“In the kitchen talking. He told me to give them a minute. I’ll go get the door.” She hopped up to go, and I struggled to get on my feet after stuffing the last of the diapers in the cabinet.
I set the photo book on the side table near the rocker, and someone clearing their throat jarred my attention to the doorway. Ledge stood there, and he carried a big box with storkson the wrapping paper and a white bow tied around it. I was alarmed, and he hovered like he didn’t know what to do next. His dark eyes bounced around the room.
“Ledge,” I greeted him.
“I, uh… I got you something. For the baby,” he blurted out.
He was wound so tight, and all I could do was laugh on the inside. Lowering the box in his arms, he acknowledged me from across the room. Clearly, he wasn’t good at whatever this was he was doing.
“You got something for the baby?” I prodded, lifting both brows questionably.
“Yeah.” He set the box on the floor and took a deep breath.
I watched him stuff his hands nervously into his pockets while lowering his eyes to the ground. When he brought them back up, it was different. Something defenseless rested there now. Usually, he regarded me with a blank stare, almost like he didn’t see me, or was it that he didn’t want me to see him? Whatever the reason, that barrier was gone now, and he was wide open.
“I just wanted to apologize.”
Utter disbelief came out in a surprised grunt while I slipped back into the table behind me. This dark, shadow-filled man who had taken me against my will and brought me here was remorseful. I never thought I would see the fucking day.
“Is this a prank?” I squinted, looking about the room for a camera or something.
“Nah. I ain’t good at this shit either.” He swiped the top of his head with his hand and kicked one of his feet while keeping his eyes on the ground.
“Good at what?” I tested him, tucking my arms across my chest.
“I don’t like giving nobody a chance to fuck me over. I thought Free was crazy as hell for keeping you around. I toldhim that… too many fucking times. The only person in the world who ever gave a damn about me outside of my family was him. Before Chevy or anybody else. It ain’t easy to let anybody close to me, a’ight? Putting my trust in you after what I did to you—” He shook his head. “I wouldn’t be able to do it. Not after everything. But… I saw it last night. When you did what you did for Ivy and looked out for D. I guess I finally saw what everybody else been seeing. I don’t know how the fuck you do it in this cold ass world, but you got a light in you.”
“Hmm, if the sky fucking falls, I blame you.” I snickered, and he chuckled with me, tipping his toes forward a bit while bowing his head. This was a different side to him. “What did you bring?” I went for the box, kneeling over and removing the big lid.
“Oh, some baby gangsta shit. The Jordan footie collection, some onesies, and bibs. The kid gon’ be fresh as fuck,” he said, amped up as he watched me pull items out and look at them. He had taste; the shit was fly as fuck.
“Is this…” I lifted out a binky set and the attachment that hooked onto baby’s clothes was a gold link chain.
Snickering, I shook my head and looked up into his amused face. He was cheesing too hard.
“A gold binky link. Shit is fly, right?” He was serious as he reached for it in my hand and held it up. I couldn’t help but continue to laugh at him.
“Well, thank you.” I tossed the items back into the box.
“So… um, how are you doing? I know Ivana is back.”
“Yeah, and… I am dealing. I can’t fall apart now,” I muttered.
“I’m sure people would understand if you did,” Ledge commenced.
“Nah, I’m good,” I insisted, replacing the lid to the box and standing back up straight.
“On some real shit, just so you know, she is his past. I can’t speak for him, only on what I know. I ain’t never seen himwith anybody the way that he is with you, not even her,” Ledge admitted.
Oddly enough, his answer was almost comforting to me. I didn’t know how to take this version of him though, so I was still cautious.
“After all this time, I never expected to be standing here having a conversation with you, but… maybe there is something underneath that hard shell after all. It has to be if Chevy loves you,” I teased, making a boyish simper flash across his face.
“Yeah, she loves the good in me. Even when she can’t see it,” he admitted. “I’ll let you get back to what you were doing.” He backed out of the room, and I watched after him for a minute before calling out to him.
“Thanks for the gifts.”
“You a hell of a woman, Harbor,” he said, his hand gripping the door frame.
