“I tried to make bear pancakes last week and she threw them on the floor, then cried.”
“What? Oh, I see,” Rafe says in understanding through the phone speaker. “She’ll be okay. She’s adjusting, that’s all.”
“It’s been almost three weeks. I thought kids were supposed to adjust fast.” I lean over my desk and scrub a hand around my jaw. “She won’t wear anything else except thisbunny onesie. I have to sneak the thing out of her room at night to get it into the laundry.”
“You could call Tate? Maybe Molly would be happier if she speaks to her.”
“I think it’ll just confuse her,” I say.
I don’t know that for certain. But I do know I’m too fucking scared to find out. This is the way things have to be.
“How was LA?” Rafe asks, sensing my need to change the subject.
“Fine. The store is thriving. The new manager has it handled.”
“Had to go check in person, though, right?”
“Yeah,” I mutter.
“Like you checked San Diego last week.”
“Exactly,” I clip back.
“And San Francisco,” Rafe adds, letting his unspoken knowledge of where I’ve really been hang in the air.
“You told your sister that you’re jerking off to videos of her best friend yet?”
“Arsehole.” Rafe chuckles. “Fine. Point taken. I won’t mention your sudden increase in airmiles again.”
“Good,” I grumble.
“Speaking of women we aren’t supposed to be speaking about…” Rafe murmurs. “My sister and Aurora just walked in. I’ve got to go.”
“Stay sitting at your desk. That way they won’t see your boner.”
“Fuck off,” he rumbles, hanging up.
I look up as my father, Sinclair, and her dog, Monty, arrive and go in to greet Molly and Arabella. I stand and make my way to the office opposite, thanking Arabella as she passes me on her way back out to her office.
“Ready for a sleepover with Grandad?” my father asks as he swoops down and pulls Molly into his arms.
She grins at him, obviously saving her recent tantrums for my personal enjoyment only.
“See baby?” she asks hopefully.
“I think we can arrange that.” He chuckles.
My father bought a home scan machine when Halliday fell pregnant. He says it’s for peace of mind. But we all know it’s because he’s excited and wants to see the baby every day.
He was never like this with our mother. Halliday’s been good for him.
“Hallie said if you’re lucky, you might even feel the baby move,” he adds.
Molly’s eyes widen in wonder, and she looks at Sinclair, who reaches out to grab her little hand and kiss her fingers.
“I’m going to come with you and Grandad. I’ve got some wedding things to talk about with Halliday. That okay?”
“It okay,” Molly replies seriously, like she’s given it great thought.
