“Yup.”
“Oh!”
“Mmhmm.”
“OH!” Concern follows and she frowns. “Oh, my God. How did I never work this out before?”
“I’ve never been honest about the dates, so you really couldn’t.”
“Oh, Calliope…” She squeezes my hand warmly. “I can’t believe this. Did you always know?”
“I did. Which is why when I called and found out he was married, or thought he was married, I was done and determined to do this myself. But all this time, I was wrong, and I don’t know what to do.”
“Do you think he suspects?”
“If he does, he hasn’t said anything. I don’t think he knows how old Nick even is.”
“Shit. I… this is huge.”
“It is.” My shoulders slump. “And he’s a big shot from a rich family. No matter how good the date was or how I feel, there’s a terrifying chance that he could be angry enough to take Nick from me.”
“True,” Stacey muses. “Or he could become the father Nick needs and the partner you want.”
“Nick doesn’tneeda father,” I snap. “I’m his mom. I take care of him.”
“That’s not what I meant, honey.”
“I know, I’m sorry.” I sigh deeply and drop my head into my hands. “Sorry. I just feel like I’m being torn in two. Because what would I even do? Walk right up to him and be like,hey, so by the way, you’re actually the father of my child, please don’t take him?”
“You found Nick’s father?” screeches a rough voice from the doorway, and my head snaps up as Stacey jumps in fright.
“Mom!”
Shit.
23
ELIJAH
That date with Calliope and the subsequent kiss felt like an adrenaline rush. I’ve been riding the high all damn day, and as I lounge in bed ready for sleep to take me, I still feel uplifted.
This is a good start.
At least, I hope it is.
Calliope was all smiles when she got into the cab and drove away, and when she texted me to let me know she got home safe, she included a smiley-faced emoji. As sleep currently evades me, I dig out my phone and scroll back to our messages as the urge to text her rises.
It’s late. She won’t reply and I shouldn’t push too hard.
But I want to.
I want to talk to her all the time. Find out all the details of her life, everything that makes her tick, all her likes and dislikes, her interests and more. I have to make up for these lost years byshowing her that I’m not just chasing an old crush that ignited when I saw her again. I’m really interested in her.
Tapping away from my messages, I open up the browser but after two minutes of searching on a tiny screen, I abandon my phone, turn on the bedside light, and locate my laptop.
With little knowledge of the area, finding a good place for a second date relies completely on my Google search. Dinner was soft and romantic so maybe our second date could be more active. There’s an indoor golf place nearby, but a quick scroll through the pictures discourages me immediately. Dancing? I have terrible rhythm. In fact, I’m not even sure I could move to a beat if my life were on the line, but it could still be fun. There’s everything from dance clubs to teachable sessions within a stone’s throw.
Or ice skating. The nearby rink is still open for business with an emphasis on a romantic skate with your partner on Valentine’s Day. From the pictures, it looks rather fun, so I note that down as another option to suggest. There’s a fine line between finding what she likes and overwhelming her with choice. As I’m studying the offers, one of the rotating ads catches my eye on the side of the screen.
