Page 81 of Clueless
I watched him open the bottle of wine as I bit my lip.“Maybe we shouldn’t drink around her.We’re supposed to be setting a good example, right?”
He rolled his eyes with a smile as he removed the cork and filled one glass for me.“I don’t think we’re setting a bad example if we have a drink or two with dinner.”
“I just want this to go well.”I watched Taz return the wine to the fridge before reaching for a beer for himself.
“Let’s talk about something else.”He popped the top on his beer before leaning in to kiss me.“Like how the hell you managed to keep the fact your sister is pregnant from everyone, including me and your mama.”
Mama had already met Taz a few times, and I was shocked how well they’d hit it off.She didn’t seem to hold his past against him.Codie claimed a couple of hit songs and upcoming world tour with Trey Turner, had helped to sell Mama, and the rest of the world on Taz.
“That was her secret to tell, not mine.Besides, she wanted to wait until Mav got home to tell him, and no one could know before he did.That wouldn’t be fair.”
“But you knew,” he said, brushing his lips against my cheek when I turned to remove the pasta from the heat.
“Well yeah, of course, I knew.She had to talk to someone about it.She was freaking out, especially the first ultrasound appointment.”I took a sip of wine.“You should have seen my calm and collected big sister that day.I thought she was going to have a full-blown meltdown.”
He smiled as he brought the beer bottle to his mouth.“I bet Mav hated having to miss that.”
“The first ultrasound?”When he nodded, I said, “Yeah, he did.But he’s gonna be off the road for the rest of the year, so he’ll be able to make all of the other appointments, and he’ll be there to hold her hand in the delivery room, so that’s the most important thing.”
“You seem pretty excited about being an auntie,” he said, amusement gleaming in his eyes.“I noticed you’re building quite a stash of baby clothes.”
I couldn’t help myself.Buying baby stuff had become my new hobby, but since we didn’t know if it was going to be a boy or girl yet, I’d had to stick to gender neutral items.“I can’t wait, to be honest.”
“How did you feel?”he asked, studying me.“Seeing the baby on that screen for the first time?”
“It was scary and exciting at the same time.”I laughed.“Not that I knew what I was looking it.It just looked like a little peanut to me.Still, I couldn’t help imagining all the things we’d be doing together.The zoo, amusement parks, sleepovers?—”
“God, that look you get when you talk about babies.”He growled, wrapping his arms around my waist as he nibbled my neck.“You know how much that turns me on?”
I slapped his arm.“This coming from the guy who wasn’t even sure he wanted to get married or have babies, not so long ago.”
“That guy was an idiot who didn’t know a good thing when he had it.Ever since our break-up, a lot of things have become crystal clear for me.”
He’d talked a lot about the future, even showing me listings for properties in the country, where he wanted to buildourdream home.But until I met Quinn, and found out whether she was going to hate me, I couldn’t think about the future.
She’d been spending a lot of time with her daddy, and even asked if she could move in with him, since her Mama had a new boyfriend who creeped her out.Taz promised Quinn he’d talk to her Mama about it, which he had, but she’d flat-out refused.Taz assumed it was because she didn’t want to lose out on the big child support payments every month, but he didn’t feel he was in a position to push her.Still, he warned his ex if her new boyfriend did anything to make Quinn uncomfortable, he’d be having a chat with him.
“I just want tonight to go well.I can’t think past that.”
He frowned.“You’ve been shutting me down every time I tried to talk to you about the future.Why?”
I didn’t mean to hurt his feelings, but I couldn’t think past today.“I’m sorry, I just…” There was no easy way to tell him, for me, everything was riding on how well I got along with Quinn.“I can’t and won’t live with someone in my life who makes me miserable, babe.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I love you even more because you’re working so hard to build a relationship with your daughter.And I think it’s amazing that she’s putting the past behind her and giving you that chance.”
“But?”
“She has no reason to give me a chance.I’m still the woman who stealing her daddy’s attention.I work with a lot of young people who get shuffled between two homes.They’re angry, with good reason.And they’re looking for someone to take it out on.That’s often their parent’s new partner.And I’m sorry, but I don’t want that to be me.”
He set his bottle down on the counter with a little more force than necessary.“I can’t believe you would bail on me if Quinn gives you a hard time.That is what you’re telling me, that we’re done if she gives you grief?”
“No.”I sighed as I stepped in front of him, resting my hands on his chest.“I love you, and I want this to work.But?—”
The doorbell rang, making Taz curse as he stepped back, muttering, “I’ll get it.”
I forced myself to do a little deep breathing, as I stood by the kitchen island, not wanting to crowd her as soon as she entered.Quinn was lovely.Straight black hair, olive skin, blue eyes, and a smile just like her daddy’s, which I got to see when he teased her about finding her crop top in the toddler section.
