Chapter Twenty-Six
Hadley
“I met your man friend earlier.”
Dread and jealousy churned in my stomach with Olivia’s words as I got into her car.
I didn’t know where it came from, but the only man friend I had was Elijah.
My older sister was gorgeous. I wondered if Olivia was his type.
I bet she was. I wondered if he’d ask her out?
These thoughts, coming out of nowhere, irritated me.
Olivia was my rock, and she’d never intentionally hurt me, but if those two got together, I’d have to move away and never speak to either of them again.
“Elijah?” I murmured. “Did he flirt or something…?” I couldn’t believe I said that.
“He asked if you needed him to pick you up, but Aunt Olivia told him she’d do it,” Lucy said while Olivia grinned, oddly amused.
I had asked him on my birthday if he’d leave the car seats with me so we could use them while Olivia was in town. That was three days ago, and I hadn’t spoken to him in person since then. He’d texted me asking about Lucy, Eli, and me. It was like Elijah was checking up on us.
“You really like Elijah, don’t you, my Lucy?” Olivia asked as she pulled out of the hospital parking lot .
“Yeah. He’s my best friend.”
My heart stuttered. He’s my best friend.
And that was all it took to amplify my own feelings for Elijah Parker. A yearning took hold of me every time he left. I missed Elijah when he wasn’t around. Just once, I’d like to be the person brave enough to ask him to stay. Just once, I’d like to accept his help without questioning it.
“What about you, Hadley?”
“Huh?” I was in a daze.
“What do you think of him?”
“I think he’s too good to be true.”
Olivia smiled. “That means he’s your mommy’s best friend too, Lucy!”
“He likes us,” Lucy agreed.
______
“Hmmm,” Olivia muttered with Eli asleep on her chest. It was after eight o’clock. Olivia watched the same movies Lucy made Elijah watched. Then, I gave the kids a bath.
“What?” I asked her.
“You haven’t been telling me everything.”
“What do you mean?”
“About Elijah. You’re totally hot for him.”
“Shh!” I hissed, eyes staring toward Lucy’s room. “Will you be quiet? You know Lucy repeats everything she hears and not by accident. My kid’s a menace.”
She chuckled. “But seriously, sis, what are you doing? He’s into you big time.
How can you not tell? You’ve got him at your beck and call.
You should have seen his face when Lucy ran to him while cutting his grass.
I heard it when he asked about you.” Olivia sighed and her gaze flickered toward the ceiling.
“He’s completely smitten with you guys.”
I tried to see it through my sister’s eyes. The way Elijah helped us and just came over to be around. It was strange. If he wasn’t interested in us why would he do those things? It definitely wasn’t just about friendship, no matter what Elijah claimed. But still…
“You’ve seen Elijah. Why would he possibly want me? I know I’m not the worst thing to look at, but I’m not the prettiest either. And I’m a mom.”
“Oh my God. You kill me. If you’re ugly, then I’m ugly since everyone thinks we’re twins.
We’re not hideous.” She huffed, pointing at my chest. “Not only are you gorgeous, but pregnancy also has given you a bangin’ body.
See those bazookas and those hips? He’s probably salivating every time he’s near you and afraid of scaring the skirmish single mom.
Admit it. I bet he looks at you, and I don’t mean glimpses, but full-on stares. ”
My face heated. “His staring is intense, but I’ve gotten used to it.” Not really. I simply looked away, so I didn’t feel things.
“Okay, that’s it.” Sitting up with Eli still sleeping on her chest, she grabbed my phone off the coffee table and tossed it at me. “This has to stop.”
“What?”
“Hadley, you’re bursting out of your seams. You’re not only beautiful, but you’re a capable woman and a fantastic mom. Who wouldn’t want to be with you? Call him and ask him to take you somewhere. Go to his house or something. Anything.”
My eyes widened and glanced at the phone like it would give me the plague. “Are you crazy? It’s almost nine. What would I ask him to do? ”
“You said he’s been over and watched a movie this late so what’s wrong with going to his house right next door or letting him take you out?”
I frowned, feeling scared and a little excited about the possibility. “I don’t know. We’re friends. I don’t want to ruin that.”
Olivia rolled her eyes. “Well, go be friends with him. I’ll be here with Lucy and Eli.
And if you stay out all night, it’s not like you can’t come home first thing in the morning since he’s right next door.
” She winked. “Stop thinking. I can see it in your eyes that you really want to do it. For one second, be a woman and admit what you want. Don’t you want to see how he is with you alone?
