“Good!” she beams. “It was library day, so I got a new book.”
“Which book did you get?” I ask her, just as a waitress brings us our drinks.
“Thank you,” I tell the young girl, then look at my daughter expectantly.
“Thank you,” Cara tells her, then starts to sip on her milk shake.
“You’re welcome.” The girl smiles, then leaves our table.
“It’s a book about a unicorn,” Cara continues, wiping the milk off her lips with the back of her hand. “Can we read it tonight?”
“Sure,” I tell her, playing with the straw in my juice. “After dinner and bath time.”
I suddenly feel eyes on me, and I try my hardest not to look in their direction. From their angle, they can see me but not Cara.
Maybe he’ll just pretend that he doesn’t know me.
Or is that just wishful thinking?
I hear Adam’s friend, the bald guy, call out, “Where are you going, Rake?”
Shit.
Is he coming over here?
I don’t want to look over and check.
Would he be rude to me in front of my daughter?
I’d kill him if he did that, but to be honest I don’t think he would.
“What are you doing here, Bailey? Why are you there every time I turn around?” I hear him growl. I can now feel everyone in the diner staring at me. Goddamn the man. Did he have to be so loud? Adam never did care what people thought, but I don’t want to get attention like this with my daughter here.
I don’t even lift my head. “What? Do you own this diner too?”
“Cute,” he replies, voice closer now. “I could if I wanted to.”
Egotistical bastard.
I look up to see him almost at our table. “Well, until you do own it, you should probably just leave me alone.”
“Who are you here with?” he asks, then comes to a stop when he sees Cara sitting there, peering up at him with curious brown eyes.
“Who’s the hottie, Rake?” his friend calls out.
Adam turns to his friend and says, “Shut the . . .” He turns to look at Cara, an apologetic expression on his face, then takes a seat next to me, opposite her.
“You never told me you had a kid,” he says to me, tone gentler now as he studies her intently.
“How do you know she’s mine?” I ask him.
“She looks just like you,” he says, giving Cara a little smile. “I’m Ra— I’m Adam. What’s your name, sweetheart?”
“Cara,” my daughter replies, flashing Adam an unsure look.
“That’s a pretty name,” he tells her sincerely. “And how old are you, Cara?”
I know exactly where Adam is going with this, but he’s wrong. Cara isn’t his child.
“I’m six.”
I can almost see him mentally calculating how long it’s been since we were together. If she were Adam’s, she’d have to be at least seven years old.
“She’s not yours,” I say under my breath, so only he can hear me, trying to put him out of his misery.
“Of course she isn’t,” he says in a soft, yet bitter tone.
He has no idea. None.
Let him be bitter—I couldn’t care less. I owe him nothing.
Or at least that’s what I tell myself.
Our food arrives, and Adam waits quietly as the waitress sets it down.
“Thank you,” Cara tells her politely, while I do the same. She smiles, then winks at Adam before she leaves. I ignore the stroke of jealously that hits me, because it has no right to be there.
“Listen, Bailey,” he starts, looking a little uncomfortable. “Anna and Lana haven’t spoken to me properly since that night. . . .”
He rubs the back of his neck, then watches Cara as she picks up a fry and pops it in her mouth. “Would you like some, Adam?” she asks, always considerate.
“No, thank you,” he tells her, smiling. “You’re a polite little thing, aren’t you? Your dad must be proud.”
Cara’s face suddenly drops, and I kick Adam’s leg with my left foot.
“I don’t have a dad,” she whispers sadly.
Adam’s expression softens. “Well, then it’s his loss, because you are one pretty, kind little girl.”
Cara lifts her face. “That’s what Mom says too.”
“Your mom is right,” Adam says, then turns to me while Cara continues to eat. “My own sister won’t give me the time of day. Lana gives me evil looks I didn’t even know she was capable of. They want to see you. I’ll stay away, all right? You have your girls’ nights, or whatever. As long as a few of the men are there with all of you, I won’t cause any shit.”
“It’s fine—”
“Bailey,” he says, sighing. “They want to be around you as much as you want to be around them.”
I nod my head, giving in. “Okay then. I’d like that.”
“And Bailey?”
“Yes?”
I don’t miss the way his jaw tightens. “Stay away from Talon.”
I open my mouth but then close it. I’m not going to justify that comment with a response. I will stay away from Talon because I don’t like him like that, not because he tells me so. I also don’t want to start any unnecessary trouble with everyone, especially for Anna and Lana.
He nods his head, like he knows he’s gotten his point across, then looks to my daughter. “Nice to meet you, Cara.”