AllFreeNovel
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I’d been having the time of my life, and my little girl was sick. I should have known. Shouldn’t I have gotten some mom ESP or something?
“Oh, no. I’m sure she’ll be okay.” Maddie squeezed my hand. “Vee’s kids are always getting sick. Look at Harmony with that ear thing I mentioned. Beefs up their immunity in the end.”
I nodded with a sniffle. “I just wasn’t there, you know?”
She grabbed me in a fierce hug. “Yeah, but you will be now.”
“I will. I told Mason. He’s going to need help.”
“Don’t worry about it.” She dug her chin into my shoulder and swayed a little. Kind of how I soothed bean. And that thought had me tearing up again. “We’ve got it. Most everyone is getting ready to go home anyway.”
“Okay.” I pulled back and gave her a watery smile before I hurried up the dock for my bag. I needed my keys and ID and insurance cards.
I stepped onto the MJ2 and saw the text from my brother that they were almost at the urgent care.
The boat was mostly empty save for the catering staff cleaning up. I crossed to the bar where I’d stashed my bag and inwardly groaned.
Of course. Just the capper to the night I didnotneed.
Gillian was sitting at a barstool with a tall glass with clear liquid in it. Somehow I didn’t think it was seltzer. Or just a splash of it with whatever else she’d poured.
“Where do you think you’re going?” She peered down at me as I crouched behind the bar.
“Family emergency.” It seemed better to keep things simple.
“What family? Your baby daddy finally show up?”
I narrowed my eyes at her, my spine stiffening. “None of your business who my baby’s father is.”
“No one knows. Just you flitting around in here with that stupid baby strapped to your chest. Thinking you’re better than the rest of us.”
“I don’t have time for this.” I dug into my bag for my keys.
“Of course you don’t. You saved the day. Party done and now you’ll leave us to clean up.” Gillian stabbed at the ice in her glass with the thin stirrer straw. “Too good for that too?”
A few people looked up from what they were doing. Most of the catering staff were from an outside vendor, but there were still plenty of people from The Mason Jar working as well.
I went around the bar to stand close to Gillian. “I know you hate me for some reason, but for your information, my baby is in the ER.”
Instead of looking contrite, she doubled down. “What, you don’t take care of the kid when there aren’t people around to see? Just for show?”
My mouth dropped open.
Gillian drained the glass. “Maybe you should focus on your kid instead of trying to get in Mason’s pants.”
I reeled back as if she’d physically slapped me. Close enough. “You’re too busy trying to do that for the both of us.”
Gillian slid off her stool. “I earned my space here. I’ve been with him since he bought this place when it was little better than a shack. You haven’t done the hard work. You’re just sweeping in with all that blond hair and the sexy smiles, charming everyone. I know what you really are. I know your kind.”
“My kind? You’re delusional and drunk.”
“Instead of worrying about what’s best for your kid, you’re here getting all the attention. Thinking you can have everything. You can’t.”
The jabs hit. I knew not all of them were true.
But here I was, trying to have it all. Pretending I was just a carefree twenty-something like I’d been not that long ago. And my daughter was paying the price. I should have been there with her, not here playing like I had time for romance.
Like this party meant more than my actual responsibilities to Adriana. My little bean who was all alone.
