Page 68 of Forever Player

“I could do either. I kind of feel like bacon and eggs, even though I should probably start eating a little healthier with all the weight I’ve gained,” she states, looking out the window.

“You’re perfect just the way you are, Honey.”

She turns to look at me and she fights a smile.

“What?” I ask.

“You need to stop talking like that,” she scolds.

“Never,” I say playfully. She shakes her head and breaks into laughter.

I pull into a spot in the parking lot at the restaurant. “Have you been here before?”

I ask.

“No.”

“They have good breakfast and lunch options. I come here with the team in the warmer months. They have a nice patio,” I explain.

We leave my SUV and head inside with Maylee in her stroller. A hostess seats us at a regular table instead of a booth so Maylee can stay in her stroller.

“This is a nice place,” Willow notes.

“The food is good too.”

“It feels good to be back in the city,” she says on an exhale.

“I’m glad you feel that way. I hate leaving you and Maylee, but I need you to promise me you’ll call me and keep me posted on things.”

“I can do that.” She nods. Things are cordial. Not exactly the way I want them but I’ll take what I can get. We brought Maylee inside in her car seat which snaps into the stroller since we didn’t need to wake her when we arrived.

The waitress comes to take our order.

“Hi, Brett,” she says. Shit. This isn’t good. I never slept with Tracy or was it Stacey? I just brought her to my apartment, couldn’t go through with sex and then we spoke about Willow.

“Hi, Tracy,” I greet.

“It’s Stacey.” She frowns, and I wince as my gaze lands on Willow.

She doesn’t react though. She just stays seated and smiles at me, so everything must be okay. I did say I came here with the guys a lot, so knowing the name of a waitress shouldn’t be a big deal.

Stacey takes our order and she gushes over a sleeping Maylee in her stroller.

When Stacey leaves, I am expecting to talk more with Willow but her eyes are glued to her cell. She’s chewing her lip nervously too.

“Is everything okay?” I ask.

“Hmm?” She lifts her head and looks at me like she didn’t hear the question.

“I asked if everything was okay?” I repeat nervously because Willow seems off.

She turns her phone to me. “Is this our waitress?” she asks, showing me an article written about my latest conquests. There is a snapshot of Stacey leaving my building with the title “Noble Strikes Again.”

Fuck me.

“That isn’t what you think,” I begin to mutter.

“I don’t care, Brett. I’m just wondering why you keep feeding me lines about wanting to be with me and then you bring me and your daughter to one of the spots you come to pick up chicks,” she says coolly. “This is exactly why I would never consider an us.”

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