Page 50 of Before This Ends (Before)

“We’re going to have to find another restaurant,” I tell Emma, and she stops spraying water on Winter’s hair and looks back at me.

“That’s okay. Do you have somewhere else in mind?”

“Not anywhere we won’t need a reservation for, and it’s probably too late to get one now.”

Her nose scrunches.

“You can have pizza with me and Kingston,” Winter says, and Emma raises a brow in my direction at the suggestion.

Not fucking happening. Not that I don’t love spending time with my daughter and family, but I want some time alone with her.

“Thanks, Win, but Uncle Tucker and Miranda only got enough stuff for the four of you,” I lie, knowing Miranda probably bought enough to feed a football team. “Are you good here?” I ask Emma.

“Oh, yeah, this shouldn’t take long.”

“I’m going to make some calls and see if I can find another restaurant taking reservations.”

“Sounds good.” She shoots me a smile before I leave the bathroom.

I call Tucker to fill him in, and he lets me know they haven’t started making pizzas yet and that they will wait for Winter, so she doesn’t miss out. And after I hang up with him, I call around to a few restaurants, but like I assumed, they are all booked, with the wait time over an hour long at each one. So, unless Emma has another suggestion, it looks like it’s going to be a night in with takeout.

Figuring I’ve put off the inevitable long enough, I dial Hazel’s number and listen to it ring. We haven’t spoken much in the last few days, and when we have talked, it’s been when she’s called Winter’s iPad and I’ve been in the room. And each time, I’ve made sure we only talk about stuff pertaining to Winter, nothing outside of that topic.

“Hey, is everything okay?” she answers, surprise lacing her tone.

“Everything is fine, and Winter is good, but you’re gonna want to sit down.”

“Oh God, what did she do?”

“She decided to cut her own hair.”

“Oh no,” she whispers. “Iknewshe was thinking that.”

“Did you?”

“Yes. When I told her no, she got that same stubborn look on her face that you get when you don’t get your way.”

“Maybe you could have warned me, so I could’ve hidden the scissors,” I mutter, and she laughs.

“Sorry, I didn’t think she’d actuallydo it.”

“Well, she did. Emma is attempting to fix it now.”

“Oh, you didn’t ask Miranda?”

“Emma and I had plans, so she came over,” I say then wonder why the fuck I’m explaining myself.

“You have plans with Emma? I thought you were making pizzas with Miranda and Tucker?” The weight of her questions makes me regret saying anything. But I know Winter will likely mention it at some point, and I’m not asking my daughter to lie.

I also don’t see the reason I should lie.

“No,Winteris going to make pizzas. Emma and I are going out to dinner.”

“So, you’re dating her?”

“Hazel.”

“Fine,” she mutters, then goes quiet for a moment before asking, “Will you have Winter call me when she’s finished, so I can see her hair?”

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