Page 27 of Beneath the Surface

“It’s not so bad.” She shrugs.

I’m not sure why I’m surprised, I know her financial situation, and I’ve seen people live in much worse conditions. But the act of her giving up the room just feels so… selfless. I hope one day her kid looks back and realizes he chose a good mom when he came into this world.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she snaps.

“Like what?” My brows raise.

Her hands go to her hips and I bite back a smile. She’ssofeisty. All five foot two of her.

“Like you don’t approve of our living situation.”

“You have no idea what I’m thinking.” My grin widens.

“Let me tell you something,this—” She waves her arms around the room. “I know this doesn’t seem like much. But this is incredible for me.” She takes a step closer with each word, until she’s standing so close I can feel the heat sparking off her body. Her neck cranes so she can see my face. “I’ve slept on frozen street corners, and I’ve lived on filthy floors. So you don’t get to come in here and judge us. Judgeme.”

My heart dives into my stomach, sinking like a rock.Is that what she thinks?

Reaching out my hand, I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, grazing her jaw with my fingers. “Believe me little bird, the last thing I’ll ever do is judge you.” My eyes track down her body, her chest heaving under her oversized Nirvana shirt.“I think you’re fucking incredible.”

She sucks in a breath.

“So.” I clear my throat. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

Her body shifts, and she backs up a couple steps. “Absolutely nothing.”

I nod my head. “I can dig that.”

She smirks. “You candigit?”

Something light flows through my chest. “Are you making fun of the way I talk?”

“Mommy.” The voice startles me, and I jerk around, my eyes coming face-to-face with Chase.

His eyes bounce between us, confusion swimming in his gaze, and Lily rushes over, picking him up and setting him on her hip. “Hey, baby. You remember Alex?”

My chest twists, the way it does every time she says that name.Alex.

Chase rests his head on her shoulder, his little legs dangling down her body as he nods.

“Is it okay if he hangs with us today?” she asks him, her hand swiping over his dark locks.

He stares at me in silence for a few long, stretched seconds, and finally nods, his chubby arms squeezing her tight. “Otay,” he whispers. “Can we have pancakes?”

She nods and he continues, “The good kind though, not the ones fwom the box.”

Her eyes dim, the muscles in her face pulling tight. My stomach sinks because I know before she even says it—pancakes aren’t an option.

And that breaks my fucking heart in half.

“We can go to IHOP if you want. My treat,” I say.

Lily’s mouth snaps closed, her gaze swinging to mine.

“What’s IHOP?” Chase asks.

I smile. “A magical place full of whipped cream and never-ending pancakes.”

His eyes widen. “That soundsawesome.”

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