Page 28 of Forever Player

“Cooking?”

“Oh, I’ll call my sister. She’ll put me on the right track,” I assure her. Damn, I think back to the past year and a half or so and now I realize why I couldn’t get with other women, because the one in front of me left her mark. She’s also skittish as hell.

“Just don’t burn the kitchen down. Not sure my mom has the best insurance.” She laughs again, but I don’t think she was joking.

“How was the spa?” I ask as I take two steaks and a bunch of vegetables out of the fridge.

“It was beautiful and relaxing. I haven’t seen Ellie and Eden for a while, so it was good to catch up and just have time for myself.”

“I get that. I’ve only been here a day and it was hard. I was sweating at the supermarket. Maylee needed a diaper change and Rodney was nice enough to let me use his desk,” I share as I lay out the steaks.

“Wait up.” Willow pauses, watching me wide-eyed. “What do you mean Rodney let you use his desk? As in the owner of the supermarket?”

I nod. “He’s a nice guy. He was super helpful.”

“I don’t understand. You want to tell me Rodney took you back to his office?” she asks for clarification.

“Yes,” I confirm. “She made a number two. I wasn’t going to leave her in it.”

Willow bursts into such hard laughter her shoulders shake and my eyes zero in on her breast that isn’t in Maylee’s mouth because it’s bouncing.

“What would you have done?” I ask, placing my hands on each of my hips.

“Probably taken her back to the truck and cranked the heat and changed her on the back seat. But I’d probably have checked out first,” she says, and then she’s laughing to herself and mouthing, “He changed a shitty diaper on poor Rodney’s desk.”

“Ha ha, okay, laugh at my expense. At least Maylee was well taken care of. Weren’t you, baby girl?” I coo and look at my daughter, who has her hand on Willow’s breast like she is holding a bottle.

“I’m sorry,” Willow says, trying to control her laughter. “It’s just that Rodney is a big clean freak. I used to work in the supermarket when I was a freshman in high school. He likes everything very sterile because of the food and all. For you to change a shitty diaper on his desk,” she explains, and then she’s laughing again. Her laughter is contagious and so I laugh too, and it feels good to laugh and just let go after my day. I loved spending time with Maylee, but I have a lot to learn.

Willow blows out a breath as her laughter dies out.

“I’m going to call Maddie. I need some tips,” I tell Willow.

“I’ll go give Maylee a bath.”

“I should be there to learn,” I mention.

“I can show you tomorrow. I have the same bedtime routine for her every night,” she explains. I’m glad things are going well between Willow and me. She seems to be on board with me playing a major role in Maylee’s life, and it helps that we are getting along.

“Yeah, okay, sure.” I feel guilt churning my gut. It wasn’t by choice that I missed out on all this time with my daughter and Willow, but it still makes me feel bad. Once again, Willow gives me a curious look before she turns away and heads upstairs. I slip in some AirPods so my hands are free and I call Maddie.

She picks up after one ring. “How have you been? I can’t stop thinking about you, and Asher wants to meet his cousin,” she shoots, talking a mile a minute.

I chuckle. “I hope Asher can meet her soon and I had quite the day.” I give my sister the short version of waking up with Maylee early this morning, feeding her, and changing diapers. When I tell her about my outing to the supermarket, she told me I was brave, and when I told her how many groceries I bought, she told me I was insane.

Maddie sighs. “You’re going to make a great father.”

“I hope you’re right. I just feel so damn guilty about not being here from the start,” I confess.

“Which is why you are going to be a great dad,” she assures.

“I’m sure as hell going to do my best,” I exhale. “The real reason for my call is that I need help making a kick-ass dinner for Willow.”

“Ah, so you’re into this baby mama. I had a feeling during Christmas,” she admits.

“Dude, we aren’t going there now. I just want to show my appreciation. She went through the entire pregnancy on her own, plus the first months of Maylee’s life. I’m going to have to spend forever making it up to her.”

“Well, then we can’t disappoint,” Maddie says, sounding conspiratorial.

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