Page 280 of When a Soul Cries

Something in my tone made her quiet.

She lowered her glass onto the little table beside her and turned fully toward me.

“I know this shit moved fast. I know what you came out of. I know you’re trying to build your life back without feeling like you owe somebody for it, and I respect that. But I don’t believe in two grown people knowing what they want and spending six months pretending they don’t.”

Her eyes stayed on mine.

“I want you. And I’m not talking about getting you in my bed. I’m talking about you being my woman.”

Her breath caught.

I saw it.

“I want the townhouse to still be yours. I want you to keep working. Save your money. Build your credit. Do everything you told me you wanted to do.”

I reached for her hand.

She hesitated only a second before letting me take it.

“But do it with me. I ain’t asking you to stop being Sol. I’m telling you I want to be the man standing beside her.”

Her eyes began shining.

“And Halo?”

I exhaled, rubbing my thumb across the back of her hand. “Especially Halo.”

Her face softened.

“That little girl called me Dada, and you expect me to take that shit serious from across town?”

Her lips twitched, but I wasn’t joking.

“I don’t want to be no part-time daddy. If I’m gonna play that role in her life, I’m playing it all the way. She sick, call me. Daycare call, call me. Doctor appointment, I’m there. She wakes up at two in the morning screaming, call me. I don’t want just the cute shit.”

I squeezed her hand.

“I want the responsibility too.”

A tear slipped down Sol’s cheek.

I reached across and wiped it away with my thumb.

“I’ve done a lot of shit in my life I’m not proud of. Then I got legit and convinced myself money and business were enough. Now Hollis is ours. Me and Kai are about to hit numbers we used to joke about having, and all I can think about is getting home in time to read a damn baby book.”

Sol laughed through her tears, wiping under one eye.

“That’s y’all fault.”

I frowned even though I was already smiling. “Our fault?”

“You and your little girl came in my house fucking shit up.”

She laughed harder.

I smiled.

Then I got serious again.