Chapter 40
T he door swung open slowly after my soft knock. I hadn't expected Sene to still be here, so it was a struggle to keep the smile off my face when I noticed a red marker squiggled down his cheek. I decided to ignore the spit up on his collar. "Busy night, was it?" I bit my lip.
He ran a hand through his buzzed head. "All I'm gonna say is, I'm definitely not ready to have kids."
I laughed softly as I stepped through the door. "Where is she?"
He swept his hand inwards. "Go see for yourself, doll. I'm gonna take off and catch some z's."
I held his arm. "I can't thank you enough for this. You saved my career."
He bent down and planted a kiss on my cheek. "No thanks necessary, suga. She was a dream, actually."
I walked into the room, anxious and eager to see and hold my daughter. But there was also a small part of me that was a little apprehensive at seeing Drew again.
I wasn’t prepared for the reality.
My breath caught in my throat and I stopped short as I took in the scene before me.
Drew laid out on his recliner with his eyes closed—and a sleeping Alani cradled on his chest. My heart melted at the sight.
As I moved closer, his eyes popped open. They widened when he spotted me before he immediately glanced down at Alani, his body relaxing when he spied her still snoozing peacefully.
"Hi," I whispered.
His mouth curved, and his big hand came up to hold the back of Alani's head. "Hey. How was your day?"
"Good. It went really well."
That was an understatement. It went amazingly well—an absolute dream. But right now, all I cared about was my daughter. And the man cradling her so gently against his chest. "How did it go here?"
His living room was…well, it was a bomb site. Blocks were scattered around the floor, one of her bottles was tipped over near the TV, her diaper bag had contents spilling out, and on the TV, an expressional Ms Raquel was pointing at her mouth as she explained how to sound out letters.
Alani chose that moment to wake up. She snuffled, rubbing her face in Drew's chest. "Hey, sweet girl," he cooed, stroking her back.
My eyes watered, and I glanced away. "Here, let me take her. I need to feed her anyway." My boobs were aching, and I hadn’t had a moment to steal away and pump. Plus, I needed to get rid of this lump in my throat.
"Sure. My bedroom's through there."
It wasn't lost on me that I was seeking privacy for an act I had no issue doing in public. But something about whipping my boob out in front of my ex seemed…weird. Natural, but weird. I needed to set boundaries because my heart was already conflicted.
I bent over him and gently lifted my daughter off his chest. The careful exchange had my pulse raised. It was as if we'd done this a million times.
Alani's arms immediately clutched my neck, recognizing her mom. She babbled against my neck, her grip tight. I rubbed her back, murmuring avowals of love and comfort.
I strolled into his room, bracing myself for what I would find. I didn't know what I expected to see. Maybe condoms on the nightstand or women's panties on the floor. Instead, I found a cozy room bathed in the soft glow of a lamp. His bed was neatly made, and I smiled at the sight of Alani's change mat in the center of it. The only thing odd in his room was the stack of books on his bedside table. Drew was not a reader. Like, at all.
I glimpsed at a title and saw it was an autobiography of a popular rock star. Fully snooping now, I adjusted a wiggling Alani and peered at the book underneath. My eyes widened, and I almost dropped the autobiography. Before I could investigate further, Alani let her annoyance at keeping her waiting known.
I immediately fed her, sighing at the pressure releasing from my heavy breasts. My mouth curved in a tender smile as Alani's sleepy eyes slowly started to drift closed. I glanced around the room and finally realized my situation. I was so worried about trying to sort out a sitter and concentrating on the wedding that the change in plans post-wedding had me stuck on what to do.
I'd planned on driving back to Columbia tonight, but that was before dad fell sick and couldn’t watch Alani. Nellie was in Chicago, so all I could hope for was a nearby accommodation having vacancy. I probably could drive back tonight, but Alani had been disturbed enough today, so I didn't want to upset her further.
I crept out to the living room to find Drew cleaning up. "Oh, let me do that."
"No, no. I don't mind. You sit and relax. Can I make you a tea or coffee?"
I hesitated. I really should leave to sort out my next plan, but I felt rude using Drew to watch my daughter and then taking off straight away. Plus, I found myself wanting to stay a little longer. Wanting to be around Drew. "Tea sounds great, thanks."
I watched him move about his kitchen. His movements familiar, yet different. Familiar, because he'd done this for me a million times before. He'd rub my shoulder and say: "Coffee?" Without waiting for an answer, he'd already have a steaming mug in front of me with a gentle kiss on my head.
Different, because I wasn't familiar with his kitchen. His cups were on the counter instead of in the cupboard—although he only had two from what I could see. His movements were stiff, as if he was aware I was watching and didn't know what to do with his hands.
He cleared his throat as he placed the tea in front of me. "How's your dad?"
"Better. I video-called him during my break. His fever broke and he managed to get up to shower and make a snack. He's asleep now."
That reminded me, I needed to sort out my sleeping arrangements. I took my phone out and started scrolling with a furrowed brow.
"You okay?"
I nodded. "Yeah, I just need to find a hotel for tonight."
"What, why?"
I explained, and he shook his head firmly. "No. You're staying here."
I gave him an incredulous look. "No. Drew, no. I've intruded enough."
"No intrusion." His eyes pleaded with me. "C'mon, Frankie. It's late. Alani's asleep. You can sleep in the room with her, and I'll take the couch. I changed my sheets when I accidentally spilled Alani's milk on it today."
"Drew…"
"Think of Alani and what's best for her."
I sent him a dry look, aware he was playing on my mom-side. I gnawed on my lip, judging his features to determine whether he was truly fine with this. It was too much, I knew. That boundary line was starting to creep away from me.
But he was also right. I needed to think of Alani. Taking her outside, strapping her in, and resettling her in a new place was a lot for her.
"Okay," I slowly agreed. "Thank you. This is…this is beyond what I could ask for."
"Frankie. You don't even need to ask."
Silence stretched as I allowed his words to sink in. I took a sip of my tea as I looked everywhere but at him.
"Alani's a dream, by the way. She's a happy baby. She's a credit to you."
I ducked my head and hid a smile. Hearing his compliments about Alani still felt weird, but I couldn't deny they also felt good. "Thank you."
"Are you tired?"
I shook my head. "I'm too wired up from tonight. My mind is going a mile a minute about the photos. You must be tired, though. I know how exhausting she can be. I'll finish this tea and let you sleep."
"No, I'm not tired," he assured me. "Alani and I had a nice nap together."
I nodded and picked up my tea again, taking another cautious, small sip. Awkwardness crept along the edges, and I wished my tea wasn't hot so I could knock it back and head to the room to be alone with my thoughts.
Drew cleared his throat and licked his lips. "Maybe…maybe if you're not tired, we can talk?