AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I grin. “I’m not giving you details, Harper.”
She scowls at me. “My vagina is currently full of cobwebs. Please throw me a bone. The only excitement I have, is the twenty minutes at night I get to spend with BOB. Was it good, did he take you to O-town?”
My cheeks grow pink and my mouth slowly curves up into a smile. “Maybe…A few times.” I hold up five fingers. “Or maybe it was six.”
“Minx, I hate you. Are you guys like a thing now?”
I shake my head vigorously. “No,” I say adamantly. “It was a one-time thing. He’s only here for Ashley, and then he’ll be going back to his fancy doctor life in Los Angeles. The last thing I need is my heart broken again.”
“I always thought you guys should have been together, not you and Ben. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you slept with him, back in the day.” She tilts her head, eyeballing me as I pull some muffins from the case, trying to avoid her inquisition.
“I’m sorry, but I didn’t tell anyone. I felt too guilty. It was one night. I would say it should never have happened, but then I wouldn't have been blessed with Ashley. It was a mistake, but it was the best mistake I ever made. Did I love him? Maybe, but we’re adults now, and we both have our own lives. My only concern right now is getting Ashley well.”
She pulls me in for a hug. “I understand, but I get the impression there are some real feelings there. You deserve more in your life.”
“Never going to happen.” I shake my head firmly.
“Understood. Go see that precious girl of yours and give her a big hug from Auntie Harper.”
“I’m sorry to put so much on you right now with the shop.”
“Nonsense, Emily is coming in to close up later, and I’m going to call those two geeky teenagers and ask if they can start tomorrow, so don’t worry, it’ll all work out.”
* * *
I arrive at the hospital by eleven, a bundle of nerves. Waiting for Luke’s damn test results is torture.
When I walk past the window of Ashley’s room and peek in, the sight knocks me on my ass. Ashley is sitting up in her bed, her tiny fingers punching vigorously at a video game controller, as she yells at the giant television screen perched in front of her bed.
“I’m out of ammo! I’m out of ammo!” she chants, but the kicker is Luke sitting alongside her, also pouncing on a controller, in unison. They’re laughing and playing as if they’ve known each other their whole lives.
I step back from the window, not wanting to be seen, and tiptoe across to the nurses’ station. Ashley’s day nurse, Vicky, glances up at me with a devious grin, telling me she’s not an innocent in this covert mission.
“Hey, Vicky. Do you know how long they’ve been together in there?”
She smiles sweetly. “Dr. Luke has been here all morning. I think he’s excited to get the results. He’s a very nice man, even brought us all coffee this morning.”Dr. Luke?
“He surprised Ashley with a new Xbox system, so I jacked the portable TV from the doctors’ conference room. You girls are fortunate to have a man like that in your lives.” My cheeks flush, and I’m about to set her straight that he is not ours, but I realize it’s too long and personal of a story to tell.
I step back toward the window, curious to watch them interact for a few more minutes, before I go in. They’re both wearing headsets, and playing a military game, shooting and blowing lots of things up. They seem to be working a mission as a team as they kill their enemies.
My loving, open-minded daughter doesn’t seem fazed at all by the fact she’s hanging with her birth father. A man she didn’t even meet until last night. Luke looks just as relaxed and accepting of the situation, moreover, he seems happy about it.
There’s a sudden pang in my stomach as guilt and regret hits me like a brick. I screwed up so bad. Why didn’t I come clean in the beginning? I never should have married Ben. I should have been honest with him and Luke.
“Behind you, behind you!” Ashley shouts, waking me from my thoughts.
“Gah, I’m shot, no lives left!” Luke exclaims, then glances toward the window and gives me a sexy lopsided grin when he notices me.
They both remove their headsets when I enter; two sets of eyes study me, gauging my reaction. “Hi, Mom!” Ashley giggles, looking so much better today, once again, resembling my vibrant, happy baby girl.
“Hey, sweetheart, I see you guys have been up to no good.”
“Luke bought me an Xbox.” She beams proudly. “And he’s surprisingly good at video games.”
I frown at him. Luke stands and clears his throat. His jaw tightens, and he looks suddenly nervous as he gauges me. “I’m sorry if I overstepped, I just want to get to know her. I hope you don’t mind? I just thought—” He fidgets nervously.
“It’s fine, Luke. I mean, the gift is way too generous, but I’m glad to see you two getting acquainted.”
