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I glance into the stroller and find Sparkle’s upper body jerking with rhythmic little spasms. “You’ve got the hiccups, Sparks?”
She nods her head, making her pigtails bob. “Hiccups,” she confirms.Hic…! Hic…!
Smiling, I grab her water bottle and crouch in front of her stroller. I carefully hold the bottle for her, allowing her to take little sips. Despite my best efforts, water dribbles down her chin and onto her filthy dress.
“Geez. Keeping you clean is a challenge, isn’t it?” I chuckle low.
“That’s the thing with kids…” an oh-so-familiar voice says, sending a ripple of awareness down my spine.
My head snaps over my shoulder and my eyes connect with my ex-wife’s.
Alana stands a few feet behind me, closing the door of the taxi she just stepped out of.
“Hello, Davis,” she says stiffly.
As usual, the wires in my brain get crossed when our eyes meet. “Alana. Hi.”
“Hi,” she says again, and I can tell she’s just as uncomfortable as I am.
After an awkward moment, she shifts her gaze from me. Her attention moves to Sparkle.
Alana steps around me to crouch down in front of the stroller. She starts chatting with my niece.
My chest goes tight when I see the rapport between my ex and the little girl. They ramble on together about nothing at all. Yet they seem to have this mutual understanding. It’s cute.
And what was that I said about not simpering over her anymore? It’s impossible not to. The woman is so damn beautiful. Even in those teal scrubs with tiny cats and dogs all over them.
It’s not fucking fair.
Now, I’m imagining what she’d be like as a mother. She’d be damn good at it. Immediately, I’m getting angry because she was supposed to be the mother ofmychildren. But that won’t fucking happen, will it?
After a moment, Alana straightens. Her eyes come to me. She wears a strained smile and those bangs do nothing to hide the sadness in her eyes as she struggles for what to say next.
“Jasper called and said he got my car fixed,” she tells me.
I nod slowly. “That’s good.”
She pushes the conversation forward. “Yeah. I’m lucky he was able to squeeze me in. I was already getting sick of hitching rides all week.”
I force a polite smile.
“And on the plus side, I convinced him to let me pay this time. So that’s good.” She smiles.
“Yeah. That’s good.” I nod and then fall silent.
Her gaze flicks up to the sky. “Looks like we’ll get some rain tonight, huh?”
Fuck. We’re back to meaningless small talk? After everything that happened just a few short days ago? I don’t know if I can handle this.
My heart is too damn raw from having lost her love again. I don’t have it in me to pretend to be okay with her not being mine.
Thankfully, the secretary strolls out into the lot right then, enthusiastically greeting Sparkle. I crouch down and give my niece a kiss on her grubby cheek then I hand over the princess backpack to Jasper’s assistant.
My eyes meet Alana’s and I hate the sudden ache in my chest. “I’m gonna get going,” is all I can say to her.
Looking just as distraught as I feel, she nods. “Good night.”
“Yeah. Good night,” I force out. But I already know my night will suck. Because she won’t be by my side.
