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“How did you rebel? Partying?”
“Yeah, I did my fair share of that, but I dated someone they didn’t approve of.”
“Is it possible for a parent to think anyone is good enough for their child?”
She drags in a long, drawn-out breath, as if she’s boosting her courage. “Their dislike of Ryan, my high school boyfriend, wasn’t only because he was rebellious. I got pregnant at sixteen.” Pressing her teeth into her bottom lip, she watches me for a reaction.
As surprised as I am, I don’t react. “That must’ve been extremely difficult to deal with at that age.”
“It was. My parents wanted me to give up the baby for adoption. Well, it was my dad who wanted that. My mom just goes along with whatever he says, whether she agrees or not.”
“What did you end up doing?”
“I kept her.” She smiles, and it’s filled with joy.
“What’s her name?”
“Tillie, and she’s seven.”
“Where is she now?”
“With her dad.”
“You two have a good relationship?”
“We do. He’s actually my best friend.”
“There’s no romantic involvement?” I’m not looking to get caught up in some triangular situation with her and her daughter’s dad.
She laughs. “No. None. We haven’t been together romantically since Tillie was two. He’s a good guy and a wonderful father to her, but he and I are only friends. Trust me.”
Being a professional hockey player, it’s difficult to open up to someone I’ve recently met. Trust is not something I give lightly. I’m not sure why, but I believe Evie. I’d like to think it has more to do with my instincts that tell me she’s a good person than how physically attracted I am to her. But I’ve been known to lead with the wrong head before, so time will tell. For now, I’ve got a good feeling about Evie, and I want to get to know her better.
CHAPTER6
EVIE
When Darius askedme to dinner, I didn’t plan to tell him about Tillie. There was no reason for me to. But when we started talking about our families, I surprised myself by how comfortable it was opening up to him. God knows, I don’t trust people easily, but everything in me is saying Darius is a good man. So far, he’s been kind, and I’ve never had a more attentive listener when I speak. He seems genuinely interested in learning about me, and all the while he’s been a perfect gentleman. So much so, I’m starting to wonder if he sees me as only a friend. I hope that’s not the case.
Not that friends aren’t nice. I just don’t have the time or energy for many of them.
Having a child at seventeen and finishing my senior year by doing online classes was extremely isolating. All my classmates were getting ready to go off to college, so there was no longer much common ground between us. I don’t blame them for drifting away. I had a baby to take care of while they had no real responsibilities to speak of. They were busy partying while I was nursing my newborn and reeking of baby vomit. I know hearing about my life was a downer for them.
I wasn’t surprised when the calls between my friends and me grew further apart until they died off altogether. I didn’t have time to be sad when caring for Tillie occupied all my time. The moment the doctor placed her in my arms, she became the most important person in my life. And she always will be. Nothing and no one will ever change that.
Darius thoughtfully rubs his chin, and I wonder if the short, dark beard covering his skin is as soft as it looks. “I’m impressed that you and your ex have been able to stay friends. So many couples who split can’t stand each other.”
“That wasn’t an option in our case. We may have been young, but we knew no matter what happened between us, we’d always do what was best for our daughter. If that meant sucking up our pride or letting things go that may have hurt each other’s feelings, we would do it. And we have. That’s why the end of our romantic relationship didn’t affect our friendship. We couldn’t allow that to happen because it would’ve been detrimental to Tillie.”
“You’ve both been so mature. Especially considering how young you became parents.”
“Thanks, but we didn’t have a choice.”
The waitress appears with a large pizza box and our check.
Rising, he grabs his wallet from his back pocket. “Here you go.” He hands her some cash.
“Can I at least take care of the tip?” I ask him.
