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Harper pats my shoulder as she passes me by to put an empty glass in the sink.
“How’s Jonathan?”
She sighs, resting her arms on the counter next to me. “Asleep, much like those two.”
“Yep, it’s a pretty cute sight.”
She turns slightly in my direction. “So, there’s something I’ve been wanting to talk to Riker about, but with Jonathan coming early and Kenzie hanging on him every moment he’s here, I haven’t had the chance.”
“You want me to run interference?”
With a grin, she taps her temple. “Vincent is recruiting Kenz to help with breakfast in the morning, if you wouldn’t mind keeping an eye on Jonathan for a few minutes.”
“Sure.”
Harper gives me a long, appraising look. “You’re good for him.”
“Well,” I laugh over the rim of my coffee. “I hear I partially have you to thank for him coming to Ohio, so…”
“We’re moving,” she says.
The mug almost slips out of my fingers, but she presses her finger to her lips. “Don’t tell him. Vincent was offered a job he’s been after for a little over a year in Richmond.”
Wait, I drove through there on my way to Virginia Beach. “That’s like an hour and a half away.”
She nods, and I stare at her with my mouth wide open, unable to get it to work again. Riker is going to shit a brick.
With the plan in place, I meet Harper in the hallway the following morning to take Jonathon who is silently sucking away at his pacifier. Vincent and Kenzie are already in the kitchen working on the pancakes and rocking out to some kind of kid’s pop music. I lurk around the corner, watching Harper sit down on the couch next to Riker.
“There’s something I need to talk to you about before you go.”
Riker scoots back to sit up in his seat. “Conversations that start like that usually aren’t good.”
Harper gives him an exasperated look. “Vincent was offered a new job—one that he’s been trying to get for a while because the benefits are perfect, especially with another kid in the house.”
“Okay.” Riker holds out the word, obviously waiting for the worst to hit.
“As soon as the school year is over, we’ll be moving to Richmond.”
“Virginia?” He moves to the edge of his seat as Harper hushes him. “You’re moving to Virginia? You said you never wanted to go back to Virginia.”
“Things were different. The timing’s not great since we’ll have the baby, but he’s going to be doing remote work for them until then. Kenzie wants to spend more time with you and…” She tilts her head. “Are you okay with it?”
Riker pitches forward, covering his mouth with his hands. “Yeah, of course I’m okay with it. I didn’t—” He shakes his head, struggling for words.
I’d gotten so caught up in watching I hadn’t noticed Jonathan had spit out his pacifier until he kicks his feet and starts to cry. I bounce him a bit, and try to give it back, but he cries harder with everything I do until Harper comes to the rescue.
By then, Riker’s already aware that I’d been standing there listening to the whole thing. “You knew?”
I sit down next to him and put on my best apologetic face. Even if I’m not sorry in the least. “Only since last night.”
“Conspiring with my ex-wife already?” He squeezes the top of my knee. Then shakes his head. “I really don’t know what to say about all of this.”
“Are you happy?” I ask.
He covers his mouth again, blinking as if fighting back the emotions. “Yeah. Sounds like you get to do a lot more piggy-sitting.”
I moan. That hadn’t crossed my mind, but if that’s what it takes to have Riker, and for him to have more time with his daughter, I will piggy-sit every day.
THE END
