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“That led you to believe he’s yours?”
“At first, he was just familiar. It was like meeting with someone you already knew. Then I saw his hand, you know?” I lift my own for him to inspect. “I was born with the same defect. The doctors tried to fix the ligament, but it’s too short, and they didn’t want to risk my hand movement in a complicated surgery.”
“What were the odds?”
A breath leaves my mouth. “I’ve been asking myself the same question for hours, Marcus. When I came here, I never suspected I was coming to find what I’ve been looking for all these years.”
The words written on that note again. We both got more than we were looking for.
“Did you?” he asks me with lifted brows.
“What do you mean?”
“Were you really looking for my daughter?”
“Like a maniac,” again I go for the truth. There is nothing for me to lose, her father is in front of me, and the man has something about him that pulls you to confess every secret of your soul. “Even in the hardest times, she was in my mind. I’m not letting her go, Marcus. I won’t. She’s the mother of my kid. That means a lot to me.”
Again, his gaze is glued to mine. “There are many kinds of families, David. My daughter has managed without you. You can’t force a relationship with her for the sake of Davi.”
I chuckle at the sound of those words. “Very progressive of you,pastor.”
“You know what I mean,” Marcus adds. “It isn’t healthy for a couple to keep together just for the sake of the kids.”
I love my son. I do love him. But I’m a selfish motherfucker. I’m not making that sacrifice for him. “You’re giving Melanie very little value. She’s amazing. I’d want her even if the kid weren’t mine. And before you say another word, I’d love the kid, too. I want them both with me. Period.”
While she’s Ella to me, I’m not sure how he’d feel about me not calling her by her given name.
“Are youthatsure?”
“I am.” There is no turning back. That night at the club Melanie Garfield sealed her fate. I have given this a lot of thought over the past hours. I’m sure of what I want.
Marcus lets out a sigh. “Look, David. You’re a good guy, but I’m not sure if you’re what my daughter needs. Melinda, my ex-wife, left us when she was two years old. Since then, Melanie has been obsessed with being the perfect kid. I don’t know if she remembers something, or maybe it’s subconscious. I never had a single issue with my daughter. Ever. Until the moment she told me she was pregnant. She likes stability and someone who loves and accepts her in the marvelous quirky way she is.”
I open my mouth to argue, but he stops me by lifting a hand.
“Before you say another word, it’s too soon. You barely know each other.” He makes a fair point. We need to spend time together. The next weeks will be crucial for us. “Take the time to listen to her, to know Davi. Don’t make her promises until you’re ready to give her the world.”
Scratching my jaw, I look at the man. His advice is coming from the right place. However, it isn’t what I wanted to hear.
“I promise I’ll take my time with her,” I finally concede. It’s my version of the truth. I plan to take my time with her, not in the PG way I’m sure Marcus has in mind. My insides are craving her touch, her kisses. To have her naked in my arms. Patience, I chastise myself. This is a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t rush the result when your entire life is at stake.
Bob, the foreman, arrives and comes closer to greet us both. Time to get to work, but before starting, Marcus pushes a newspaper into my hands and takes his phone out to take a picture.
“What?” I ask him, startled.
“Precautions,” he replies, smiling. “Your lawyer told me these people are ready to fight. So my plan is to provide irrefutable proof of your commitment. Now go punch your time card. You’re not here on holiday, you know?”
A laugh escapes my lips. I like the man. “I know, boss.”
I’m sure my employees are taking perverse pleasure in giving me a hard time. By noon, I’m sweating my ass off, so my t-shirt is on the ground while I stand on the roof wearing just a muscle shirt.
“David,” I hear Marcus’s voice calling me.
“Here!”
“Someone is looking for you,” he replies, and my heart starts to pump faster. She’s here.
A wide smile is pulling my lips up when my feet reach the ground. I turn to look for the woman camping in my mind with a free pass. To my disappointment, she’s not here, but a group of at least ten ladies of all ages marches toward me.
