I mean like Alicia’s fam’ly, where they all live together.”
I butter a roll for Lily. “Yes, well, our family is different.”
“Yeah, I know.” Her voice sounds despondent. “I wish you didn’ have to move away, Daddy.”
He glances at me, then settles his gaze on Lily. “Well, it’s looking like I won’t.”
“What?” An ear-to-ear smile brightens her face. “You’re gonna stay?”
“Yes.” He looks at me. “I talked with the partners at my law firm, and I’m staying on.”
“So I can see you every day?” Lily breathlessly asks.
“Probably not every day, but a lot more often than if I lived in Seattle.”
“Yay!” Lily cheers, bouncing up and down in her chair.
Ruffles gets into the act and barks.
“Settle down there, little missy,” Zack says to the dog, then grins at Lily. “You, too. And one of you needs to put your napkin on your lap.”
Lily giggles and immediately whisks it off the table.
I adore the light, humorous way Zack offers parental instruction to Lily.He’s a wonderful father, I think.My thoughts scramble all over each other, like crabs trying to climb out of a bucket.He’s just wonderful, period. He’s kind, he’s smart, he’s funny, he’s attractive. So attractive! Aw, hell, who am I kidding? He’s sexy as hell! He’s exactly the kind of man I’ve always hoped to...
He’s looking at me, and I realize he’s waiting for me to eat before he does. I feel my face heat.Stick a fork in it, Quinn.I spear a cherry tomato and force myself to chew.
—
LILY PRATTLES THROUGHOUTthe meal about everything we can do together now that Zack is staying in town. I steer the conversation away from her plans for family outings by asking about herday at preschool. She’s learning where foods come from, so she starts asking about everything on her plate. She asks how rice grows. She asks about shrimp—she remembers seeing some at the aquarium—and Zack tells her how they’re caught. She talks about lettuce, and remembers how her mother grew some in a pot in the backyard.
“My mommy’s house is right down the street,” she tells Zack as we finish eating.
“Yes, I know. I was there when your grams fell.”
“I wanted to go see if Mommy is still there, but Grams said she wasn’t, an’ she thought it would make me sad.”
I draw in my breath. I remember the conversation.
“I know why she said that. It was ’cause I was so sad when I stayed there with her before the fun’ral,” Lily says. She looks at me. “You an’ Ruffles came back here, but I stayed there with Grams, an’ I could hear her cryin’ at night.”
I put my hand on my chest. I didn’t know this.
“I tol’ Alicia, an’ she said maybe it was my mommy, ’cause she doesn’ think old peoples cry.” Lily takes a slurp of milk. “I asked Alicia if she’s ever seen my mommy there ’cause she drives by the house all the time, but she says no.”
