Cara was leaning against the doorframe that separated the main shop from the studio and classroom spaces. Her face was full of concern.
“She went back already?” I asked.
Cara nodded. “Barely got a hello out of her, too. She’s still not speaking to you?”
Suddenly exhausted, I leaned against the counter, my legs feeling too heavy to support my body weight. “Not a word. She won’t speak to Koa or Knox either. We tried explaining to her why her father couldn’t just show up like that, but she didn’t care. She wants real parents, Cara. Can’t say I blame her.”
Cara scowled at me. “She has real parents, Riot. It doesn’t matter who birthed her or donated their sperm. You and Koa are her parents.”
I scrubbed my face. “Yeah, well . . . I guess we’re a pretty shitty substitute.”
“Riot St. James. Don’t you dare say that about yourself. You and Koa are better parents than half the people I know. Wynter has big feelings right now, and they’re valid, but don’t you dare put yourself down because of it. She’ll come around.”
I wasn’t so sure. “My lawyer said Aren petitioned to have the restraining order removed and to appeal the custody agreement. She’s pretty sure it won’t go anywhere, but I don’t know. He’s claiming he’s clean and reformed. They might give him a chance.”
The thought of it made me sick. He’d tried to kill her. I didn’t give a fuck if he’d been high then or not. He’d tried to smother a four-year-old. He’d almost killed me. Knox had had nightmares every night since Aren had reappeared. Cruz had had a full-blown panic attack, confusing Aren with his father, that had ended with us needing to go to an emergency family therapy session just from being present when that fucker had shown up. There was no fucking way I was letting him anywhere near Wynter.
“And we’ll deal with that if it comes to it. One thing at a time, honey.”
“Yeah.” I looked over at her. “I’m tired, Cara. I’m so fucking tired.”
She crossed the distance between us and wrapped her arms around me. “Why don’t you go home? Leave Wynter here and let her vent some of her frustrations in her artwork. Then we’ll order Chinese, and I’ll try to talk to her. Maybe you and Koa could even go out, go to a movie or dinner or something. When was the last time the two of you did something without the kids?”
It was on the tip of my tongue to remind her that we weren’t really together like that, but I stopped myself. Now that she’d mentioned it, I wanted it more than anything. I wanted to go out with just Koa. Some adult time with the person who meant everything to me.
“Never,” I said with a laugh. “But it won’t be today either. Knox is still way too shaken up for me to leave him alone with the kids. Besides, until we know what’s going on with Aren, I don’t feel comfortable with that.”
“Bring them back here.”
“What?”
“Bring them all back here. Even Knox if he wants. We’ll have our own movie night. It’ll be fun.”
God, I wanted that so much, but still. “All seven of them? Do you know what you’re offering, Cara?”
She waved away my concern. “Oh please, like I can’t handle that. I teach a pre-K painting class, remember?”
“They can be a lot.”
“Riot,” she said, all business. “Enough. Leave Wynter here. Go back home, take a shower, dress up all fancy, then load up your cars and bring your brood here. I promise we’ll be fine.”
I watched her for a long minute, making sure she really understood what she was getting into. Then again, Cara never said something she didn’t mean. If she was telling me to leave the kids, she meant it.
Finally, I relented. It made me feel guilty as fuck, but now that it was in my head, I realized how badly I needed this. A break from the world that was imploding around me and just being with Koa sounded incredible.
I kissed her cheek. “Thank you, Cara. You’re a lifesaver.”
Her cheeks flushed. “I know. Now, go. We’ll be here when you get back.”
I bounded out of the store feeling more energized than I had in ages. Before pulling out, I quickly sent a text to Koa, letting him know not to start dinner and to jump in the shower.
I got the Carlton dancing GIF back before I’d even gotten out of the parking lot. He clearly needed this as much as I did.
“When was the last time we went to a restaurant, just the two of us?” I asked as I scooped an ungodly amount of salsa onto my chip. But fuck, the homemade salsa in this place was so fucking good, and I could not get enough.
Koa sipped on his margarita and watched me with amusement. For some reason I’d never understand, he hated tomatoes, so he was not partaking in this goodness. We’d gotten guac for the table, which he was enjoying, but it wasn’t the same.
“Um, never?”
