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“I know. It’s just …”
“He’s okay,” I remind her before her mind can wander down that road. “Do you want some water?” She nods, so I stand and go to the kitchen. It takes a second to find a cup, but when I do, I fill it with water and walk it back over to her.
She takes it with her hand still shaking, and as she takes a sip, Kingston turns his head my way. When his eyes meet mine, he studies me with a curious light in his eyes.
“Who ah you?” His tiny voice and wrongly spoken words make me smile, reminding me of when Winter was his age.
“I’m Tucker.” I hold out my fist, and he bumps his against it.
“Tucker.” His head falls to his mom’s shoulder, and I nod.
“Thank you for catching him.” Miranda rests her cheek on top of his head. “I … I don’t even want to think about what would’ve …” Her breath catches, and her eyes slide closed.
“He’s safe.” My fingers twitch with the urge to touch her.
With Kingston done crying and being held, he wiggles out of her arms and heads to a basket filled with toys next to the TV. After dumping everything out onto the floor, he picks up a book and brings it over to me.
“That’s his favorite book,” Miranda tells me, and I take it from him when he presses it against my hand. Flipping it over, I look at the cover and read the title.
“Giraffes Can’t Dance.”
“Read,” he says, and fuck if I don’t recoil at the idea. I should not be here right now. Not with Miranda and her son. I should have let her into her house, given her the key, and taken off. “Read,” Kingston repeats, and I glance over at Miranda. I don’t know what she sees when she looks at me, but she holds out her hand to her son.
“Lovie, Tucker has to leave. Mommy will read it to you.”
“No, you read,” he demands up at me, and I meet his gaze.
“Lovie,” she repeats, but he doesn’t even acknowledge her as his eyes stay locked on mine.
“It’s all right,” I give in, before I can think better of it, then reluctantly I take a seat on the edge of the couch. As soon as my ass is on the cushion, he comes over and leans against me, and I open to the first page.
The story comes to an end in less than five minutes, but when I start to close it, he grabs the book and opens it back to the first page.
“Again.”
Shit.
“How about you watch your show instead?” Miranda turns on the TV, and after a few clicks, the sound of little kids singing fills the living room, and Kingston becomes entranced by the show playing.
Standing, I hand Miranda the book I’m still holding, then take a step back when my cell rings. I pull it out of my pocket and check the screen, seeing it’s Miles, then look down at her.
“I’m gonna head out. I gotta take this.”
She nods, then without a word she walks behind me to the front door.
“Tucker.” She grasps my wrist when I open the door, and I turn back to her, finding her pretty eyes looking up at me. I wait, but she doesn’t say anything.
Maybe she doesn’t need to.
I jerk up my chin, my mouth dry when she lets me go. I step outside, ignoring the urge to take her in once more before the door closes behind me.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
miranda
I pull into the parking spot in front of the courthouse downtown and shut off the engine, dragging in a breath that does nothing to help calm my rattled nerves.
Today, Bowie and I are meeting with the judge to go over our final parenting plan before we sign our divorce papers. It’s something I’ve been prepared to do for weeks, but now that the day is here, I’m a mess. I’m not questioning my decision to divorce Bowie. I’m actually relieved I will no longer be his wife, and I think Bowie feels the same, especially after Kingston told me that he had dinner with his dad and “Moni” a few nights ago.
Though he said her name wrong, I still knew who he was referring to. I can admit that I was upset when he told me that information in his sweet, happy voice. The emotions I have when it comes to Bowie and Naomie’s relationship are still raw. And I wished I would have had a say in our son meeting her, but I know Bowie, and he would never ask me for my permission. Heck, he hasn’t even told me he’s still seeing her. Then again, I’m noticing he has an issue with being honest, like him claiming he was hurt when I told him I wouldn’t give him a second chance and saying she meant nothing, when she obviously did and still does.
