AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Are you?”
“I am. Aren’t I, Mommy?”
“You are, baby.” Cadence kissed her cheek before nestling her face in the girl’s hair.
“Mommy, what does my name mean?”
“Elizabeth means god is my oath and Grace means charm.”
“That’s good, right?”
“Yeah, that’s good, baby.”
“My name is good too, but I like my name because it was my grandma’s name. I never met her though but Mommy shows me pictures and tells me about her. She was nice just like Mommy. We’re having pancakes for dinner because Mommy didn’t let me be her ’sistant today. You want pancakes too?”
“Gracie no. You can’t just go inviting people to dinner. Besides he might have other plans.” I could see the pleading in her eyes. She didn’t want me to stay. She didn’t want me around her daughter.Fuck. That didn’t feel good.
“Maybe another time. I have to get dinner for my brother and take it to him.”
“You have a bruver? I don’t want one of those. I do want a sister though. Mommy said maybe one day.”
“Gracie,” Cadence warned.
“Sisters are cool too but I kinda like my brother. Well it was nice meeting you, Gracie. You’re beautiful just like your mother.”
My eyes left the tiny replica of Cadence and found hers. They softened a little but her stance didn’t. She wanted me to go.
“Thank you.” Gracie blushed and my heart melted. If I thought Cadence had the ability to make me fold and fall to my knees this little girl was ten times stronger.
Cadence has a daughter.
One that she didn’t want me around. And if she really knew who I wasshewouldn’t want to be around me either.
“Come on, Gracie. Let’s get your hands washed while your Mommy says goodbye to her friend.”
“Okay.” The woman who’d showed up with Gracie lifted the child from Cadence’s arms and started toward the back of the diner, leaving us alone. It was also very clear from the look she gave that her friend recognized me.
Fuck.
I knew Cadence would eventually find out. Hell I would have likely told her at some point but now there was no avoiding the fallout which meant the small moment we had was done.
“I’ll let you get back to your dinner date. I’m just gonna place an order to-go. I can wait for it in the car.”
She frowned. “You don’t have to do that.”
“You didn’t mention her and the horrified look on your face when you noticed I was here says that I do.”
“It’s not that, she’s important to me—”
“I get it. No need to explain. You don’t owe me anything.”
I walked away, heading to the end of the counter where I placed my order and, as promised, waited outside in my Jeep. When I left I felt Cadence watching me and the selfish side of me wanted to say something but the rational side finally kicked in.
There was no room for a woman like Cadence or a kid in my life. I was a fucking mess that would never come clean.
six
Cadence.
