I leave her to help roll out the dough and walk over to the baby. I unbuckle Alec from his swing, then carry him to the living room. There is a changing table in the corner beside a huge play area for the kids.
This house is incredible. Shina made this a comfortable home for her and the kids. Beats my shitty two bedroom apartment any day.
Shina returns quicker than I thought and walks right over to me.
She picks up Alec and holds him tightly to her chest. I look behind her for Leena, but she's not there.
“She needs a minute… actually I was going to ask you a huge favor. I called Rosie and Jade and asked them to run the club tonight and Garrett offered to handle security. He has a couple guys at the station who wouldn't mind covering tonight for some free memberships.”
I raise my eyebrows at that and cross my arms. “You never give out memberships,” I mutter, and she sighs.
“Considering what transpired today I think I need to be home with my family… and if you'd like to… you could maybe stay?”
She looks down at the floor and I have never seen her this vulnerable before.
I step closer and place my finger under her chin, bringing her hazel eyes back to mine.
“I don't want to be anywhere else.”
Alec babbles, and I smile. Seeing her there, holding a baby makes me want crazy things.
I know her life is a mess, but asking me to stay is the first step to what we could be.
“Also, I hate to ask, but Leena was wanting to go get a real Christmas tree. This will be our first family Christmas. She doesn't want the fake one we have, and you have a truck…”
“Say no more. How about I take her, and I'll pick up some food on the way home?”
I freeze, waiting for her to catch on the last word I said. I didn't mean to imply this was my home, but it just feels right.
She must be too distracted because all she does is smile. “That would be great. I'm sick of pizza. Maybe burgers or Chinese?”
“You got it.”
I drivedown a back road to the huge Christmas tree lot. Leena hasn't said much in the last hour of us being in my truck, and I don't blame her.
When we park, she glances at me and mumbles. “Thank you.”
“Anytime, kiddo. So, I gotta be honest here, this is my first time picking out a tree. Have you done this before?”
Her hazel eyes widen, and she shakes her head.
I laugh, then unbuckle, open my truck door, and stick one foot out. “Well, then, let's go find the best tree ever.”
She scoffs and opens her door, climbing out. “God, you're seriously weird,” she snarks, but her lips twitch, and her eyes are a little brighter.
I call it a win.
We grab some hot cocoa and cookies, then start looking at trees. The teenage boy manning the front gives Leena a once over and tries to flirt with her, telling us all about the different trees to choose from.
He's trying hard to get a reaction from her, but she's not interested. Honestly, I am starting to get annoyed.
“Hey, thanks. We'll let ya know when we find one,” I tell him and give him a twenty.
His eyes widen. “Thanks, man,” he says, then goes back to the front.
“You good?” I check in with Leena, and she nods.
“Yeah, thanks.”
