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“Of course, Mama. I has good manners.” He held his chubby fist over his heart as if offended. She looked at me to confirm, and I nodded.
“We had a good time.”
“Did you use my child as a wingman?” She narrowed her eyes at me.
I snorted. “It’s the crack of dawn.”
“When has that stopped you before?” She raised an eyebrow.
I heard Cee’s phone vibrate. She looked down to read the text and then back at Wyatt. “Auntie Elle is waiting to see you.”
“Really?” Wyatt beamed. “I have more meetings than the Senator today!”
“Yes. Your father is busy, but you are much more charming.” Cee dropped a finger on the tip of Wyatt’s nose. “Let’s go find Auntie, okay?” She stood, taking his hand and then looking at me. “I’ll be right back if you can hang out for a couple of minutes?”
I nodded and watched the pair go a few doors down the hall and knock on a door. The door opened, and I heard Silas’s voice greet Wyatt. This kid had the whole damn hotel up before nine in the morning. Wyatt disappeared into the room and Cee came right back.
She pointed to the small table and chairs, and I took a seat. “I think we need to talk,” she said.
Well, no good can come from this. “Okay,” I replied, drawing out the word.
“I don’t want you to think you need to take care of us.”
“What are you talking about?”
She shifted in her chair, looking down at her hands on the table. “How long have you been reading books to Wyatt before bed?”
Oh. “A while.” She sat silently, but I could see her thoughts racing. I pulled at my neck and elaborated. “Back when Eli was sick, I was around for bedtime one night. Wyatt was crying, refusing to go to bed because he didn’t have his story. When I realized it was because Eli was the one who usually read it to him, my damn heart broke for the kid. So, I read him a book. And then I did again the next night. Before I knew it, I was reading the same three books for a year.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I was so wrapped up in my head I forgot all about their bedtime routine.”
“Well, Wyatt and Eli didn’t. Eli asked me to take over when he realized I was doing it and I told him I would for as long as Wyatt needed me to.”
“I can get Mason to take over. I had no idea—”
“No. I want to,” I interrupted her. “Mason and I already had it out about this.”
It wasn’t a pretty argument. Mason was sensitive about his role as father to Wyatt, and while I think he was fine with Eli’s role, I got the distinct impression he felt like I was trying to step on his toes. I wasn’t trying to replace Eli or be a dad to Wyatt. But I used it as an excuse to check on him daily.
“And me? You promised Eli you’d take care of me, too. Is that what this is?” She waved a finger between the two of us.
Her question landed like a bomb on my chest. I physically jolted back into my chair. “Cee, we’ve been friends since long before Eli got sick. This isn’t a pity friendship, if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I just remembered that you told me you promised Eli you’d take care of me.”
“I did and I fucking failed. Hardcore.”
She looked up at me, confusion marred her face. “Failed? I’m sitting right here because you wouldn’t let me die.”
This conversation was way overdue, but I didn’t want to have it. Thinking about how close I came to losing her forever made me nauseous.
Breathing deeply, I responded. “I should’ve gotten you better help sooner. I should’ve known. We talked about how you probably should’ve been committed when you and Eli were apart before. I should’ve seen it. I should’ve backed off the tour immediately and made sure you were getting help. But I didn’t and I let Elle talk me into letting you go on tour, despite your protests and my gut screaming at me.”
Thinking about how I had fucked up had my knees bouncing under the table and my hand ringing the back of my neck.
“I fucked up so bad, Kate, and it almost killed you.”
Tears rolled down both of our cheeks now. She reached a hand across the table, and I took it with a squeeze.
