Page 59 of Absinthe Minded

20

Maggie

I could excuse feedingthe kids a sugary breakfast. Waffles were quick and easy. I could ignore the bag of frilly pink clothes that told me Evelyn had already come and gone. Heck, I could ignore Ryan wearing six outfits at once, but I couldn’t handle the guilty expression on Gabe’s face. “Who called?”

“No one.” He turned and finished preparing Ella’s bottle.

Always the peacekeeper, Chloe interrupted. “Look, Aunt Maggie. My Uncle Gabe put my hair in a bun.”

“Very pretty.” I smiled; it probably looked like a snarl. “Hurry up. The bus will be here soon, and you still need to brush your teeth and get shoes on.”

“I know, I know, but it’s hard to think about school when I have to plan my recital.” She ran down the hall giggling.

I arched a brow at Gabe.

“I promised her a one woman show. Still working out the details.”

Normally, I’d volunteer to help, but I couldn’t add anything else to my list. “Sounds great.”

“Feed the baby while I make coffee?” He asked with a hopeful lift in his voice.

I thought about refusing until he answered my question, but that would only hurt Ella. I pulled the baby out of the carrier. “Before you make coffee, get the port-a-crib set up in the living room. It’ll make things easier to have a safe place to put her down.”

“You bought a port-a-crib?”

“It was Ryan’s. I got tired of Cocoa eating Ella’s pacifiers and brought it down from the attic.” I took the bottle from him and offered it to the baby.

“I would have done that.” He scratched the side of his head. “Where is it?”

“In the garage. Looks like a bag of golf clubs.” I turned my attention to Ella.

“I’m ready.” Chloe came back into the kitchen and wrinkled her nose. “You might want to clean the sink. Uncle Gabe washed Ryan’s pee off in it.”

I winced. “Gross.”

Chloe threw her hands up. “That’s what I said.”

Despite my mood, I laughed and gave her a half hug. “Do you want me to wait outside with you?”

“Nah, I got it.” Chloe kissed my cheek and Ella’s head. She grabbed her bag and hurried to the garage.

I listened as she told Gabe goodbye before she walked out front to catch the busalone. I didn’t like it one bit. Chloe never went to the bus without me. Too many things had changed too quickly.

“Your phone’s ringing.” I called to Gabe.

“Ignore it.” He disappeared around the corner with the port-a-crib.

I glanced at the screen and the room tilted.

Chantal had called him.

On a hunch, I checked the call log on the house phone. The same number appeared.How in the hell did Chantal get my number?

“What time’s your meeting?” Gabe took Ella from me and brushed his lying lips across mine.

Okay, maybe he hadn’t lied, but he hadn’t shared all the pertinent information either. He had to have seen her, or at least spoken to her. How else would she have my number? “In a half hour. I need to run or I’ll miss the ferry.”

“You okay?” He stacked dirty plates in the sink as if hiding the evidence would solve the problem. “I can drive you to the Quarter. I have to pick up last night’s receipts from the bar.”

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