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“She’s not asking for a full-time dad. She’s just asking to spend a few more weeks with you. She’s kinda—charmed—by you. Then again, who wouldn’t want to get to know their dad better when they find out he’s the mayor of a bustling metropolis like Wayward? It’s like winning the parental lottery.”
She chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, but Lucas remained stoic and unmoving. He rested his interlocked fingers on his head and paced the room.
“I just don’t see how it could work. I can’t ask Lorraine to watch her while I’m at the city building. And I’m not comfortable with her being left alone all day.”
Maybe he wasn’t so perfect after all? Mia was going to be crushed. If Birdie was unable to face her daughter with a wide grin and a thumbs-up after this conversation, she would have failed her. Again.
“What if I stayed in Wayward? Kept her during the day and dropped her off to you after work?” Plus, Angus was on his way. He could help with the whole pickup and drop-off process. While providing his singular brand of Scottish therapy to her and Mia’s woes.
“You would be willing to do that?”
“It would only be for a couple weeks. I feel like I owe it to her. And to you.”
“You’d be staying where? At the Inn?”
Well, that question was a nice way of saying she wasn’t welcome staying with him, without coming out and saying it.
Which was more than okay with her. Kind of.
However after tonight, she couldn’t justify spending more money at the Wayward Inn. The accommodations were little too rich for her current financial situation, and then there was the whole DEFCON 1 level of hostility expressed by the inn’s proprietress.
Also, she couldn’t continue to depend upon Angus financially. He was giving to a fault, more than likely having made some deathbed vow to Marshall to look after her, Mia, and Pearl. And if Errol and Flynn got wind of his generosity where she was concerned, she wouldn’t have been surprised if they came after his money and reputation as well.
Giving the room where they were standing another once-over, she looked at it from a different perspective. One with potential as opposed to demolition status.
With some blinds, there would be a modicum of privacy, and if memory served there was a bathroom with a metal shower unit for when Frank had to work on someone’s engine late into the night. Always more concerned with his customers having transportation for getting to work the next day than working a typical nine-to-five job.
“I’ll stay here,” she announced, throwing her hands out to the side, as if it were viable hotel accommodations rather than a service station.
As expected, he blew her off. “Here? You can’t stay here.”
“Why not? I’ll throw up some blinds to cover the windows.” She walked over to the leather-covered bench spanning the base of the glass front and sat on it. “I can sleep on this lovely bench.” She bounced a couple times, thinking it wasn’t as comfortable as it had looked but kept a smile on her face anyway.
Lucas didn’t seem to be buying it.
“I’m sure you’d be more comfortable at the inn. If Erma is still giving you problems, I’d be happy to talk to her again.”
“No, no. To be honest, I really can’t afford to stay there.”
He seemed surprised by that admission. He must have looked her up online and assumed she’d married a man thirty years her senior for his money. In hindsight, it wasn’t far from the truth, but certainly didn’t capture everything.
Then again, had he searched her online, he’d find out all the other stories about her. Her questionable business dealings and how she was banished from her own company. Rumors that she had nefariously attempted to deny her stepsons their rightful inheritance.
He interrupted her thoughts. “If this is about child support...”
“Oh, God, no,” Birdie said, holding her palm to her forehead as the conversation was going sideways. “I’m not here for money. What I meant to say was I’ve got accounts tied up with Marshall’s estate that are still in probate, so I’m broke but I’m not permanently broke.”
She was so permanently broke.
“I don’t want you to think that’s what I’m here for. Or Mia, for that matter.”
“We can save that conversation for later, but why not stay at my house? I can move my desk out of the upstairs office and put a twin bed in…”
There was no way in hell she was sleeping a few doors down from the man she’d crushed on for decades, who she could never have. Seriously, she’d rather chew glass.
“No, again, thank you. These next few weeks should be between you and Mia. So, I’ll stay here. No problem.”
Birdie pushed off the seat and approached him. “I recognize this isn’t an ideal situation for you, and I know that’s on me, but I promise I won’t be any trouble. I’ll lay low and allow you and Mia time to get to know one another. That’s all she wants. Please let her have that.”
