“No. I don’t. But as soon as you have a nice dry one on, I’m going to grab mine and then we need to get you down to Mrs. Neal. She’s waiting for you.”
“She is?” Isla asked, perking right up.
I might not always do everything right. Hell, I probably stuffed up more times than I nailed it, but one thing I was doing right was choosing a carer for my daughter. I had no doubt in my mind Isla loved Mrs. Neal as much as Mrs. Neal loved Isla.
“Yep. She rang and wondered where you were,” I lied easily.
“Oh. Okay. Can I wear this shirt?” Isla asked suddenly moving at warp speed.
Ten minutes later and I was home alone, finishing my coffee, and about to climb into the shower. Somehow, after running on only a few hours of sleep, I’d managed to not only get Isla up, fed, and dressed, but get her dropped off and ready to start the day. And now I could start mine.
An hour later, the apartment was back in some kind of acceptable state, something I knew wouldn’t last and Mrs. Neal wouldn’t judge, but I couldn’t bear the thought of her walking in to find our breakfast dishes in the sink, or unfolded laundry in the basket. Sure, she probably wouldn’t have said a word, but I didn’t want her to think I couldn’t handle it on my own. I’d been handling it on my own now for years.
Years.
Almost seven years to be exact.
From the moment the nurse settled Isla in my arms, it’d been me and her against the world.
Her mother, and I only call her that because calling her the selfish mole seems inappropriate when it comes to the woman who basically gave birth to Isla, signed away her rights and strolled right out, not even bothering to look back.
Selina didn’t want to be a mother and I got that, but how she couldn’t even look at the beautiful little girl she’d carried for nine months, how she didn’t even shed a tear as the nurse led me and my daughter from the hospital room I’d never understand.
“You’re late,” Franklin called as I strolled through the station, bringing me back from the past. One that was full of nothing but pain and disappointment.
“You’re an asshole,” I replied, stuffing my things in my locker, ready to get to work.
Together we walked into the common area, ready for today’s assignments. I was just hoping that it was an easy day. Life as a paramedic wasn’t always fun, but today all I could handle was getting kids' fingers out of drains or transporting little old ladies who’d fallen down and broken a hip. I wasn’t sure I was up for the blood and guts and gore that came with the job. Not today anyway.
Shame the Universe didn’t agree.
My second cup of coffee hadn’t even kicked in when we were called out to a hit and run.
3
CHARLOTTE
I hidat Hannah’s place for a week, but I was cramping their style. They hadn’t said anything, and no one had mentioned me leaving, but rooming with a couple in love who couldn’t keep their hands off each other, wasn’t exactly my idea of a good time. Besides, I wasn’t the best company to be around these days, and the thought of them having to deal with my shitty attitude wasn’t fair.
Today was my day off.
Well, today was supposed to be my wedding day, but a few phone calls and more money lost than I’d like to count, and I was sitting in Hannah’s kitchen, watching as she kissed Mason goodbye before fluttering out the door. For someone who was basically waddling these days, she was an awful lot like Tinkerbell when Mason was around.
Sneaking up the stairs, I stripped the sheets from my bed and grabbed my bags. It was time for me to face my demons. Or in my case, cheating scumbag of an ex.
After dropping the sheets in the laundry room, I headed for the front door, scrolling through my phone looking for the Uber app.
“And just where do you think you’re going?” Mason asked, springing out from nowhere almost scaring me half to death.
“Um. I was going to head home. You guys have been so awesome letting me crash here, but it’s time …”
“And let me guess. You thought if you snuck out while Hannah’s at work she wouldn’t stop you. Right?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Maybe,” I replied, but we both knew my answer was definitely.
Once upon a time, Hannah could be sweet as pie, but pregnant Hannah was a beast none of us understood. One minute she’d be crying over a toilet paper commercial then the next she’d be threatening to dismember someone for getting the answer wrong on Jeopardy. It was kind of funny and part of me feared for Mason’s life leaving him here alone, but he chose her. He chose her, chased her then knocked her up. He could deal with the consequences.
“You know she’s not going to be happy about this.”
