Page 13 of And Then There Was Us
She sat up a little taller.This, she could handle. “Layla is going to be six next week. She’s smart and funny, and she’s the most thoughtful child. She loves art and going to plays. I imagine she’ll want to be in the drama club when she gets old enough, and she is totally hung up on all things princess at the moment.”
“She sounds wonderful. Does she see her father?”
Brianna shook her head. “No. I never heard from him again after graduation. We’d met at a party, hung out for the weekend, and then he was gone. When I found out I was pregnant, I tracked him down, but…he was less than welcoming about the idea. He made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with me or with Layla.” She couldn’t believe she was telling him her darkest secret, but the confession came easily. “Sometimes I feel guilty that Layla doesn’t have her father in her life, but I can’t imagine forcing him to see her out of obligation.”
He nodded. “Brave.”
“What?”
“You must be very brave to take on raising a child alone right out of college. Weren’t you scared?”
His thoughtful gaze held her still. No one had ever called her brave before. “Um. I never really took the time to think about if I was scared or not. I loved her from the moment I found out I was pregnant, so I just…” She shrugged. “You know, you make a decision and then you do the best you can.”
“Trust me. Brave is a good word for you,” he said. “She’s with your mother tonight, so your mom lives nearby? Was she there to help when she was born?”
His voice was sincere, as were his eyes. Brianna was struck by his interest. “She doesn’t live far. She was pretty upset at first. I mean my dad left when I was eight, so she raised me and saved her money to send me to college, and then I come home pregnant and unable to find a job in my field. It was really hard for her, but she eventually came around, and she adores Layla. My mom’s taking her to a play tomorrow and now I’m working in the morning, so it worked out perfectly.”
Hugh leaned forward. “Tell me about you.”
Her stomach lurched.I’m exhausted and I spend every minute trying to make ends meet and make sure Layla’s okay.“There’s not much to tell.”
“Come on. I watched you in the bar. You’re really good at your job, but I can see the gears of your mind clicking away. What do you think about? What do you like to do?”
“I’m afraid I’m pretty boring. I work two jobs and take care of Layla. Until tonight, I haven’t been on a single date since I got pregnant, and I’m not sure why I agreed tonight, to be honest.”What happened to me? I can’t stop talking.
“It’s because you felt sorry for me because you rescued yourself from the dirtbag who grabbed you instead of letting me be your knight in shining armor.”
“Oh, is that it?” She laughed. “I wondered why I’d cave from my twelve-year-plan for some guy who sits in a bar all night but never drinks.”
“Wait. I’ll answer you, but what’s your twelve-year-plan?”
Yikes. How could I let that slip?She wrinkled her nose. “Did I really say that out loud?”
“Yeah, I’m afraid so. Now you have to explain. I mean, twelve years is a lifetime. How do you plan twelve years ahead of time?”
She drank her coffee, debating her answer. She’d come this far and he hadn’t run away. She might as well expose it all. “Twelve years is how long it is until Layla turns eighteen.” She shrugged. “If I don’t date for twelve years, it makes her life easier.”
He drew his eyebrows together. “So you weren’t planning on dating until she turns eighteen? That’s admirable.”
“I’ve made it six years already, so I’m a third of the way there.”Has it really been that long?“I figure the less confusion the better. Besides, when it’s just me and her, I know where our emotions are.”
“So you haven’t dated since you got pregnant, and you’re doing this to avoid emotional contact?” Hugh’s serious tone caught her off guard.
“No, not to avoid emotional contact, just to protect Layla. You know how relationships are. They’re like roller coasters. They’re good; they’re bad; there’s jealousy and feelings taken for granted. And then when you finally relax, the other person takes off. So it’s just easier to avoid all of that when she’s growing up. I’ll have plenty of time after she’s eighteen. I’ll only be…thirty-nine.”Thirty-nine. Holy cow.That was the first time she’d calculated out her age in accordance with her plan.
He leaned forward again, and Brianna’s heartbeat sped up.
“Do you have any idea how commendable that is?” Then he took her hand and whispered, “Or how sexy?”
His touch sent a zing of excitement through her. His big, warm hand felt like heaven.It’s been way too long. I’m losing my mind.“Kat just calls me crazy.”
“My mother died when I was a baby, and my father has never been with another woman. He still talks to her.” He leaned back in the booth. “You know, I don’t think I’ve shared that with anyone. Anyway, you’re doing what you think is best for your daughter, and there’s nothing sexier than that.”
She covered her face. “You’re making me blush again.”
He reached over and pulled her hand away from her face. “Your face is too pretty to cover up.”
“You’re either a really smooth player or just about the nicest guy I’ve ever met. Oh gosh… What have you done to me? I don’t ever talk about me and Layla, well, except to Kat or Mack.” She looked into her empty coffee cup. “Did you put truth serum in here?”
