Page 10 of Second Chances

Simona frowned over at her. “But he saved me. I was running away, and he talked me into coming back.”

Olivia felt a little tired and overwhelmed by her daughter sometimes.

“We really should be going. You’re going to have a big day tomorrow.” She started gathering their things up.

“Tomorrow. Will you come to my graduation?” Her daughter said the word very slowly, as if making sure she said it correctly.

“Don’t tell me you’re already graduating high school?” Todd asked playfully, causing her daughter to go into another bout of giggles.

“No, first grade.” Simona bounced up and down on Todd’s knees.

Olivia saw Todd wince slightly and wondered about it, but then she was reaching for her daughter.

“Simona, I’m sure Todd is too busy to come to your graduation tomorrow.” She shifted her bags and Simona then turned to Todd. “Thank you for convincing my daughter to not run away.”

“Where and when is the graduation?” he surprised her by asking. She was so surprised by his question that Kayla had to jump in and answer for her.

“I’ll try to make it, okay?” he said to Simona.

“Yippee.” Her daughter started bouncing on her hips.

“Easy,” she said, getting Simona to stop. “Now, why don’t you thank Mr. O’Brien for helping you out tonight.”

“Thank you, Todd.” Simona smiled up at Todd and Olivia could have sworn Todd melted a little bit. He was falling for her kid. Who wouldn’t? Simona was… a-freaking-mazing.

“You’re welcome.” He bent closer to her and tapped her daughter’s nose lightly. “Promise me you won’t go off on your own like that again.” Simona sighed and rolled her eyes like she always did when she didn’t want to own up to or agree to something. “I may not be there next time to help you out.”

“I promise,” Simona agreed finally. The fact that her daughter had a smile on her face when she did so concerned her slightly. She never agreed to anything she didn’t want to do unless she was being bribed. Agreeing to not running off on her own again without any fuss? Yeah, she didn’t trust her daughter. She’d been burned before.

“Thank you,” she said to Todd.

“Any time.” He nodded and picked up his pizza box, then turned to go.

Okay, so she may have watched him walk away. What woman wouldn’t have? The man knew how to move. Especially in those jeans.

“That is one tall drink of yummy,” Kendra said as she stopped to pick up the receipt he’d signed.

Kendra had at one point worked at the store with Olivia but had found that she rather enjoyed the tips at the pizzeria.

The woman was roughly her age, but she had way more game than Olivia could ever hope for. Maybe that’s why she earned more at the pizzeria? She knew how to flirt. The last time Olivia had tried flirting with a man… it hadn’t turned out so well.

Yeah, Todd was one tall drink that she’d like to enjoy. But this was real life, and she had far too many responsibilities to allow herself to dream about a man who had sexy brown eyes and a body she dreamed of getting her hands on.

Halfway home, Simona started nagging her that she had to use the bathroom. By the time she pulled into the driveway of their little home, her daughter was crying big crocodile tears.

Rushing her inside, she helped her daughter and then went back outside to gather up their items and bring them inside. Simona had changed from her party outfit to her pajamas already.

“Are you forgetting it’s bath night?” she asked her daughter.

“Aw, mom.” Simona’s standard complaint caused her to sigh. “How about tomorrow morning I take a shower?”

Just looking down into her baby’s silver eyes had her heart melting. Then her daughter pulled out the big guns and pushed out her bottom lip and put on a sad face.

“Fine.” Olivia rolled her eyes. “But I better not hear a complaint tomorrow. Not a single one.” She bent down and wrapped her arms around her daughter as she locked eyes with her. “Promise?” Simona reluctantly agreed by nodding her head.

The next morning it took all of Olivia’s strength to lift her daughter’s dead-weight sleepy body and carry her into the shower with her. Setting her on the shower seat, she allowed her daughter to slowly wake while she did her own morning ritual before helping Simona wash her long black hair.

She was thankful that it didn’t take much to care for the girl’s hair, since most mornings they ran late, thanks to Simona’s aversion to early hours.