Chapter Nine
MEMPHIS
Drake cried the minute I lifted him out of Jill’s arms. “Come on, baby. Time to go home.”
Every day it seemed harder and harder to pick him up from daycare. She seemed more reluctant to let him go. And he was fussier to be swept away.
“It’s okay, Drakey.” Jill smoothed out his hair. “You have to go with your mom now. But I’ll see you tomorrow.”
The way she said your mom grated on my nerves. Like I was an intruder here, not his parent. I forced a tight smile, practically ripping him out of her reach. “Thanks, Jill.”
Drake kept crying, staring at her like she should save him.
“Have a fun night.” Her smile looked forced and tight too.
Jill was probably in her mid-twenties. Her brown hair was cut into a bob and she had these cute black-framed glasses.
When we’d met, I’d thought it was great that she was so young.
Her aunt owned the daycare center and she’d been working here for years.
I’d actually thought maybe we could be friends.
Now, I wanted to spend the least amount of time with her as possible.
“Bye.” I picked up the diaper bag and carried Drake to his car seat, shoving aside the Halloween costume she’d put on him to get the straps over his shoulders. The harness was too tight because this wasn’t the costume I’d put him in this morning.
Apparently my homemade lamb outfit hadn’t been good enough.
When I’d arrived five minutes ago, I’d found Drake in a pumpkin suit, complete with a green hat.
Jill had bought it herself, just for him. The other three babies in the nursery didn’t have special costumes, but Drake was her favorite and she made no qualms about showing it daily.
I doubted he’d been put down since I’d dropped him off this morning. Jill carried him constantly, so at home, when I would lay him on a play mat or put him in a bouncer just so I could go to the bathroom or try and fix a meal or change my clothes, he’d scream his tiny head off.
I’d asked her this morning to make sure he had some floor mat playtime. She’d laughed and teased that he was just too cute to let go.
Tears welled in my eyes as he cried, his voice bouncing down the hallway. The daycare center was a house the owner had converted for childcare. There were four rooms, each for different age groups.
I’d hoped that Drake could stay here, advancing to the various rooms as he got older, but I couldn’t keep doing this. I couldn’t show up here every day, leave him with a heavy heart, then pick him up and cry on the way home because he wanted Jill, not me.
It was an entirely selfish reaction. I’d been chastising myself for weeks.
He was happy here. That’s why he cried. She spoiled him because she loved him. That wasn’t a bad thing, was it? Why did I feel this awful?
A week ago, the night Knox had made me pasta, I’d almost answered the phone when it had rung. I’d almost caved. Yesterday had been the same. The most recent call marked 126 total. I’d declined them all. But damn, it was tempting.
I could go back to New York and live off someone else’s money. I could be a stay-at-home mom until Drake went to kindergarten. No more cleaning hotel rooms. No more eating Cup Noodles. No more budget.
No more freedom.
Don’t give up.
The snow was falling in a polka-dot curtain as I hurried Drake to the car. It had started snowing around noon, and the weather showed no signs of changing.
“So much for trick-or-treating.” I’d have to settle for a stop at the hotel, where Eloise had a bowl of candy. Then we’d go home.
I just wanted to be home.
With Drake’s seat latched, I slid behind the wheel and brushed away the unshed tears. Then I squared my shoulders and drove to The Eloise, parking beside Knox’s truck in the alley.
I ducked my head as I walked inside so the flakes wouldn’t fly in my face. The blanket I’d put over Drake kept him dry until I made it to the break room, where I went about changing my son into his actual Halloween costume.
The pumpkin suit was stuffed in the trash.
It would be easier if Jill didn’t like Drake. So much easier. What kind of mother wanted her son’s caregiver to dislike him? A jealous one.
“Why am I such a mess?”
Drake stared at me but didn’t give me an answer. He’d stopped crying on the drive over.
I had to get over this issue with Jill. This had to end.
She bugged me. God, she bugged me. It was her attitude toward me that rubbed raw. But I didn’t have a lot of options.
There weren’t other daycare centers with infant openings. I’d called every single one last week. And it wasn’t like I could talk to the owner. What would I even say? Tell your niece to stop loving my child so much?
Jill spoiled him. So what? I could not. That was my sad reality. I couldn’t afford an expensive costume or to stay home with him all day, carting him around on a hip. Somehow, I had to get rid of this gnawing envy and just let her favor my son.
And I’d settle for the moments that were mine. Like tonight.
I tugged the hat I’d made over Drake’s hair and blew a raspberry on his neck, earning a smile. “I’m not so bad, am I?”
