I stared at Kellie.
I know she was waiting for me to say something, but I had no idea what to say. Part of me wanted to rant and rave and go absolutely ballistic for keeping this, for keeping my daughter from me, but before I did that, I needed more information.
“Cassandra?”
“Yes. I named her after my sister. She was born just after…”
Well, shit! How could I be mad at that?
“Do you have a picture?”
Kellie rifled through her purse before handing me her phone. One look was all it took, and I knew Cassandra was my daughter. It was in her eyes and all over her face. I didn’t need a piece of paper or a bunch of medical tests to tell me what my heart already knew. I was a father—a father who’d never met his daughter.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I spluttered, scrolling through image after image of a beautiful little girl who looked happy, loved, and completely spoiled.
“I didn’t know until you were gone,” Kellie admitted, and I could see how hard this was for her.
“You could’ve called,” I pointed out.
“You never did,” Kellie tossed back, and her words sliced me to the bone. She wasn’t wrong. I could’ve called. And a million times, I wanted to, but I refused to give her hope for something I couldn’t guarantee. It turns out she was carrying her own permanent reminder of us, and I just didn’t know it.
“Can we get out of here?” I asked, not at all worried about the untouched food on our plates.
Without waiting for an answer, I paid the check and stepped outside into the cool air. I needed a minute. I needed to breathe. Here, I was hoping to win back Kellie’s heart, and instead, all it took was a glimpse of a picture on her phone of a girl in a pink spotted dress, her hair in pigtails, and I’d just handed mine over without batting an eyelid. I never knew it was possible to fall in love instantly, but Cassandra owned me, and I’d never even met her.
“Look, Jake, I’m sorry,” Kellie apologized as she fell out the door and would’ve fallen straight down the steps, face-planting on the concrete if I hadn’t caught her. But this was Kellie. My Kellie. I’d always be there to catch her.
Righting her on her feet, I could see the agony in her eyes. As much as I knew deep down in my heart that Kellie hadn’t done this to hurt me, it did. It fucking stung. I’d already missed so much.
“Get in the truck, Kellie,” I demanded gruffly, and Kellie froze. I wasn't sure what she thought would happen, but I wasn’t going to hurt her. I might be pissed as hell right now and confused beyond belief, but I’d never hurt her. Not only was Kellie the love of my life, but she was the mother of my daughter which made her even more precious, if that were even possible.
“Please, Kellie. Get in the truck,” I softened, not wanting to scare her.
Opening her door, I waited as she climbed in, flashing me a look at the creamy skin of her thigh. As she swiveled in her seat, she went to grab her belt, but I stopped her. “Wait!”
“What?” she asked, confused.
Reaching in, I pulled off the ridiculous heels from her feet and tossed them behind her seat.
“What are you doing?”
“As hot as they look, I don’t need you breaking your ankle trying to impress me, Kellie. All you have to do is breathe to do that,” I told her, slamming the door before walking around the back of the truck and sliding behind the wheel.
Gunning the engine, I pulled out of the parking lot, leaving a cloud of dust in my wake. After making a pit stop at the drive-thru of the local burger joint, I pulled out onto the main road and kept driving.
“Where are we going?” Kellie asked nervously.
Ignoring her question, I tossed one back at her. “Tell me about her… tell me about my daughter.”
“You really want to know?”
“Of course, I want to know.” My words came out harsher than I’d intended, and when Kellie scooted toward the door and away from me, I regretted them, but I couldn’t take them back. I wouldn’t.
“Why don’t you hate me right now?” she asked, shocking me.
Thankfully, we were already far enough out of town when I swerved, it was onto the side of a deserted road, and I didn’t cause an accident. Shoving the truck into park, I turned to face her.
“Kellie, look at me.”
