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Griff’s eyes widened, and he shot a quick look at his mom. Rebecca leaned toward me and rested a hand on my knee.
“Is this about Pippa or West?” she asked sweetly.
“Both.”
“Nico, honey, how do you think West feels about your leaving?”
I shrugged. “I think he likes me, but I can’t really see him settling down with someone like me. He should be with a doctor or lawyer or something. Someone educated and put together like he is.” I laughed. “I mean, can you even picture us together? What would that even be like? A businessman and the punk who’s trying to pick his pocket. That’s what I think of when I picture the two of us together. It’s ridiculous.”
“Then why does he seem to want to spend so much time with you?” Griff asked.
I gestured in the direction of town. “Have you seen how few people there are for him to choose from? I’m fresh meat.”
Griff rolled his eyes. “Don’t be ridiculous. He goes to Dallas all the time to hang out with his siblings. They told me so the other night. He’s had plenty of opportunities. The problem isn’t meeting people, Nico. Maybe the problem is meeting people who light him up inside the way you do.”
“I hardly light the guy up inside,” I said. “Now who’s being ridiculous?”
“Still you,” Griff said with a grin.
Rebecca swatted his shoulder. “Nico, you obviously don’t see what the rest of us see. When he’s around you, he can’t keep from watching you, touching you, talking about you. How many days since you arrived here has he gone without seeing you?”
“That’s different. He didn’t trust me with the baby at first. He came to check up on her,” I said.
Griff studied me for a moment before speaking. “I’m not going to argue with you. Clearly you’re not interested in turning it into something more serious, so let’s get back to your original point. It’s time to go home. Let’s do what it takes to make that happen. I’m sure Mike is dying for you to get back so he can take some time off from the shop. He’s been working his ass off in your absence.”
I felt a pang of guilt, thinking about my employees having to cover for me all these weeks. Griff was right. Regardless of what was happening, I needed to go home and handle my business.
“Right. Okay. Let’s do this. I know you need to get back to Benji too, so let’s come up with a plan.”
We spent the rest of the morning strategizing how to rid the house of all Adriana’s remaining personal items, update the bakery’s financial plan and budget, and begin to pack up Pippa’s things to give to the Warners or West. If the adoption couldn’t go through before I needed to leave, I would have to leave Pippa in West’s care until the adoption.
I refused to think too much about the adoption and swallowed down the giant lump in my throat that had seemed to move in and declare permanent residency.
That afternoon, I began sorting through Adriana’s remaining belongings, creating boxes to send with Pippa and boxes to send to my place in California. I didn’t dare look through the photo albums and mementos from my childhood that I’d found stored under the television cabinet, and when I came across a box of our Christmas ornaments in the attic space, I taped them up without looking at them.
Maybe one day I’d be brave enough to open the boxes, but that day was not this one.
When dinnertime rolled around, Doc and Grandpa appeared with food.
“It’s chili,” Doc warned. “But don’t worry, it’s his best one yet and it’s made with chicken. Now, where’s that baby?” He winked at me, and I led him over to where she was angrily batting at the hanging toys on her play mat.
“She’s pissed off because I took off the crocodile toy,” I told him.
He shot me a look of accusation, and I laughed. “Calm down. It had spit-up all over it and had to go in the washing machine. God, you’re as bad as she is.”
“Come here, princess,” he cooed in a baby voice. “Come to Doc and let me make it all better. Your daddy is a meanie, isn’t he? Just a mean old thing. Doc will find your crocodile for you and fix it right up.”
He picked her up and carried her over to where Grandpa was chatting with Rebecca in the kitchen. I stared after him, the word “daddy” echoing in my ears. Suddenly I felt Griff’s hands land on my shoulders. He met my eye with a knowing look.
“You okay?” he asked in a gentle voice. “I know this can’t be easy on you. It’s not too late to change your mind, you know.”
“About what?”
“Giving Pippa up for adoption.”
