Page 75 of Girl, We Go Together
“Whew, I’m glad that’s out of the way,” I admitted.
He let out a chuckle before using his hand to rub the back of his neck. This brown man in front of me was blushing, andit was the cutest thing to see. He popped his door open and came around to open mine. Before we even made it up the steps, the front door to the house opened. Ms. Flora stood there with Oriana slumped against her shoulder. Her thumb was half in her mouth, and she was wrapped in a soft pink blanket.
“She was an angel,” Ms. Flora whispered with a smile as she handed her over. “She didn’t cry once. We watchedFinding Nemo, and she was out before Dory even found Nemo.”
I chuckled.
“Thank you so much for watching her. I really appreciate it.”
She waved her hand, brushing it off. “Girl, hush. It was nice having a baby around here again. It’s been too quiet in this house.”
Kassidy stepped forward and reached for Oriana, careful not to wake her.
“Come on, little mama,” he said softly, his voice low and tender. “Let’s get you home.”
I stood there watching him carry her down the walkway. The porch light cast a warm glow over him. The sight of him holding her so steady, gentle, and protective did something to me. Ideally, I would have wanted to have my happily ever after with the father of my child, but he made the thought of having my happy ending with a stepfather feel so damn good. Orion having a child before we had one was a lesson that I never wanted to repeat. Kassidy didn’t have any children, and as crazy as it may sound, it didn’t matter that I had one; my next man couldn’t have any.
Ms. Flora’s voice pulled me back. “You know,” she said, her tone calm but full of meaning, “that boy’s been through a lot.”
I turned to her, and she was looking out toward where Kassidy was buckling Oriana into her seat.
“He doesn’t always talk about it, but I see it in him,” she continued. “He’s always been the type to take care of everybodyelse without asking for anything in return. It’s good to see him smiling again.”
Her eyes flicked to me. Her glare was soft but sharp at the same time, like she could see straight through me.
“You make sure you keep that light in him. He deserves to be happy.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
“I’ll try,” I said quietly.
I should have been confident in my response, but something deep down inside had a feeling that I would somehow fuck this up because of my own baggage that I was toting. I was still healing, and maybe, just maybe, I probably shouldn’t have even been dating. Especially a man of Kassidy’s caliber. He deserved love that didn’t come from a damaged source.
“Don’t just try, baby, just do. ’Cause from what I can see, you deserve to be happy too.”
Her smile made me stop overthinking myself. I fucking deserved a love like this. I wasn’t about to let what Orion had put me through make me miss out on what could be the best thing for me. Before I could respond, Kassidy came back up the steps.
“She’s out cold,” he said, a faint laugh slipping out. “Didn’t even flinch when I buckled her in.”
Ms. Flora waved us off. “That’s because she feels safe.” She winked at me on the sly. “Kassidy, hurry and take them home so you can be in for the night.”
Kassidy leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thank you for watching her again, Nana.”
He took my hand as we walked down the steps. His fingers slid together with mine like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like we had been locking hands forever. The night air felt cool against my skin, but the warmth between us lingered.
When we reached the car, he opened my door first before circling to his side. I looked back at Ms. Flora’s porch onelast time. She was still standing there waving. Slowly, her limp carried her back into the house. I turned back to Kassidy, catching him staring at me.
“What?” I asked, smiling.
He shook his head slightly. “Nothing. I was just thinking… this feels right.”
I felt my chest tighten a little, but it was the good kind of ache.
“Yeah,” I whispered. “It does.”
As he pulled away from the curb, I looked out the window and caught one last glimpse of the house fading in the distance. Tonight felt too damn perfect, and that feeling worried me more than anything. Silently, I prayed that this man beside me… was for me.
The next morning started like any other. Oriana was running around the living room in her footie pajamas, clutching her stuffed bunny while I tried to spoon oatmeal into her mouth between her giggles. A knock came at the door just as she smeared oatmeal on her cheek. I sighed, wiped her face, and went to open it. Orion stood there, looking as smug as always. He had a fresh lineup, sporting a white tee, some gray sweats, and his Cuban chain catching the hall’s light.
