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I lifted my gaze from my task and shot him a bland look. “Thanks for the advice, Ford,” I deadpanned. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
He leaned deeper into the counter, the cords and thick veins in his muscular forearms bulging at the motion. Those beautiful blue eyes were awash with concern that made my chest constrict. “I’m just worried about you, Clover,” he said gently, using the nickname he’d given me not long after we met. He said it was because of my eyes, claiming the color reminded him of a field of clover. I’d really liked it back then, but I wished he’d stop using it now. It never failed to make my belly flip. “You look exhausted.”
I arched a single brow. “Is that your way of telling me I look like shit? Because you don’t need to point it out. I’m well aware already.”
He jerked back, his eyes flaring at the harshness in my tone. We might not have been friends, but I’d never been rude to him before. It wasn’t in my nature. “That’s not what I meant.”
Guilt flooded me, and I let out a weary sigh. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It’s been a long day, and Iamexhausted.” I shook my head, trying to will the dull throb that had been behind my eyes all damn day to finally go away. “I need this day to end, is all. Sorry for taking it out on you.”
He reached out and grabbed my hand, sending a zing of electricity skating up my arm. “It’s all good. Don’t sweat it.”
I offered him a small smile that barely met my eyes before extracting myself from his grip. I immediately missed his touch, but I knew better than to let it linger. “Thanks.” I threw a thumb over my shoulder. “Let me check on your pizzas so you can get out of here.”
And I could get back to not wishing things between us had turned out differently.
4
HARDIN
Iwas already forty-five minutes late by the time I pulled into my parents’ driveway, and I knew I’d be in for a lecture no matter what. I’d missed dinner, for sure, and was going to have to hustle if I stood any chance of getting Hazel home and bathed before her bedtime. Which meant I wouldn’t have time to sit and visit with my folks the way they liked. I was just too damn tired.
Throwing my car into park, I killed the engine and was just about to climb out of the car when my cellphone started ringing.
Letting out a huff of annoyance, I riffled through my purse until I located it. I groaned at Keith’s name on the screen, wishing I could just ignore the call, but it wasn’t that simple. He was the father of my child, and despite how worthless he was, I’d been doing my best to co-parent with him.
Swiping my thumb across the screen, I brought the phone to my ear and spoke, “Yeah, Keith. What’s up?”
“You said you were gonna get back to me on a good time for us to talk,” he huffed into the line, the annoyance in his tone making my eyes go wide.
“Uh, yeah. I did. I saidwhen I had time, and I haven’t had any time since this morning.”
“You know, I find it a little hard to believe that you couldn’t carve out five minutes in an entire day to discuss something as important as our own daughter. I figured that might have registered high up on your list of priorities, but I guess I was wrong.”
What the fuck? Keith might have been a worthless sack of crap, but never, in all the years I’d known him, had he talked to me like that. If it didn’t sound exactly like him, I would have thought I was speaking to a complete stranger.
“You know what, Keith? Fuck you! Fuck you for saying that and making me feel like shit when the only thing in the entireworldthat I care about is my daughter.”
A heavy sigh full of guilt carried through the line. “Christ, Hardin. I’m sorry. I don’t know why the hell I just said that.”
“Me neither,” I clipped. “What the hell has gotten into you?”
“I’m just... I guess I’m tryin’ to do the right thing.”
A derisive bubble of laughter burst from my throat. “Yeah? Since when?”
“Cut me some slack, would you? I’m tryin’.”
Movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention, and I looked up just as the front door to my parents’ house swung open. My brother stepped out onto the porch, his gaze directed at my car as worry lines creased the skin between his eyes.
I held up my hand, giving him the international sign for “one minute”, and went back to my call.
“I can’t do this with you right now, Keith. I told you I’d let you know when I have some time, and that definitely isn’t now. We were short-staffed at the restaurant today, so I’ve been working my ass off. I onlyjustgot off, so can you do us both a favor and tell me what’s so important now? No offense, but trying to fit you into my schedule for a face to face when we can handle it over the phone is really high on my priority list at the moment.”
He huffed out another breath, like I was the one being difficult and having to deal with me was an annoyance. I knew the feeling well. It was the very thing I felt pretty much every time I was forced to speak with him.
“I’m seeing someone,” he finally said.
I waited quietly for him to get to the point, but that was all he said. “O-kay. What do you want me to say? Congratulations? This isn’t the first time you’ve hooked up with someone since we split up. I don’t need to know about the women you’re banging.”
