Page 46 of Black Roses

Few things embarrass me. Singing a girly princess song in front of the woman I’m trying to impress is definitely one of them.

When we make it to the platform, I take a moment to admire Piper. Her hair is windblown and her skin slightly pink from the strong afternoon sun. I realize I don’t want the day to end. And I’d really like some alone time with her. “Come back to my place,” I say, hopefully.

Her eyes flicker between Hailey and me. “Won’t Hailey’s mom be there soon?”

“Don’t worry about Cassidy. I’d really like you to come with us. There’s something I’d like to show you.”

The number five train to Skylar’s place pulls up alongside us and the doors open. She looks at me. We stare silently at each other until the train pulls away, leaving her standing beside me. She smiles. “I suppose I could come over for a few minutes.”

Hailey smacks my face with her little hands. I guess I’ve been giving too much attention to Piper for the last thirty seconds. Piper laughs as Hailey plies and prods my cheeks as if my face were made of clay. It’s the first laughter I’ve heard from her since last night. And for what feels like the first time today—I breathe.

~ ~ ~

“What’sshedoing here?”

Cassidy’s stinging words slice through the thick, tense air of the hallway outside my apartment.

“You’re early, Cass.” I give Piper an apologetic glance.

“Mama!” Hailey squeals at the sight of her mother, squirming out of my arms so she can run over to her.

Cassidy all but ignores our daughter’s embrace as she fires daggers from her eyes at Piper while I unlock the door.

“I’ll just get Hailey’s things.” I move aside to let them all in. I drop my keys on the entry table before turning to Piper. “You can freshen up in the bathroom if you want.” I point to the door next to my bedroom. “It’s right through there.”

Relief is apparent on her every feature as she scurries away without a word. But it only lasts a moment.

“Pie-pie,” Hailey wails, running after her, giving her legs a hug from behind.

I glance at Cassidy. I can practically see the smoke coming from her ears. Her hands ball into fists before she marches over to Hailey, ripping her away from the endearing grip she has on Piper’s leg.

It’s hard to hold in my smile. Hailey has just given Piper her seal of approval. Something she doesn’t dole out to just anyone. More must have been going on at the park than I realized. Or maybe Hailey senses the same enchanting qualities in Piper that I do.

A fleeting look of terror crosses Piper’s face.Damn. What was I thinking bringing her here and forcing a confrontation like this? I obviously wasn’t thinking with my head. Another part of my anatomy maybe, but definitely not my head.

Piper smiles compassionately at Hailey as she’s dragged across the room by her mother. “It was very nice seeing you again, Hailey. Thanks for playing soccer with me.”

She turns to Cass. “Cassidy, always a pleasure.” She spins around and walks through the bathroom door, shutting it and leaving buckets of sarcasm in her wake.

Cassidy gathers up her things. Hailey knows the drill by now. The older she gets, the harder it is for her to leave without tears. I won’t deny that I’ve shed a few of my own the times she reaches for me, begging to stay.

As if adding fuel to the fire that is my heightened emotional state, Hailey runs over to me and holds up her hands, big balls of tears balancing on her lower lids for a second before spilling over and trailing down her little round cheeks. “Dada!”

Cassidy watches us as we hug, neither of us wanting to part. “You know, if we just lived together, you’d see her all the time and she would never have to be this sad when we leave. She’ll cry herself to sleep tonight. She always does the days she leaves you.”

A piece of my heart breaks off. Just like each time my daughter leaves. I’m not sure if what Cassidy says is true, but the thought of it tears me up.

“Time to go, sweetie,” Cassidy says, pulling her from my arms.

From behind me, I hear the door to the bathroom creak as Piper is either opening it to see if the coast is clear, or to listen.

Right on cue, Cassidy leans towards me, placing an unwelcome kiss on my lips faster than I can stop her.

chapter nineteen

piper

The front door slams shut behind Hailey and her mom, leaving the air rich with tension and discomfort. I walk over to it and grip the handle, turning it quickly, pulling the heavy steel door towards me.

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