Page 66 of Rebooked For Us
“You heard me. What has you confused?”
“Ducane, I have a car. I can drive myself.”
“And now you have a driver. Did you forget who I am and the type of people I represent? You think I’m about to have my wife and child driving around unprotected?” I let that sit. “You wanted a nigga on bullshit, Skye. You got him. All in. So buckle up.”
She opened her mouth, closed it, and looked back out the window.
My phone rang, and it was my mom. I ignored it, and Skye shifted uncomfortably.
“No, not until I’m ready.”
“I agree with you, Skye. This is between us until we decide differently.”
The closer we got to Coupeville, the tighter my jaw became. By the time we crossed the city limits, I finally understood why.
I hadn’t been back since I took the Upland office. I’d built a whole life four hours away just so I’d never have to drive past The Diner where I fell in love with her, or the courthouse where I married her.
And the joke of it was, in running from this city, I’d run straight past everything I wanted. If I’d stayed, I might’ve passed Skye on the street one day, big and pregnant, and known. Instead, I put four hours between us and missed my daughter’s entire life. My father wanted me in Upland. I gave him that and didn’t even make him work for it.
Skye lived in a nice two-story home in a quiet suburb. I spotted the room that had to be Cadence’s right off, pastel purple curtains in the upstairs window. My hands went damp.
Lola was standing on the walkway when we pulled up, tablet in hand. She’d flown in to help me through whatever this was. I didn’t know what the fuck “transition” even meant yet, but I knew nothing was ever going to be the same.
“Ducane, who is this? And why is she at my house?”
“She’s just here to help with some shit.”
“We just landed, and this is the first meeting. What is so important that it can’t wait?”
“I know when we landed, Skye.”
She pressed her lips together. “Can we just go inside and see our daughter before you restructure my entire life?”
“Nobody’s restructuring anything.” I got out and held the door for her. “I’m just not missing any more time with you or my child. Is that not what you want?”
“Ducane, don’t put this on me. I don’t know what you want or what you’re thinking. You won’t talk to me or share your feelings.”
I saw her chest rising and falling. Tears pooled in her eyes as she shifted.
“What is it, Skye? Why are you hyperventilating?”
She got the words out in a rush, like she’d been holding them since the island.
“Do you want to be a family with Cadence and me? Or are you coming to see her just to leave back out?” Her voice cracked. “How do we do this, Ducane? Because I can’t let her get attached to a father who’s going to walk back out the door.”
My eyes drifted to the upstairs window before I could stop them.
“I’m terrified to walk through that door and meet a little girl who looks just like me. A little girl you hid.” I brought my eyes back to her. “But don’t put this on me like I’m the one who might leave. It’s me, Skye. I would’ve been here. From day one. Fuck what you thought.”
“She just. She’s been mine to protect. This is a lot and you won’t?—”
“Won’t what? Let you off the hook? Reassure you?” I held her gaze. “You made a grown woman’s choice. Stand on that shit. For once.”
“For once? What does that mean?”
“Nothing, take me to Cadence.”
“Fine,” she said and took off inside.
