Once or twice, I’ve questioned whether keeping Natasha away from Molly was the right decision. But I only have to hear her slurred, drunken pleading for more money, to reassure myself that it was. I wouldn’t be surprised if it isn’t just alcohol she’s addicted to. I can’t have Molly exposed to that. Natasha’s been given the choice. Get clean and have the opportunity to see Molly. Or carry on the way she is, and possibly lose her life to substance abuse before Molly even starts school.
She’s chosen the latter.
Tate looks up and her smile falters as she sees me staring.
“Is it time to go? Do you need to get back?” She checks her watch.
I close my laptop and place it on the grass beside me, leaning back on my hands and stretching out my shoulders. These pants alone cost twenty thousand dollars. But Molly’s happy giggle floating over to me makes all concerns about grass stains and dirt evaporate.
“No,” I say, pulling out my phone and snapping a picture of Molly with the flowers in her hair.
“Okay then.” Tate smiles and plucks another daisy from the ground, winking at Molly. “I think Daddy would look good with a necklace. What do you think?”
Molly’s stroking the daisies around my neck with one small fingertip, tracing over each flower with care as I carry her back along Fifth Avenue. She claimed her legs were too tired from chasing the pigeons outside The Songbird hotel that faces onto Central Park to walk the rest of the way back.
“The park was a good call,” I tell Tate as we stop on the sidewalk between Caffeine Couture and Beaufort Diamonds. “Someone’s tired and should sleep well tonight.” I kiss the top of Molly’s head.
“It was all this one’s idea,” Tate replies, tickling Molly under one arm and making her squirm and giggle in my arms. “I’ll see you soon, okay?” she says to Molly.
My daughter reaches for Tate and Tate glances at me with an unsure expression.
“You want a cuddle, Sweetheart?” I ask Molly.
She nods enthusiastically and reaches for Tate.
I pass Molly into Tate’s arms and hold back the bite ofprotectiveness that fills my chest as Molly sinks happily into her embrace and Tate closes her eyes and presses her face into Molly’s curls.
My father’s right. I need to loosen the reins a little. What kind of man would I be to deny my daughter the affection Tate obviously has for her, because I find it difficult to let go?
Molly deserves love and attention. She deserves the damn world, and I’m going to do whatever it takes for her to get it.
“What a lovely big squeeze,” Tate says as Molly kisses her on the cheek with a ‘mwah’ sound.
Our eyes connect over Molly’s shoulder and Tate smiles at me before she kisses Molly back. “Next time I see you, we’ll have bear pancakes, okay?”
“Yay!” Molly grins as Tate hands her back to me.
I hold her in one arm as my phone rings in my pocket. I place my laptop down so I can pull it out and answer.
“Dad? Everything okay?”
I hold Tate’s questioning gaze and give her a small nod when my father tells me that Halliday and the baby are both fine, but that he’s going to stay at home with her, and I can drop Molly over for the rest of the afternoon.
Tate exhales and her face softens like she’s relieved.
“Yeah, I can do that now,” I tell my father after he asks me to go to Seasons for him. “We’ll head over there, and I’ll bring Molly to you after.”
I hang up and text Cliff before pocketing my phone.
“My father needs me to check on something at Seasons. I’m going to head over there now.”
“You’re close, aren’t you? Always helping one another. It’s really nice.”
I look at Tate’s innocent expression. “We’re Beauforts, Tate,” I say by way of explanation. “It’s what we do. Family always comes first. Cliff can drop you home after.”
“What? No, it’s fine. I’ll get the subway.”
“Cliff always takes you home,” I clip.
