Page 9 of Fallynn West

“One dollar per minute, so seventy-five dollars.”

“Damn.” Keondra gently placed Kehlani on her feet and dug into his pocket. He retrieved his wallet, opened it, and counted off the money. When he handed it to me, our hands grazed, and goosebumps pebbled on my skin. “I apologize for being late, Ms. Miles. I had a situation at my business, and I couldn’t get away on time. I’ll be picking Kehlani up and dropping her off for the rest of the week, so my tardiness won’t happen again.”

“What’s tardiness, Daddy?” Kehlani inquired.

“It means my lateness, KeKe.”

“So, you mean you won’t be late picking me up again?”

“Yes.”

Kehlani asked the question we were both wondering. “And what if you are?”

Keondra squatted to become eye level with Kehlani. “If I am, I will take a day off from work, let you stay home, and we will do whatever you want.”

The way Kehlani’s eyes sparkled as she bounced on her toes was precious. It was obvious she desired that special time with her father, and I secretly hoped he made it happen without him being late.

“You promise, Daddy?”

“I promise.” He kissed her nose, stood up, and reverted his attention to me. I didn’t miss the way his eyes, which were shielded by round glasses, slowly traveled up the length of my frame. “Thank you for staying with her.”

“Of course. It’s my job. Just know if this becomes a pattern, I may have to get legal services involved.”

That was a part of my job that I didn’t particularly care for. Every parent’s situation was different. I didn’t mind being lenient, but I also had a job to do. Not only did I need to protect my babies, but I also had to protect myself. Laws and rules were put in place for a reason.

Keondra jerked his head back and scowled. “Excuse me?”

“Yes, legal services. Trust me, it is the last thing I desire to do, but it is a part of my job. I trust that you understand.”

“Yeah.” Keondra ran his tongue over his teeth and kissed them. “I do.”

Without another word, he grabbed Kehlani’s hand and walked away. I watched them until they drove off, feeling the aftereffects of striking his nerves. When it came to their situation, I needed to know more. I wanted to know more, so after I made sure the center was locked up, I called the one person I knew would have information.

“Hey, Colony. How’s Mr. Martin doing?” Olive quizzed when she answered the phone.

“He’s good. A little sore but good. We should find out the results in a week.”

“Everything is going to come back fine. He’ll receive a clean bill of health, and everyone will be able to breathe.”

I released a shaky sigh. “I surely hope so. Honestly, I haven’t been able to get a good night’s sleep since they told me. I probably won’t until we know for sure.”

“That’s understandable, but you do need to make sure you’re taking care of yourself and not overthinking it. Pray about it and give it to God. There isn’t anything else you or anyone else can do about it.”

“You’re right, Olive. Thank you. How’s my baby feeling?”

“Girl, he’s with his dad, so he’s good.”

I giggled. Parker loved his mom, but when he was with his father, he almost forgot Olive existed. It was the sweetest thing, and I loved that so much for him.

“Oh, girl. You’re a distant memory.”

Olive snorted. “Tell me about it, but what are you up to? It sounds like you’re driving.”

“I am. I just left the center.”

“Why so late?”

“Because Kehlani’s father was over an hour late picking her up,” I revealed, tapping my fingers against the steering wheel.