Chapter 29
Kia
A marriage on paper.
He’d said it before I could even ask or give my thoughts time to catch up. In name only. Something practical. Sensible.
Kind of like a business arrangement.
Does he see this as more of a temporary situation?
Maybe that’s how I should be looking at it too.
Hours later, the words continue to loop through my head, refusing to loosen their grip.
As soon as I pull into the school pickup line, I spot Elody standing beside her teacher.
A smile tugs at my lips at the sight of her backpack nearly swallowing her small frame.
Ms. Harding opens the passenger door of the Escalade and helps buckle Elody into her seat.
When she straightens, she offers me a frosty smile before shutting the door.
Okay then.
“I thought we could stop at the store and pick something up for dinner,” I say, pulling away from the curb. “Sound like a plan?”
“Yeah,” she says in a small voice.
This isn’t the Elody I’ve come to know. Usually, she fills the car with nonstop chatter the second she’s buckled in, narrating her entire day in breathless detail.
These drives back to the penthouse have become something I look forward to.
I love seeing the world through her sunny, unfiltered perspective.
So, I try again. “How was your day? Anything interesting happen?”
She’s quiet for a beat. Which, again, is odd. From what I’ve learned, Elody has two settings—endless commentary or falling asleep before we hit the garage.
Concern pricks at me when I glance at her in the rearview mirror. “Did something happen at school?”
There’s a pause.
“Are you really going to be my mommy?” she asks, voice barely above a whisper.
My grip tightens on the steering wheel as I meet her gaze in the mirror. Her eyes are wide and glassy, like she’s holding herself together with sheer willpower.
If it were possible to pull over and give her my full attention, I would. But we’re wedged in traffic, boxed in on all sides. Stopping isn’t an option.
My tone softens as I keep my gaze on the road. “Is… is that what you want?”
She nods immediately, then falters, her lower lip trembling. “Max said that just because you marry Daddy doesn’t make you my mommy.”
My chest cracks wide open.
“Well, that wasn’t very nice of him,” I mutter.
Her eyes fill, tears spilling over as she looks at me. “But I want you to be my mommy.”
Once in the grocery store parking lot, I pull into the first open space I find. My hands tremble as I shift into park. I’m out of the car before the engine fully cuts off, rounding to her side and opening the door. In one smooth motion, I unbuckle her straps and lift her into my arms.
“Hey,” I murmur, pressing my forehead against hers. “I want you to listen to me, okay?”
With a sniffle, her gaze locks on mine.
“I get why that upset you,” I say softly. “And the fact that you want me to be your mommy? That means a lot to me, El.”
Her arms tighten around my neck.
“But boys at school don’t get to decide things like that,” I add gently. “You and I will figure it out. Besides, we’re sock twins. You’re stuck with me.”
She wipes her cheeks with the back of her hand as her lips curve into a small smile. “So… it’s okay to be my mommy?”
My throat tightens. “Yeah. It is.”
She nods, a little steadier now. “Good.”
“Tell you what,” I say, brushing her hair back. “Sounds like you had kind of a rough day. Why don’t you pick out what we have for dinner tonight.”
Her eyes light up. “Really?”
“Absolutely.”
She practically vibrates as I set her down and lock the Escalade. Then she slips her hand into mine like it’s the most natural thing in the world.
As we walk toward the store, an older woman passing by smiles at us. “She looks just like you,” she says.
I wink at Elody, and she grins back.
Even though it hasn’t been long, I know with a startling clarity that I’m already falling in love with this little girl. Which only makes the questions circling around in my head feel even heavier.
If this is only a marriage on paper, I’m not sure my heart will be able to follow the rules.