After we eat, I stifle a yawn as I glance at my watch. “I’d better be going.”
Henley reaches for Remy, who’s been sitting in my lap for the past fifteen minutes. He hasn’t put together any of her furniture yet, like the high chair, so we passed her back and forth while we ate. “All right. I promise, I’ll have the guest room ready for you tomorrow, and at least the high chair built.”
“It’s okay. No rush.”
Henley stands as I do. “There is a rush. The sooner I get that room situated, the sooner you can be here for Remy.”
Nodding, I say, “Well, I wish you luck tonight.” Remy rests her head on Henley’s chest as she looks at me, and I fight the urge to take a picture of them again. “But I have a feeling she’s going to sleep a bit better for you this time.”
“Why?”
“She’s exhausted from screaming all night last night.” Shrugging, I head for the front door, grabbing my purse from the couch on the way.
“I’ll text you in the morning once I get back from the clinic,” he says, referring to his appointment for his paternity test.
“Sounds good.”
“Thank you again, Elodie.”
Turning to face him, I stare up into his dark, brown eyes. “You’re welcome. Just don’t get too used to me being around, remember?”
“Too late,” he jokes, as evident by the tilt in his lips—that same tilt that’s been taunting me on and off all day.
“Have a good night.” With a wave and backwards glance, I hop in my car, noticing that Henley watched me leave until I was safely inside. And as I head back to my cabin, prepared to pass out the second I arrive, I play back the events of today and beg for something—anything—to spark inspiration.
But all I can hear in the pit of despair deep in my mind is silence.
And that fear that I’ll never write another song again comes back with a vengeance.
Chapter 4
Henley
An Explosion and Donuts
“What are you doing here?”
When I open my front door and find my sister standing there, smacking her gum with her signature bandana wrapped around her head, I try to ignore the disappointment that lodges in the center of my chest because I was hoping to see someone else.
“Nice to see you too, asswipe.” Dilynne scoots past me and straight toward Remy in her high chair. It was the only piece of furniture I’ve been able to build since I got back from the clinic three hours ago, which is frustrating considering I should have way more done by now. Turns out, taking care of an infant means it’s virtually impossible to get anything done.
At least I got four hours of sleep last night. After the disaster of the night before, it felt like winning the lottery.
My sister showing up unannounced has instantly soured my mood, though.
Remy squawks from her high chair when she sees my sister.
“Well, hello to you too! Can you say Auntie? Auntie Dilynne?”
“She’s three months old, Dil. Words aren’t on the horizon anytime soon.”
My sister glares at me over her shoulder. “And how do you know that?”
Elodie told me, I think to myself. But instead, I say, “I looked it up.”
“Thank God for the internet, huh?” Dilynne plays peek-a-boo with my daughter a few times, making her giggle before she stands up tall and turns to face me. “So, how did the test go?”
“Simple. I should have the results in a few days.”
