“Okay. I’ll stay put.” I settled on my side, tucking my hands under my cheek. “Have a safe trip, Doc.”
Lee lingered by the door, a hazy smile drifting across his perfect mouth.
I love youdangled on my tongue, but I bit it back. It was too soon, and I wasn’t ready to let go of that last confession.
“It’s an easy trip. But I’ll miss mygirlfriendevery minute.”
I laughed when he shut the door behind him, scooting to his side of the bed to burrow my head into his pillow.
Girlfriendwasa pretty fantastic word.
I managed an extra hour of sleep before I woke up to get Bennie ready for school. She had been sleeping and hadn’t seen which door I’d come out of, but it seemed significant all the same. She babbled at breakfast as usual, no questions about her father and me while I helped her get ready for school.
“Are you going to be at school again today?” Bennie asked me as I worked her hair into three braids.
I’d spent a lot of time on Pinterest looking up different braids, this weird urge to up my game for Bennie every day leading me to countless online videos and tutorials. She’d light up with every new hairstyle I came up with, and I loved the idea of her showing off at school.
Despite my new title, it wasn’t a given that I’d move in with them permanently at the end of the season, but I was hopeful to stay in Bennie’s life as more than just a casual friend past October.
“Yes. Today is my lunch day.” I cinched the hair tie at the bottom of her ponytail braid after I entwined the three. Maybe there was work for me as a hairdresser. Beauty school after an MBA was an odd educational progression, but now anything seemed possible.
“Wow,” Bennie gasped as she gazed into the mirror, turning her head from side to side. “Everyone is going to love it.”
“You are great for my ego, kiddo,” I said, kissing the top of her head. “Let’s get your uniform on. Only a few more weeks left of school!”
“I can’t wait until summer. Maybe we can go to the beach some days?” Her hopeful blue eyes locked with mine as she buttoned her shirt.
“We’ll think of something. I’ll talk to your dad.”
My mind went to the three of us in beach chairs, lounging on the sand.
I blinked it away, grabbing Bennie’s lunch bag and helping her hoist her backpack onto her shoulders.
It was hard not to want everything with Lee now that I had him, but I was afraid of creating problems if I didn’t slow down.
And I was afraid of confessing how long I’d wanted to be with Lee, even when I’d pretended not to. It felt weird and wrong to admit I’d loved him while he was married to someone else, so I kept my past yearning to myself.
It was a big lie of omission. The thought of unloading that final secret should have brought on relief, not made my chest tighten whenever it crossed my mind.
“Okay, girlie. I will see you around eleven forty-five.”
She hugged my neck when I bent to kiss her goodbye.
“Those braids are so cool!”
We turned to find Sienna, flashing a smile at Bennie.
“Thank you,” Bennie said, polite but not reciprocating any of Sienna’s excitement.
“See you inside,” Sienna said. “Maybe you can teach me how to do that at recess.” The ends of the bow tied around her ponytail bounced as she headed for the school doors.
“Big change in attitude, I see,” I mused after Sienna disappeared inside.
“Ever since Nate picked me up and I brought the baseball that Adrian gave me to school for show-and-tell.” She shrugged. “I’m glad she isn’t mean anymore, but I don’t know if I want to be her friend.”
“You don’t have to be. Just be kind when you see her.”
“Of course. I’m very kind.” She raised her brow.
