someone to leave.
Jack and I chatted a few minutes about the state of things at the club before I hung up. I paused for
a moment after turning off the car, closing my eyes while I wrapped my head around how different my
life looked compared to even a week earlier.
I slung Willow’s pink backpack over my shoulder before leaning in to unbuckle her. She curled
her tiny arms around my neck and buried her face against my cheek. It wasn’t easy to juggle her
around without waking her, but I somehow managed to get the car locked and the keys stuffed into my
pockets.
“Daddy?” Willow whined, still not opening her eyes.
“We’re just about there, sweetheart,” I promised her. A group of moms with their kids shot me
sympathetic looks as they held the door open for me. I hoped it was because they were overwhelmed
by the sweetness of a big, burly dude carrying a sleeping little girl and not because they realized I
was in over my head. “Are you feeling okay?”
She wasn’t as hot as she’d been when her mom dropped her off, but it was obvious she was under
the weather.
“Want Daddy,” she repeated.
“I know you do.” It felt completely natural to kiss the top of her head. She buried her face even
deeper into the crook of my neck as she started playing with my hair. I smoothed a hand over her back
when she grew restless. Maybe I should have set her down and let her walk, but I was terrified she
would try to run off on me.
As I navigated my way around groups of teenagers on spring break and parents chatting as they
pushed strollers down the exact middle of the corridor, I rambled on, telling Willow what a sweet
girl she was and that we were just about to her dad.
Corey was helping a customer as we came into view, so I stayed back, not wanting to interrupt
him. Knowing my boy, as soon as he saw us, he’d be on a mission to check on Willow. I couldn’t fault
him for that, but he had work to do, too.
As soon as the customer collected her bag and started toward the front of the store, I stepped out
of the shadows. We were barely inside the store when Corey noticed us. His face lit up and he nearly
toppled a rack of t-shirts in his rush to get to us. He scooped Willow out of my arms, not thinking
twice as he pressed a kiss to my cheek. “Thank you for bringing her to me.”
