Page 47 of Who's Your Daddy
Sully breaks into a smirk, brow arched as he zeroes in on the hands I still have cuffed around Lola’s arms. “Thought we didn’t yell anymore.”
“Wanker,” I mutter, eye still roving over Lola’s dazed expression. “I ran into Lola. She’s not talking. Should we call a doctor?”
“I’m fine.” She pulls out of my hold, taking her soft, warm body away. “You just surprised me is all.”
“Of course I did. I almost knocked you over.”
She shakes her head, like she disagrees, but she doesn’t speak, and that mask of indifference she wears so often slips into place.
Brian steps between us and looks her over. “You okay?”
“I’m fine,” she huffs.
Relief floods me, though it’s instantly replaced with the fear that had consumed me only moments ago. Blood pressure rising, I sidestep the group. “I’m going to check on the flat.”
“Check on the flat?” Sully asks. “Is this another euphemism for a coffee break?”
“No,” I grind out. “If DCPP is sending someone out, I want to make sure it’s perfectly clean and organized.”
I shake my head. What the hell good will that do? It’s up to them to determine whether I’m good enough to be Murphy’s dad and everyone knows I’m not.
He deserves better than me. He deserves better than this place.
My heart pounds wildly, the pain in my sternum intensifying. Fuck. Is this what a heart attack feels like? Is this how my dad felt before he died? Probably not. He was probably too focused on the young Ginger to panic like this?—
“Cal.” Lola steps up close and gently tugs at the hand I’m aggressively rubbing against my chest. “Why don’t we take a walk?”
I blink down at her, instantly captivated by her emerald eyes. She’s this steady calm in the storm. “They can’t take Murphy.”
“Cal,” Brian starts.
“They won’t.” Lola shakes her head. “Come on, let’s go for a walk. I’ll talk you through everything.”
“Can you come upstairs and look around the flat? Let me know if there’s anything else we need to have done?”
She gives me another one of her soft, easy smiles. The kind she offers to the kids she meets, when she’s trying to be the person they need in that moment. It’s the smile I’ve wanted for longer than I’ll ever admit. “Yeah, Cal, let’s go upstairs.”
On autopilot, I follow her up the steps, mesmerized by her swaying hips.
On the second floor, I point to one of the security cameras I just had installed. “See?”
She nods and licks her lips. “Very safe.”
Inside, I take in the flat through DCPP’s eyes. When I spot the wilting plants in every corner, I wince. “I can’t seem to keep them alive. I should probably remove some of them.” Head lowered, I take a step toward the closest one.
Lola grasps my arm, stopping me. “The plants are fine. They just need a little more water.” She releases me, then pads to the kitchen where she fills a glass with water.
“The man said to spritz them.” I point to my spritzer as she carefully pours water into the dirt at the base of one plant.
She lets out a light laugh. “Maybe we try really watering them, see if that makes a difference.”
“What if they take him?” The question is a choked whisper. It’s all I can manage.
She gives me that soft smile again, and I soak it in. “Would it help if I explained exactly what they’re looking for and what happens during these appointments?”
Throat tightening with gratitude, I nod. Legally, I understand how this all works. But emotionally, I feel lost.
“This is all very standard. You’re his father but they want to make sure he’s comfortable with you and taken care of since you’ve just met. It’s similar to the reunification process but?—”
