Page 51 of Jag

“She cares. I see it in her eyes. But her saying it may take a while.”

“River may surprise you, Dom.”

“I can wait. Not sure I can take any more surprises.”

River

As Dom drove, he keptglancing in the rearview mirror at me. The desire I saw was for me, but I wasn’t sure after I told of the week I had when I’d gotten back, it would still be there. And it scared me.

I’d picked them up at the airport, nervous about seeing him, yet curious at the same time. I needed to know if the feelings that grew while we’d been together taking care of Poppy were because of the circumstance or because of the man himself.

From the way he hugged and kissed me at the airport, it was the man. But as I sat in the back seat with Poppy, keeping her entertained, doubt pushed through. Brought on from my old self I knew but knowing didn’t necessarily help push it back.

Regardless of the swirling feelings I was dealing with, I wouldn’t put off telling him. Not after what he just went through.

The truck slowed, then turned, I didn’t need to look to know my time for musings was about to end. We’d arrived at Black Hawk.

We dropped Flyboy off at his place, then pulled up in front of Dom’s house. I carried Poppy in, who had fallen asleep, and Dom grabbed his and Poppy’s things.

The air between us felt chilled, and I knew Dom was feeling it too because neither one of us had spoken on the way to his house.

“What going on, River?” Dom asked as soon as he closed the door.

I looked down at Poppy, then back to him.

“I needed to talk with you. It can wait until Poppy is settled.”

“Just say what you have to say. Then you can go. I have Poppy now. And I’m too tired for anything else,” he said, then took Poppy from my arms.

“I know you have her, I was there, remember?”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he headed for the stairs, and I followed.

“Let me help you put her down?”

“Fine.” The clipped answer was a sign he was running out of patience.

I followed into the room that was now Poppy’s. I don’t know what I expected, but her room was completely set up as though she always lived there.

“Who did this?” I asked as Dom laid Poppy gently down in her crib. She didn’t even move. I grabbed a diaper while Dom opened drawers until he found her pajamas.

“The guys and the women,” he answered as we worked together getting Poppy ready for bed. Through the whole process, Poppy slept.

“I can’t believe she didn’t wake up,” I commented as we left the room.

“She had a busy day, she’s exhausted. So am I, so let’s get this over with,” he said, then headed down the stairs. I followed him downstairs and into the living room.

I sat on one corner of the couch, and he took the other. When I didn’t immediately speak, he raised a brow.

I wiped my hands on my pants, then clasped them on my lap.

“I’m not sure how much of the phone call with my mother you heard? We never discussed it.”

“Enough to know your ex cheated and blamed you,” he said, and I nodded.

“Yes, he did. He also got her pregnant.”

“Jesus. River, the situation with Simone and Poppy, you—"

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