He kicked his legs, squirming to be picked up.
I lifted him into my arms and kissed his soft cheek. “You’re a cuter lamb than you are a pumpkin.”
I’d taken a white onesie and glued cotton balls all over it, then done the same with a white cap. Then I’d pulled the onesie over a long-sleeved black shirt and matching pants. With a pair of black felt ears, he was a little fluffy lamb.
The majority of the trick-or-treating would happen in the local neighborhoods tonight, but Eloise had made sure that any kids who stopped by here wouldn’t leave empty-handed. She’d splurged on king-sized Reese’s Cups, Butterfingers and Twix.
I expected the leftovers would be in the break room tomorrow morning. Hopefully I could snag a Snickers for breakfast.
With his car seat stowed in the corner of the room, I carried Drake to the lobby, where a cluster of people were gathered around the candy bowl.
“Memphis.” Eloise waved me over to the huddle. She was wearing a black witch’s hat and held the broomstick she’d been toting all day.
“Hey, Memphis.” Winslow stood beside a handsome man who looked a lot like Knox—which was why I thought he was handsome.
“Hi, Winn.” I’d seen her a few times at the hotel when she’d come down with her grandfather for lunch. As the chief of police, she usually wore her badge and gun. Tonight, a baby boy about Drake’s age, dressed as a lion, was propped on her hip instead.
“I’m Griffin Eden.” His blue eyes crinkled at the sides as he held out his hand. Though he had the same height and build as his brother, Griffin lacked the tattoos and bearded jaw. “Nice to meet you.”
“You too.”
Griffin was one of the last Eden siblings I had yet to meet.
Lyla visited the hotel often, usually bringing along a tray of her pastries from Eden Coffee.
Mateo, the youngest, worked as a front desk clerk.
The days when he was around I’d walk through the lobby and usually see at least one woman flirting with him at the counter. It was always a different girl.
Now the only sibling I had yet to meet was Lyla’s twin, Talia. She was a doctor at the hospital and I’d meet her at Drake’s four-month checkup next week. When I’d called to make my appointment, they’d told me I’d be seeing Dr. Eden.
In my short time in town, I’d learned that the Edens were practically famous. An Eden had founded Quincy and their family had lived here for generations. Their ranch was one of the largest in the state and they had their fair share of businesses in the area, in addition to the hotel.
Apparently the Edens were a big deal in Quincy.
In New York, a family of prestige would have flaunted it. The Wards certainly did. But every Eden I’d met seemed so humble. So real. Like Knox.
It was a thrill, meeting his family. Knowing the people who loved him most. Maybe that was because Oliver had hidden his life from me. Because I’d been his dirty little secret.
I wasn’t sure what was happening with Knox. He’d almost kissed me the other night. I would have let him. My better judgment screamed at me to keep our relationship platonic. Stay on this side of the line, where he was just a friend.
“Hey.” The deep rumble of his voice sent a rush of shivers down my spine.
Hell. This was the problem with that line. Every time he was around, I wanted to cross it.
I turned to watch Knox cross the lobby. He’d shed his chef’s coat and was in a long-sleeved thermal, the sleeves pushed up his sinewed forearms.
My heart did its expected skip.
He glanced my way as he walked but otherwise, his focus was on his brother. “You guys here for dinner?”
Griffin held out a hand to shake with Knox. “No, we’re heading to Mom and Dad’s so they can see Hudson’s costume. But we thought we’d raid the candy dish here first.”
“Raid away.” Eloise handed Winn four candy bars. “Two for Hudson. And two for the baby.”
“Thanks.” Winn splayed her hand over her flat belly. “This one loves the sugar.”
“Maybe that means you’re having a girl.” Eloise smiled.
Winn’s belly was flat, not yet showing. Just the idea of adding another baby to the mix would have sent my head spinning. But she had help. She had a husband.
I had a Knox. Sort of. For now. Whatever that meant.
“We’re going to head out,” Griffin said. “Get to the ranch before the roads get worse. See ya later.”
The phone rang from the other side of the lobby as Griffin escorted his family out the glass doors.
“Will you man the candy dish for me?” Eloise asked and before I could figure out if she was asking me or Knox, she ran away, broom in hand, to the reception counter.
“All decked out, huh, boss?” Knox raised a hand to touch Drake’s nose, but pulled it back at the last minute. The flash of anguish was there and gone before I could blink.
“I made it. It’s not perfect but . . .”
He met my gaze and it was like those blue eyes could see my every insecurity, my every doubt. “What are your plans? Trick-or-treating?”