I make a frustrated sound and hurl the doll at him as he roundsthe corner to the family room. He snatches it out of the air one-handed, barely even looking.
“First a shoe and now…” He cringes as he examines the doll. “Whatever this thing is. You could’ve been a quarterback with an arm like that, Hart.”
Despite everything, a watery laugh bubbles up inside me. I reach over and flick on the side-table lamp, flooding the room with warm light, then shake my head and wipe my eyes again. Not that I’m fooling either of us into thinking I’m okay.
“I don’t want an audience for my meltdown.”
Felix moves around the coffee table and sits on the couch without touching me. He’s giving me space even as he refuses to leave me alone.
“Too late.” His voice is soft. “Talk to me, Piper.”
I stare at the uneaten toast, throat tight.
“Is it the nausea?” he asks.
“It’s the doll,” I murmur.
He looks down at the toy dangling from his hand, then back at me. One eyebrow climbs toward his hairline. “I get that. This thing is creepy as fuck, but it’s no reason to cry.” He turns it to examine the faded painted eye. “I’m mostly sure those possessed-doll movies are fake anyway.”
I laugh again. “No, I mean—” I take a shaky breath. “That was a Christmas present from my mom, and one of my first memories. I wasn’t much older than Ellie.”
The teasing light in his blue eyes drains away.
“Now I’m having a baby, and Mom will never meet him or her. She won’t—” My voice cracks. “It’s not fair.”
“No,” Felix says quietly. “It’s not.”
He moves closer, his thigh pressing against mine, and takes my hand. His palm is warm and rough and solid and makes the vise in my chest loosen slightly.
“But you’re not alone. You know that, right? You’ve got Sadieand Ian. Your friends. Riva.” He squeezes my fingers. “Me if you want.”
I look up into those impossibly blue eyes that got me into this mess in the first place. “You’ve done enough processing?”
“You have to know that was all bullshit. I’d never walk away from my child.”
“I didn’t…” I swallow hard. “You know that Sadie and I both grew up without fathers?”
He nods. “Ya, but not the details.”
“Sadie’s dad left when she was a baby and started a new family in Nebraska. He only called when he needed a summer babysitter for his do-over kids.” The old bitterness creeps into my voice. “My dad was apparently great with Sadie when he started dating our mom but left before I was born.” I move to pull away, but he holds fast to my hand, his thumb tracing circles on my knuckles.
“So I’d rather you not be involved at all.” I hate myself for pushing, but need him to understand. “Than to have you bail later. I can’t do that to my baby.”
“I won’t bail.”
“But what if?—”
“Piper.” He shifts to face me more fully. “I spoke to my attorney yesterday. That relative he was trying to track down—the great-aunt who was supposed to be Ellie’s chance to stay with family? She hasn’t replied to his messages.” He pauses. “Maybe that’s a sign that Troy and Julie were right.” He clears his throat. “Maybe Ellie belongs with me.”
My heart thuds hard against my ribs, because this isn’t the same situation exactly, but his words also feel like a sign. The fact that Felix is choosing to stay, to commit to the sweet girl who adores him, gives me hope I hadn’t known I needed.
He holds up the doll. “We might need an upgrade on this thing, but I bet Ellie would love playing dolls with her future sibling.”
“What if it’s a boy?”
“Wow, Piper.” He lets out a low whistle. “Way to be sexist. Boys can play with dolls, too.”
I roll my eyes, but I’m smiling despite the tears still drying on my cheeks. “You know what I meant.”
