“Yay!” she squeals, jumping up and down.
He glances up at me and I dip my chin, giving the approval even though it’s strange giving him permission to see his own daughter. But he’s not the only one trying to figure this all out. It’s new to me too.
“Oh, I almost forgot to give you my drawing.” Charlie offers him the paper menu she colored.
Even in the dark, his brown eyes appear glossy as he gazes at it for several long moments, his lips tipping up. Finally, he drawshis attention to her. “Thank you. It’s perfect. It’s gonna go in my truck right now.”
“Okay, almost bath time,” I announce from the open doorway.
“Good night, Daddy. See you tomorrow.” She skips inside and down the hall.
He pinches the artwork between his thumb and finger and runs his other hand over his hair. “Thanks for tonight.”
“Of course.”
He turns to leave.
“Beck?” I call, and meet him on the porch.
He spins around, blinking away the moisture in his eyes.
“We’re leaving at the end of the week. I know there’s a lot we need to talk about and figure out, but you’re welcome to see Charlie anytime you want this week.”
He gives me a single nod, but doesn’t move.
“I have to go meet with Dottie’s lawyer. She’s supposed to go over her will, so then I guess I’ll know more of what her plans were with the house.”
“I think we already know. She paid me to fix it up so it would be ready for you and Charlie. She wanted you to move back here.”
“She never told me that.”
“Let me guess, she knew you were engaged?”
I flatten my lips and bob my head.
“She probably didn’t want to flat-out tell you to not marry him. She only wanted you to be happy.”
“Do you really think she’d want me to move back here? There’s nothing for me here,” I spit out.
He dips his chin and kicks the toe of his boot into the ground. “Nothing, huh?”
My stomach pinches.
“Beck,” I say on an exhaled breath, the exhaustion comes on strong. I’m too tired to have this conversation tonight.
“Never mind, just forget it.” He whips around and stalks off. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Beck, wait,” I call.
He stops before he rounds the back of his truck.
“I was gonna ask if you wanted to come watch Charlie while I meet with Dottie’s lawyer?”
“Yeah, sure. I’d like that.” Then he’s stomping off again, jumping in his truck and slamming the door just a little harder than necessary.
I wait until he backs out of the driveway and starts up the street before I return to the house. When I get upstairs, Charlie is laying her pajamas out on her bed next to all her favorite stuffies. I grin at her before going inside the bathroom to start her bath water.
West calls while Charlie is in the tub.
