“I’m happy for you. Have to say, I like the guy.”
Beth giggled. “He’s pretty great, except when he leaves toothpaste in the sink.”
“We all have our thing. I leave little balled-up sock piles under the coffee table. Used to drive Kyle nuts.” I sipped my wine. “Speaking of, I ran into Kyle on the path near Dundarave,” I said. “He wants to get back together. Have a baby.”
“Wha—what?” Beth’s eyes widened. “You’re not considering it.”
“No, but I had an epiphany. What if I’m too quick to give up when things get tough? That made me reconsider Jake’s offer. So, I’m moving to Halifax. I accepted an incredible job offer at the hospital in Dartmouth, and I start at the beginning of February.”
“Oh.” Her eyes misted, but she hopped up and hugged me. “That’s huge. Are you sure? I like Jake, but you’ll be trying to blend a family and take on a toddler.”
“I absolutely adore Sari.”
My friend tilted her head. “Yeah, she’s cute, but there are considerations, like the extra time and expense involved in raising a deaf child. And who will be taking care of Sarina when Daddy’s out on that research boat chasing dolphins and analyzing pond scum? Are you ready for that?”
“Lots of spouses travel, leaving the other to take care of the kid, so how is this different?”
“Ahh, are you finally listening to your heart instead of your head? I approve.”
“This from the woman who cautioned me about the dangers of the single daddy widowers?”
“What can I say? Anyone who makes you glow like that is okay in my books.” She grinned. “Guess you won’t be joining us for Christmas dinner.”
“Nope, this third wheel is out. I’ll be on a plane on the twenty-first.” Wiggling my hips, I performed a happy chair-dance. “I’ll be back after New Year’s to finish packing up my condo and, hopefully, sign a lease with a renter. We’ll go for dinner.”
“Bring Jake with you. Greg would love to see him, and we can celebrate.”
“Maybe.” I wrinkled my nose. “Let’s see if there’s anything to celebrate.”
Chapter 23
Jake groaned, scrubbing a hand over his face as a steady tap-tap-tap echoed down the hall. He patted at the side table, then held up his phone, squinting. “It’s only four. Usually she allows me until five.”
“Is Sari making that noise?” I rubbed my eyes.
“Yeah, when she needs something, she taps on the crib rail.”
“Weird. Most kids scream or cry.”
“Well, she does that on occasion too, but she’s clever. She figured out that tantrums only work on Nana Stella. At home, she finds better ways to get attention.”
“Interesting.” I ruffled his hair. “You have to work today, so go back to sleep. I’ll check on her.” I slipped from the bed, pulling one of Jake’s oversized sweatshirts over my head and stuffing my feet into my slippers.
“Mmm. Could get used to this.” He puffed up his pillow and closed his eyes. “Call if you need me.”
When I tiptoed into her room, the little girl pulled herself up, peeking over the top rail of her crib with bright eyes. She fluttered her hand, then tapped her mouth with three fingers.
“Ah,” I said, recognizing the sign the darling duo of Jake and Sari had taught me last night at dinner. Curling my fingers into a c, I tipped them toward my face. “Drink?” I repeated her mouth tap. “Water, right?”
Sari bounced and nodded, curling an arm around my neck as I lifted her from her crib. As we headed toward the kitchen, she pointed toward Jake’s room, following with an open-handed thumb tap to her forehead.
“Daddy’s sleeping.” With her balanced on my hip, I swayed, slow dancing into the kitchen, to the cupboard for her cup, and then toward the fridge.
Sari patted her chest and grabbed the cup.
“Oh, you want to do it?” I steadied her hand, helping her press the filter switch on the fridge. “You have that all figured out.”
This little girl continually surprised me, but as I added the months in my head, I realized she wasn’t a baby anymore. She was approaching her second birthday, an age where children wanted to do things for themselves. I kissed her mop of curls. “You are too sweet. I wish … I wish …” That I’d known you sooner. Jake and I had reconnected over eight months ago, yet I barely knew his daughter.
She rested her head on my shoulder, the cup tilting and sending a dribble of water down the front of my sweatshirt.
“All done? Let’s get you back to bed.” I tiptoed down the hall, stopping to change her diaper before lifting her over the side of her crib.
Sari frowned and shook her head, pushing at the rails with her feet. She pointed to the door, then tapped her forehead.
“Daddy’s sleeping.” My second attempt at putting her back in bed had her squirming and shaking her head, followed by her signing for her daddy. “Does Daddy allow that?” Rules, rules. What were the rules? I had no clue.
She squirmed and signed again, pointing at the door.
I grabbed her blanket from her bed. “All right. Daddy it is.”
Jake had his arm curled over his head when we entered the bedroom, not moving as I set the girl down.
Sari wasted no time in laying down beside Jake, closing her eyes and cramming her thumb in her mouth. She didn’t even twitch when I covered her with the blanket.
Her daddy cracked one eye open, running a hand over her mop of curls and kissing her forehead before he snuggled down in the covers, his steady breathing relaying he was unconcerned and already drifting into sleep.
My job done, I slipped under the covers, watching the slow rise and fall of Sari’s chest, and the way her