He’s good with Lucy. Why not find out how good he can be to you?
It’s not a crime to do that. You’re still the most amazing mom even if you take a moment for yourself.
You’re so wound up over what a parent should and shouldn’t do.
I know it’s because of Scott and his mean-ass family.
They make you feel inadequate, and you’re scared of them using Elijah against you. Am I right?”
Panic seized my chest, and I couldn’t breathe. I recalled my phone conversation with Lilly the other day.
Scott told me you have a man around Lucy. Do you know how dangerous men are these days? Heard he was a drug addict with tattoos.
I won’t sit back and let my grandbabies be around someone like that.
Scott’s mom’s idle threats always had a way of terrifying me.
Lucy and Eli were mine. But even before Scott and I split up, his mother always had her own input when it came to parenting.
It was stressful and only got worse when I made it clear that Scott and I were not getting back together.
She kept hinting that she’d take the kids from me.
I didn’t think she could, but it scared and enraged me. How did she think she had the right ?
Olivia’s words were one hundred percent true.
Scott told his mom about Elijah and they both had opinions.
I hadn’t spoken to Scott’s mom since. When she wouldn’t shut up, I hung up on her.
I only answered Scott through text messages.
Things were already a mess with those two.
Elijah would be an issue Scott and his family would throw in my face, regardless.
Scott had wanted them that weekend, but I denied him.
I wanted the kids there for Olivia plus the awful way he acted last time we’d seen him was enough for me to stand my ground.
“They’ll cause problems,” I finally muttered.
She nodded. “They will. It’s all they know how to do.”
Stopping myself from crying, I agreed. My voice, just like the truth, was sad. Ever since Scott had saw Elijah, it’s been awful.
“So, how about you do what you want, anyway? Your kids will be with you, regardless.”
“I guess it wouldn’t hurt to ask. I’m sure he’s busy, anyway.” I unlocked my phone and thought of what I should say to him. Suddenly I remembered.
Hadley: Are you busy?
He responded immediately.
Elijah: Not for you. Everything okay?
The tension in my shoulders eased. What came next felt natural.
Hadley: Is it too late for that tattoo? I don’t know when I’ll have a chance like this. My sister offered to stay here with Lucy and Eli.
Elijah: I’ll be there in thirty.
When he disconnected, I slowly lowered the phone. My face was strangely heated. “He said he’d be here in thirty minutes.”
“That was fast,” Olivia chuckled .
I jumped off the couch. “I need to shave. I’m not sure where I want a tattoo.”
She gasped. “You’re getting a tattoo tonight? You rebel.” As I rushed to my bedroom, Olivia yelled, “Do you have any milk pumped for Eli? I don’t want to leave the little guy missing his mom’s tit.”
“Yeah. In the fridge and freezer.”
Thinking of Eli’s needs, I remembered Lucy. I stopped searching for something to wear and stepped into her room. She was playing with her dolls. “Lucy?”
“Huh?” She looked up at me.
How should I tell her? I didn’t want to just walk out without saying I was leaving. She would hate that, but if I said I was going somewhere with Elijah, I knew she’d want to go. “Mommy’s going out with Elijah. He’s taking me to get a tattoo.”
“Like his?” she asked and stood. “Can I go?”
Having kids made it hard to do things for myself. Lucy always wanted to be included in whatever I did.
“How about you and I order some pizza before they stop delivering? Mommy and Elijah can show us her tattoo when she gets home.” Olivia said from the doorway.
“Can I get one?” Lucy asked.
“If you still want one when you’re older, you can.”
“I don’t think the demons will be cool on you like they are on Elijah,” Lucy said.
I laughed. “Yeah, I want something prettier.”
“Hurry back, okay?” she whispered sweetly.
I pinched her cheek. “I will. ”
“Elijah, too.”
“Elijah what?” I asked her, confused.
“Tell him to hurry, too. He’s been taking too long to come visit.”
Olivia and I shared an odd expression between us, then my sister smiled.
_____
“Is this okay?” I whispered as he unlocked the parlor door and flipped on the light switch. The fluorescent lights came on, illuminating my pale skin.
Glancing over his shoulder at me, he smirked. “Why are you whispering?”
“I don’t know,” I said.
“I’m the owner, and I say it’s fine.” He tossed his keys on the countertop.
I rubbed my hands on my thighs. “I know tattooing is safe for breastfeeding since the ink doesn’t transfer into the milk, but that doesn’t change the risk of infections, diseases—”