“Okay?”
“Just missed seeing you.” No way was she going to tell him about her feelings. He didn’t need to know that she was manifesting her worst nightmare just because she wasn’t sure she deserved a happy future.
Chapter 11
She hugged him so hard he felt it all the way to his soul. Taking a deep breath that he felt against the side of his neck, she stepped back. She’d missed him. No one had said those words to him before.
Grandmother might have experienced that, but she’d never said those words explicitly. Ava…she messed with him on so many levels. The case was the reason he came into her life and while he didn’t wish harm on anyone, he didn’t regret it bringing them together.
He grabbed Gracie’s car seat, the little one happy to see him. He hauled her into the house behind Ava, who clicked the lock on her truck several times before following him.
“You sure everything is good?” he asked.
“It’s just something from my past. Let me get the lasagna on and check on Gracie’s diaper then we can talk.”
He took Gracie from the car seat. “I’ve got the yazh.”
Tucking the baby up against his chest, she babbled as he walked her to the couch, where he made quick work of changing her diaper. She kept grabbing her feet as he tried to put the onesie back on her. So he tickled her stomach, which made her laugh. The joyous sound filled the living room.
He finally got her back into her onesie and then settled her on the floor on the Navajo blanket.
He placed the toys that Ava had packed in the bag around her. She rocked back and forth, almost rolling over. He waited to see if she would…
“Can I nudge her onto her belly?”
“You can place her on her belly. Why?”
“I think she wants to crawl.”
“I’ve been wondering about that, too.” Ava perched on the couch next to him, and they both waited to see if she’d do it on her own.
She did.
Ava grabbed his hand, a big smile on her face. “Yes, Gracie. Go, queen.”
She moved both her arms and legs, her head held up but couldn’t get her knees under her.
“Soon she’ll be moving, and then look out,” Ava said.
“You’ll have to look out,” Chay reminded her. “You were going to tell me about what had you spooked.”
“I will. But first, I wanted to let you know I spoke to Marg at child services, and she’s agreed that you and your grandmother can have visitation with Gracie,” Ava said, sinking back onto the couch next to him.
She was being casual, but more than once she’d mentioned she thought he’d make a good dad. “Why would she do that?”
“You’re her closest DNA relatives,” Ava pointed out.
Of course.“One of us is nearly eighty, and the other is a tribal officer who is on call a lot. I’m not sure—”
“I’m aware you don’t want to be her new family. But do you really not want to know her at all? Regardless of the future, you’re still her uncle and great-grandmother.”
Which his grandmother would love. He was being stubborn because…he was starting to accept the way things were. Him dating Ava and Gracie being there, but him not having to commit to taking care of either of them.
He liked Ava more than any woman he’d dated before, but he was still the man his past had made him. Liking her hadn’t givenhim a magic elixir to fix his abandonment issues or the fact that caring for another person made him feel weak.
“Of course. If I jumped to the wrong conclusion, I’m sorry.”
Chewing her lower lip, she shook her head. “Only partially. I really believe you and Gracie need each other. But I’m not going to push. Spend some time with her and see how it goes.”
