For a moment, Mallory was genuinely confused. “What? That he’s gay?”
“Shh.” Lily looked around nervously before continuing. “Yeah, I guess.”
“Why would it bother me?” she responded honestly. “I don’t care who anyone loves.”
Eyes wide and filled with an emotion Mallory had yet to see, Lily agreed with what was said. “Yeah. Love is love.”
Before Mallory could ask any questions, her name and order number were called out. Mallory and Lily picked up the cups and headed to join Dan, the moment over. She shrugged off the interaction as Lily not being around a lot of different people. She obviously didn’t have a problem with Dan. Curiosity maybe, but not a problem.
Dan had managed to find a small table meant for two, and an unused chair which he’d pulled over. He smiled fondly as they made their way to him. Somehow, the coffee shop had a way ofbeing crowded without feeling crowded. It was one of the many things Mallory had always liked about it.
“What do you ladies have planned for the rest of the week?” Dan asked as Mallory sat down and passed the drinks around.
“I’m not sure. Christian hasn’t said how long Lily will be here,” she answered before turning to the girl. “Is there anything you want to do while you’re here? Just in case it isn’t much longer.”
“Can you talk my dad into letting me stay for the summer? I don’t want to go back,” Lily responded, taking Mallory by surprise.
“I’m sure he would love that, but it might not be that simple. I’ll talk to him, though, okay?”
Lily took a sip of her drink, eyes welled with tears as she attempted to blink them away. “Should be easy. Mom doesn’t want me around, anyway.”
Mallory swallowed down the lump in her throat. She knew all too well the feeling of not being wanted. It didn’t matter if the feelings were justified or not. It didn’t matter if she was both loved and wanted. If she didn’t feel loved, that was all that was important. Another piece of her heart broke for the child. She would give her all the love she had if it could erase some of her pain.
“Well, I can’t speak for your mom, and I can’t speak for your dad, but there’s nothing I’d like more than to spend the summer with you.”
Lily swiped at the few tears that had escaped. “Will you talk to Dad? Please. I can’t go back home.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Mallory repeated through the tightness in her throat.
“I’ll talk to him, too,” Dan said, giving a cheerful wink.
Lily giggled and looked down at her cup. They spent a few minutes quietly enjoying their coffee in comfortable silence. Mallory wasn’t bullshitting. She really did enjoy spending timewith Lily. She was funny, mature for her age, and generally easy to be around.
“Why don’t you and Christian go to dinner or something Monday night? I’ll come up to your place and have a movie night with Lily. You can talk to Christian about Lily staying. I’m off Tuesday because I have to work Saturday, so stay out as late as you want,” Dan suggested after a few minutes.
Mallory hesitated. Some alone time with Christian? That sounded amazing. It hadn’t been terribly long since they’d had some time alone together, but she missed him. Balancing a relationship around a child was completely new to her. She felt like a selfish bitch, but she did miss having Christian to herself.
“Please?” Lily asked.
“It’s not up to me. It’s up to your dad.”
“Yay!” Lily exclaimed, a smile spreading across her innocent face. “I’ll ask him.”
Chapter 21
CHRISTIAN
Christian reached over and gripped Mallory’s thigh as he drove toward the restaurant. He was grateful for some alone time with her, but he couldn’t stop worrying about Lily. Never before had he left her with anyone aside from his mother, and here he was leaving her with yet another stranger.
“She’s fine, you know,” Mallory said, as if reading his mind. “Not only is Dan a professional, but she begged me to talk you into this. She really likes him.”
She was right. He was being ridiculous. Lily was nearly old enough to take care of herself. She would be fine spending a few hours with a man whose job was to deal with children. And if he still had doubts, the fact that he was Mallory’s best friend should have eliminated them.
“I’m glad we get a night to ourselves,” he said after a moment.
She turned to him and pinned him with a smile that lit up her entire face. “I’ve missed you. I’ve been looking forward to this since Dan offered.”
Chris gave her thigh another squeeze. As hesitant as he’d been to leave Lily with Dan, he was dying to spend some time with Mallory. He wanted much more than a dinner date, but alone time was alone time, and beggars couldn’t be choosers. Figuring on their dinner dates being few and far between, he chose one of his favorite restaurants just across the river in New York. Living close to a bridge and tunnel leading into New York City did have its perks.
