Her sweet voice and the words she spoke gripped my chest and squeezed like a vice. I made a tight fist beneath the table, forcing myself not to cry.

“I do,” I said, looking at Cori with more gratitude than I’d ever be able to express. “I always have. I mean, you’re about the best little girl anyone could ask for.”

She smiled. Fucking smiled at me. If I died in this moment, I’d die happy.

“Thanks for the dolls,” she said. “I have them on a shelf in my room.”

“You’re welcome.”

The waitress slid drinks and two more menus onto the table and left silently.

“So how have you been?” I asked Cori.

“Good. I went to nursing school and I work in a Palliative Care facility now.”

I looked at Cori’s ring finger, not because I cared about her relationship status, but because I wanted to know if my daughter had a stepfather. She didn’t have a ring. I felt relief mixed with a twinge of sadness. If Brooklyn had never had a father figure, I wanted to do everything I could to be the man she deserved.

“What grade are you in?” I asked Brooklyn.

“Fourth.”

“You play any sports?”

“Soccer and cheerleading.”

Her proud smile was beautiful. Hearing her and seeing her was reaching me so much deeper than I’d realized it would.

“I have soccer games on Saturdays in the summer if you ever want to come,” she said.

“Brook,” Cori said in a scolding tone. “He might not be—”

“I’d love to,” I said, cutting in. “I mean, if it’s okay with your mom.”

Cori nodded. “Sure. If you want to. But remember that if you say you’re coming, it’s important to be there.”

She didn’t know if I could be trusted. I understood that. She’d singlehandedly guarded Brooklyn’s heart all these years, and I couldn’t expect to just walk in and have her trust.

The waitress walked up and eyed us all, waiting for our orders. Brooklyn ordered a grilled cheese and I felt a twist of happiness in my stomach over knowing she liked grilled cheese sandwiches. I wanted to know everything about her.

Our lunch ended too quickly. That hour with Brooklyn wasn’t enough. I’d told myself all I needed was one meeting with her, but now that I knew–really knew–what I’d been missing, I didn’t want to go back to life without her.

“Thanks again,” I said to Cori on the way out of the diner. “I don’t want to overstep, but if there’s any chance I can see her again . . .”

“How about dinner at our house this weekend?”

I looked at her, surprised. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. Just make sure you show up if you say you will.”

“I will. Text me when and I’ll be there.”

“When do you work?”

“I can come anytime.”

She gave me a skeptical look as Brooklyn escaped the bitterly cold wind by getting into Cori’s beat up old sedan.

“Do you work? From the way you sent all that money so fast after . . . you know . . . I just wondered where it came from.”

She thought I was a drug dealer. I could see it in her eyes. And no surprise, since I’d been strung out every time we were together ten years ago.

“I’m above board these days,” I said. “No drugs or alcohol. I’m an owner of a club downtown.”

Her eyes brightened. “Which one?”

“Six.”

“Oh, wow. Really? I’ve heard of it.”

I nodded. “I swear I’ll be a good influence in Brooklyn’s life. This chance means so much to me. I won’t fuck it up.”

“Okay.” She moved to open her car door but stopped. “Hey, did you ever get married and have more kids? Does Brook have any half siblings?”

The question caught me off guard. “No.”

She smiled. “Okay. So we’ll see you this weekend.”

I looked in the backseat, where Brooklyn sat looking at me through the window. I raised a hand in a wave and she waved back. And smiled.

I reached into my pocket and took out my phone to call Viv and share every last detail with her.

Viv

For once, Henley answered his cell phone.

“Miss Marceau, nice to hear from you.” His tone had its usual smooth confidence. But then, the guy was a twenty-something multimillionaire actor, so confidence wasn’t unexpected.

“Hello, Mr. Cartwright,” I said, rubbing my eyes. “I’m working on our counter proposal for a settlement and I need to ask you a few things.”

“At this hour? Isn’t it almost nine in New York?”

“Yes.” I bumped up the size of the text on my screen since it was starting to blur after my long day. “How do you feel about letting her have the Manhattan place? She’s offering to buy it out at market value.”

He sighed into the phone. “I like that place. It was mine before we even met.”

“But we were going to sell it and divide the proceeds.”

“Yeah, I’m better with that than I am with giving it to her. She shouldn’t get to fuck her new boyfriend in my apartment.” He paused for a second and spoke again. “I’ll take market plus another million. She can decide how much it’s worth to her.”

I rolled my eyes at the ceiling. This case was never going to end. “I’ll include that in our counter, then.”

“Excellent. So I have a confession to make.”

“Uh . . . what’s that?” I wanted to get the hell out of here and meet Kane for dinner at the club.

“I looked you up on the law firm’s website. That photo of you looking like a naughty teacher is something, Miss Marceau. I had a feeling you were hot and I was right.”

“I do not look like a naughty teacher in my headshot.”

“You do, actually. In that business suit, with that come hither smile.”

This time I sighed into the phone. “You’ve got an active imagination, Mr. Cartwright. Can I email you the counter for your review?”

“Sure. Send me a naughty pic, too, would ya?”

I cringed. “No. Can you have this back to me within twenty-four hours?”

“Maybe. Can you just send it to my assistant?”

“This is important. It requires your attention.”

“Do you require my attention, Vivian?”

“Are you drunk?” I demanded.

“Nah. I’ve just got a good buzz going. Have you ever been to L.A.?”

I clicked the ‘send’ button on my email. “No. I just sent you the counter proposal, Mr. Cartwright. Please review it and get back to me.”

“What are you wearing right now?”

“I’m hanging up now.”

And I did, texting Kane as soon as the call ended.

Me: Longest day ever. You still want to do dinner?

Kane: Sorry, can’t. Bartender called in sick and I’m covering. Come sit at the bar and eat while I work.

I thought about it, but the club’s loud music and a spot at the crowded bar didn’t appeal right now. I just wanted Kane all to myself.

Me: I’m beat. I’ll just eat at home.

Kane: Come on babe. There’s nothing but an old tomato in your fridge. Get over here and let me feed you.

Me: Tomorrow night. I miss you.

Kane: Miss you too. Sleep well. Eat something besides that damn tomato.

Smiling at the phone, I pictured him standing at the Six bar with a white bar towel hanging from his back pocket. My man was one sexy bartender.

I yawned and resolved to get home as quickly as possible. Ten more minutes. As soon as I finalized this and sent it to Henley, I was going straight home. Maybe I’d pick up some Chinese takeout on the way. Kane was right about the tomato.

Kane

CORI’S NUMBER SHOWED UP ON the screen of my phone and I sat up in bed to answer it, wide awake now.

“Cori? Everything okay with Brooklyn?”

“Yeah, everything’s good. She’s at school.”

I laid back down, relieved.

“I’m off today,” Cori said. “And I wondered if you might be free for lunch.”