Best for Pixie and Andy.
It mattered a lot that Pixie trusted him. Starting tonight, he had to tell her everything or he knew he risked losing that trust.
“I have some things to show you. Important things.”
She tipped her head. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Paperwork. From Connie.”Please don’t hate me.“It concerns Shayna, and I think you should know—even if it pisses you off.”
For a few seconds, she considered his words. He waited for the questions to begin, but instead she nodded. “Okay.”
Not about to give her time to rethink that decision, he stepped away. “I’ll grab it all real quick—then I’ll get Shayna’sstuff together and we can head out.” He looked down at Andy. “Ready for another walk?”
“Wok!”
“Through the house we go, bud.” He wheeled the stroller down the hall in a weaving pattern until Andy laughed, then took a sharp turn into the cramped bedroom, wheeled him around so he again faced the hall, and told him to hang tight.
Darting to the closet, Brogan snagged the handle of the black canvas portfolio case that held copies of all his important papers. Erin, Connie’s best friend, kept the originals.
At the small dresser, he opened the bottom drawer and got out a change of clothes for Shayna, as well as her footed pajamas and a few of her small flannel blankets.
Andy was just leaning out of the stroller to see what was keeping Brogan when he took the three big steps needed to join him. “You want to get out, or do you want to walk again?”
“Wok!”
Andy’s shout was enough to lighten his current dire mood. “Okay, my man, hold on tight.”
Andy grinned in anticipation and Brogan fast-wheeled him back up the hall with a little jostling thrown in. Andy’s peals of laughter had everyone else laughing, too, even Shayna, who squealed.
Pixie held her close, watching them, and it was such a sweet picture.
It was what he wanted, what he couldn’t help hoping for. Shared love of the kids. Mutual caring.
Family.
A lump the size of the Atlas Mountains lodged in his throat.
“I’ve never tried that before,” Pixie said, “but he loves it, so now I’ll need to.”
For a second, he’d worried that he was too rowdy, butAndy’s demands of “Wok, wok, wok!” proved otherwise. Brogan cleared his throat, mussed Andy’s silky hair, and did his best to get himself together.
Now was not the time to wish for things still out of reach. He had to earn that reward—and he would. Starting with complete honesty.
To Pixie, he said, “Let me grab some bottles and I’m ready to go.” He kept the diaper bag prepped with powdered formula, plenty of diapers and wipes, bibs, a change of clothes—everything he thought he might need. He even had an empty bottle in the bottom of the bag, but it was for emergencies. He took it out to reclean it every so often, but he always packed fresh bottles.
“How will we do this?” Pixie asked, still holding Shayna and pushing the stroller one-handed. “Are we walking up, driving up, or what?” She glanced at Andy, then added, “Ruthie will recognize my van now, but I don’t like the idea of leaving it here, either.”
Brogan had hoped to put this conversation off until they were comfortable in her house, but it looked as if she needed answers now. He didn’t blame her. In her shoes, he’d want them, too.
He turned to face her. “Ruth will show up, no doubt about it. I’ll be with you when she does, though, and I’ll handle it.”
Wide blue eyes searched his. “Handle it … how?”
His mouth screwed to the side. “I don’t plan to maim her or anything.” He despised Ruth, but never in his life had he lifted a hand against a woman. Men who hurt women or kids were at the bottom of the scum pile, and not even Ruth would ever bring him that low. “I’ve dealt with her already, at least on some issues. Let’s get to your place—you drive, and I’ll push the stroller.” Since he didn’t plan on coming back home tonight, he didn’t need his car. “We’ll get comfortable and I can explain everything.”
She chewed her lip again, then gave a firm nod. “Andy goes in his car seat, though.”
So her trust didn’t extend quite that far. He got it. “Okay. Shayna and I will be right behind you.”
