Page 26 of The Third Girl

CHAPTER 11

MATT

I watch my father as he paces the waiting room for the hundredth time. He’s worried as hell, I can tell. “Dad. Do you want to go down to the cafeteria with me to get some coffee?” The wait while Mom’s in surgery has been fucking agonizing. It’s been no less than four hours.

Travis exchanges a worried look with me and shakes his head, then crosses his arms and leans back in the crazy-uncomfortable chair.

Dad’s voice is thick with concern. “That’s all right. I prefer to stay here. They could come out any minute, and I want to be here so they can take me back to see her.”

I nod, nudging Lucy with my arm. “Okay. How about if Lucy and I go down and get the coffee, then? We’ll bring some back.”

She releases a pent-up breath. “Yeah. Dad, you and Trav stay here. We’ll go fetch coffee.”

It’s just the four of us in the waiting room today. Mick’s sister, Mia, has Aidan, so Lucy doesn’t have to worry about him. Mick and Logan are both working this morning, Mick working a case surrounding a robbery at a local store, and Logan on his regular Friday morning shift. Laney’s at school and has texted Lucy no fewer than ten times asking for updates. And Kennedy, bless her, has Sailor this morning and has promised to bring her by the hospital if she’s less cranky later than she was when I left the two of them. I sure hope soon-to-be “Aunt Kenny” can handle her. Nothing like trial by fire.

Lucy and I take off at top speed. As soon as we’re out of earshot, she grumbles, “Dad’s going crazy. This sucks.”

She’s not wrong. “I get it, though. That’s his wife in there.” My stomach churns. I can imagine what Dad’s going through right now. All the what-ifs and worries. I exhale hard.

“Fuck. I’m sorry, Matt, I wasn’t thinking.” She hits the down button to call for the elevator. It arrives promptly, and we get in before I say anything.

“It’s okay.” I clear my throat. “I rushed out of the bakery so fast when Sailor started melting down that I didn’t get a chance to ask you anything.”

“Whaddaya mean?” She eyes me curiously as we step off the elevator and head for the cafeteria.

“How did Sailor seem with Skylar? I mean, was she pitching a fit when they showed up?”

“Oh, hell no. When they came in, Skylar was completely at ease, and your daughter was all smiles. It wasn’t until Skylar had to go to work that Sailor got upset. She wantedSkywarto stay and eat a muffin for breakfast with her.” Lucy shakes her head. “My niece sure knows how to throw one hell of a temper tantrum.”

We wander toward the café at the far side of the cafeteria and get in line. I bet this shop does ninety percent of the business down here. I huff out a sigh. “Okay. So, is it going to cause a problem to bring her to you like that every morning until school lets out for the summer?”

“No. Matt, I told you I’m cool with wrangling your rug rat for an hour or so. It’s not a big deal. It was the overnight that would be an issue for me. Skylar is young enough that she can be up half the night and not get tired. And she’s used to cranky kids and how to deal with them.”

Young. That’s the word that pops out of her entire response and sticks in my brain like it’s glued there. “Apparently, she has experience with her cousin’s kid, too.”

She lightly slaps my arm. “See? You’ve been all twisted up about it for nothing.”

“I haven’t been twisted up. What the hell does that mean?”

“Concerned, Matt. You’ve been nervous to leave her with a nonfamily member. I could see it in your eyes.” Lucy steps up to the counter. “Could we get one black coffee, two with cream and sugar, and a caramel macchiato, please?”

I pull out my wallet at the same time I gently bat her credit card away. “I’ve got this one.”

A few minutes later, Lucy has our tray of coffee in hand, and we enter the elevator again. My phone buzzes in my pocket and my heart thuds hard as I meet my sister’s gaze.

I hesitate with my hand in my pocket.

“You should look. It could be Dad or Trav. Or even Kennedy.”

I nod briskly. Anytime a phone rings or I get a text, I expect the worst. I wish I didn’t have such a dark view of the world now, but once you’ve stared into your wife’s eyes after she’s died, it messes with you.

Skylar:How’s your mom?

Skylar:I’ve been thinking about you and your family all morning.

Lucy peeks at my phone screen, her brow furrowing. “Is that Skylar?”

“Um, yes.” A sense of calm washes over me. “She’s checking on us,” I mumble, hoping that doesn’t seem odd to Lucy. I certainly hadn’t expected it. But it fits with her caregiver personality, I guess.

---