“Still, she shouldn’t have come over here and bothered you.”
He shrugs. “She can come over here anytime.” He looks over at my daughter. “As long as your mother says it’s okay, right, Emily?”
“Right,” she says, bobbing her head.
Slapping my thighs, I stand. “Okay, little miss, let’s go home. I need to make dinner.”
“What are you having?” Mac asks.
“Noodles. It was the easiest thing to carry back from the store down the road,” I tell him reluctantly as I look at his grill with longing.
I don’t remember the last time I had something hot off a grill. Evan hated grilling. So much so that he refused to let us own one even though he knew I loved it. Having something hot off a grill sounds a million times better than noodles.
Maybe someday I’ll have one of my own.
I give him a small smile, heading back to our place.
“Noodles. It was the easiest thing to carry back from the store down the road.”
As soon as the words leave her mouth, I want to kick myself in the ass. I’m a fucking dick for not thinking about the fact that she would need to get groceries and shit. Shit, she’s even taken rideshares to work, and I never thought twice about it until now.
Here I was thinking that I was helping her, making sure she had everything she needed, but I’ve been failing. I missed one of the most important things she could need.
That ends now, though.
We have some loaners at the shop. First thing in the morning, I’ll ask Smoke if she can use one until she gets her feet under her and can get one for herself. Hell, I know for a fact that he won’t say no. He will just toss me a set of keys to give to her or give them to her himself.
Surely that will help, right?
As I run my hand over my mouth, I watch as she looks at my grill with longing.
She gives me a small smile before she heads back to her place, but I can’t let her step inside. If she does, I won’t see her again today. I don’t know how I know that, but I do.
“How about you guys join me for dinner?” I ask, without thinking twice.
“Can we?” Emily asks, clasping her hands under her chin.
“I-I don’t…” Jane trails off.
“I have more than enough food. Honestly, you would be doing me a favor,” I tell her.
She bites her bottom lip and stares at the grill for a second. If I had to guess, I bet she’s trying to come up with an excuse to walk away.
I wait her out. I won’t pressure her into it, but, fuck, I want to. I want to tell her that she could have every last morsel of food I have if she would only spend a little more time with me. I keep my mouth shut and am rewarded when she finally speaks.
“Okay, fine, but only if you’re sure.”
“I am. As long as you guys like brats and burgers,” I tell her.
“What’s a brat?” Emily asks.
“It’s like a hot dog. You love hot dogs,” Jane tells her without missing a beat.
I have to stop myself from laughing. Yeah, brats and hot dogs aren’t the same. Sure, they are the same shape, but they are different. Then again, to a kid, I guess they would be the same.
“Emily, let’s run home and grab your brother,” Jane tells her.
Emily crosses her arms over her chest and pouts. “I want to stay right here.”
