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“He told the realtor that he needs to close quickly because he wants to move in with his family soon. His wife and child.”
“He’s not married.”
“No, he’s not. But I think he intends to be as soon as he can do it. He is yours. And you don’t even know it.” She giggles. “But I don’t think you’re gonna be in the dark too much longer. I think your professor is fixing to mount a massive campaign and he’s got you in his sights.”
I don’t answer her and she sighs. “I just thought you should know.” Then she walks out and I hear the front door open and close.
I want to call out to her but I’m too confused. Too shocked. Too damn hopeful for words.
But he’s not mine and I need to remember that and keep my stupid, foolish heart under control. Men are strange beasts and just like Daisy’s biological sperm donor of a father, he’ll get bored and move on or change his mind.
I’m not what anybody wants. I just have to learn to live with being alone with my daughter. It’s enough.
The door crashes open and I jump, my eyes darting to the doorway.
“Why the hell isn’t this damn door locked, Stella!” I roll my eyes and whisper to my daughter.
“Look who’s here, baby girl.”
The door opens and he strolls inside, leaning against the doorjamb, his long legs crossed over each other. “Why isn’t that door locked, baby girl?”
“Daffy just left and she must have missed locking it. It’s not like it matters. Wildwood is so damn safe that it’s not funny. Nothing will happen to either of us here.” I give my daughter a goofy smile and she gurgles at me. I don’t look up at Max.
He stalks closer. “Why won’t you look up at me?”
“I’m feeding my daughter, Max. Why are you being so damn pushy?”
“Something’s going on here. I can feel it. You’re pissed. Or unhappy. I’m not sure which.”
“It could be either,” I mutter under my breath. “I need to get some things done tonight, Max. I don’t feel like company. It’s my day off and I want to spend it alone.”
“That,” he snarls. “What’s with the attitude?”
“I don’t have an attitude. What I have is a busy schedule and a lot of things that I need to get done. One of which is not entertaining strangers.”
“Now, you’re just being insulting. We’re not strangers, baby girl. I’ve had the taste of you on my lips.”
Gasping, I lift my eyes up and glare at him. “That’s fucking crude, Max.”
He grunts, “but true.”
“I want to be alone tonight.” I stick to my guns. I feel like I’m suffocating under what he’s doing and what I’m feeling. There’s so many expectations on both sides. I don’t want to expect things from him but I am.
And that’s damn bad. Because when you expect things from people that’s when they can hurt you.
I glare at him stubbornly.
He finally stands tall and stalks over to me. My breath stutters in my chest when I see the anger and fear in his eyes. The same anger and fear that I feel shimmering around me.
He reaches out and lightly touches Daisy’s head, smiling gently. Then he looks up at me and his smile fades to hurt. “I’ll leave you alone tonight, baby girl, but only one night. So whatever you’ve got running around in that pretty head of yours, you better get it all straightened out because I’m gonna come back and when I do…that’s the last time I’ll leave you. I’ve tried to make it plain but maybe I’m not being as clear as I should be.”
“You’re mine, Stella. You always will be.”
And then he turns and walks out the door and my wishy-washy heart begs me to call him back, to ask him to forgive me for being bitchy.
Just ask him to love me the way I think I love him.
But I’m not taking any chances with my heart anymore. He’s telling me all the right things but I don’t know if I can trust him not to leave.
