Page 61 of Blue Line Love

She gurgles at me in protest. As if she knows that Olivia isn’t going to stand for this.

“I know, I know. But what else am I supposed to do?”

Violet tilts her head and huffs. Telling me I’m dumb, that I’m going to ruin everything.

“Fuck. I’m having a conversation with an infant that can’t form complete sentences yet,” I mumble. Things really are going downhill.

Violet at least behaves and lets me get her breakfast in her without a fuss. Well, without much of a fuss. But I can tell she knows something’s up. She’s restless.

By the time Grams comes around, the morning light is starting to spill into the house. I know Olivia will be awake soon, so I do as much as I can to rush Grams in and out of the house.

“You know, if you needed a babysitter this badly, you could have called me a while ago?—”

“Yeah, yeah, don’t bite my head off. I’ve been trying to be responsible,” I say, ushering her out of the house once she’s got her arms full of Violet.

She scoffs, pausing, turning to face me. “Something’s going on,” she infers. “What is it? Did you do something silly?”

“Why does it need to be me doing something silly?”

She gives me a look, her brow up and her chin tucked in, as if to say, You know why. “I damn near raised you your whole life, Reese. This isn’t just you trying to get a weekend alone with your woman. What’s going on?”

I almost tell her, just so that I don’t have to lie to her. I’m already stacking up the deception with Olivia and, after today, it’s going to be at an all-time high. I can’t rope another person into Holly’s bullshit.

“Nothing. Seriously,” I say, turning her around and guiding her toward her car. “Just need a little time with Olivia and, as much as I love this little girl, I want my leading lady all to myself.”

Grams laughs and actually lets me guide her this time. “You’ve turned into such a sap with her around,” she scolds playfully. “Fine, don’t tell me. Just know I’ll be here whenever you’re ready to tell me what’s up. You hear me?”

“Yes, Grams. I hear you.”

Grams drives off with Violet moments later. I feel another piece of my sanity disintegrate as I watch her car get smaller and smaller until it disappears into the distance. I sigh.

Part two of the master plan begins now.

I head back inside and, as quietly as possible, start gathering up things for Olivia. At least two weeks’ worth of things, stuff for the bathroom, all her electronics and chargers. I sneak around the house and the only thing that comes to my head is how I must look like the Grinch. Tiptoeing here and there, pilfering things away, and slipping them into bags.

It’d be funny if I wasn’t doing something that’s going to get me into hot water with Olivia.

Soon, I have everything that she needs tucked away into just a few suitcases. I get them packed into the car in just enough time for Olivia to start stirring. As I’m coming back into the house, closing the door quietly behind me, she pads downstairs. Her pajamas are wrinkly and her hair looks like a bird’s nest and my fucking God, I don’t think I’ve ever been more in love with her.

There’s something different about your woman showing herself at her most vulnerable, knowing that she looks like that because she had a good night’s sleep in your bed, in your arms.

“G’morning, princess,” I murmur, pulling her immediately into my arms. She sinks into me at once, still warm from bed. Somehow, she feels softer than she did yesterday. More delicate. Is that what pregnancy does to a woman or does being the father just heighten my perception of her?

“You’re awake early,” she mumbles back. “Violet wasn’t in her bed?”

“I sent her off with Grams,” I croak hurriedly. “I, uh… I have a surprise for you. So I wanted it to be just the two of us.”

Olivia peeks up at me curiously. Her trusting eyes stab me right in the gut. All that trust is gonna crumble the moment she realizes what I’m actually doing. “Oh? Even with everything going on?”

“I figured, with everything going on, now was the perfect time to take you out on a trip.” I lay it on thick. I hope that all my years’ experience wooing, charming, and getting women to do what I want them to do works on her. But Olivia’s always been able to call me on my shit.

I gotta hope luck is on my side with this one.

A soft, sleepy smile spreads across her face. “Okay.”

Internally, I sigh in relief and shove down my guilt. I’m doing this to keep her and our baby safe. It’s for the right reasons.

“Why don’t you go get ready? I’ve already packed our stuff up and put it in the car.”

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