“Hi,” she said softly, shaking my hand. “If you’re Mabel’s daughter, does that mean you know Lyla?”
“She’s only my dearest friend.” Guilt tried to hit me, because I hadn’t been much of a friend to her over the past three years. I’d been so caught up in school, work, and trying to survive that I’d put everything else aside. Lyla had been the only person to ever truly care about me, with the exception of my mom.
“Mine too!” Josie exclaimed. “Lyla is my bestest best friend in the whole world.”
“We need to catch up,” Howler said when I straightened. “How about dinner one night?”
I was already nodding. “I’d like that. I’ve missed you and…everyone.”
“Tonight?” he offered. “I have to run to a site for a few hours, but maybe around eight?”
“Definitely.”
“Do I get to come?” Josie asked hopefully.
“You’re spending the night at your mom’s,” Howler told her, but the way his jaw was clenched, I wasn’t so sure he liked that idea any more than Josie appeared to. Remembering Gwen, I could understand why.
“Is that a have-to thing?” I asked, knowing it was a personal question, but Howler was like family.
“I still have primary custody, but Gwen gets her one or two days a week.” A muscle in his jaw ticked. “Sometimes overnight.”
Feeling his tension, I touched his arm. “I’m only grocery shopping today. I could take her… If you’re okay with that. I mean, I’m kind of a stranger to her—”
His entire face softened, turning him from the scary MMA cage fighter into the sweet guy I’d grown up loving like an older brother. “You’re no stranger, Elli.”
“Well, if Josie is comfortable coming with me, I don’t mind the company.” I glanced down at the little girl. “We could make cookies, maybe watch a movie?”
“Yes!” Josie cheered then grabbed Howler’s hand. “Please, Daddy? Pretty, pretty please. I want to go with Elli.”
Whether he couldn’t turn down that excited glow in her eyes or he was simply looking for any reason not to send Josie to her mother’s, I wasn’t sure, but he quickly gave in. “Only if you don’t mind, Elli.”
“I really don’t mind,” I assured him. “But I drove Lyla’s car, so I don’t have a car seat.”
He pulled a key fob out of his pocket. “You okay driving my SUV? I’ll take Lyla’s car, and we can switch back tonight.”
I eyed his long legs and wide shoulders. “I think the question is whether you’re okay taking her car.”
“It’s a nice day out, I’ll just put the top down,” he said with a shrug.
Turning to my cart, I pulled the key fob out of my purse. “Okay, then.”
After we exchanged keys, Howler bent to hug his daughter. “Be good and help Elli. I’ll see you later this evening.” His gaze caught mine. “Where would you like to grab dinner?”
“I can cook,” I offered.
“You’re watching my kid, Elli. The least I can do is take you out somewhere nice.” He leaned back to look at Josie. “Where should we eat tonight?”
She tapped her chin with her index finger. “Ummmmmmm, how about hibachi?”
“Perfect.” Straightening, he gave me another quick hug. “Thank you,” he whispered before stepping back.
I offered Josie my hand. “I bet you’re the best helper in the universe. Do you think you can assist me with this long grocery list?”
She eyed the berries already in my cart. “Are those for Uncle Judge? He loves strawberries.”
“Yup, those are for him.” I was kind of proud of myself for not contemplating sprinkling rat poison on them. Okay, maybe I’d considered it. Briefly. But murder was wrong. And I was sure killing a judge would get me the death penalty. If I was convicted. “I was just about to pick out a cantaloupe.”
Her face scrunched up. “Uncle Judge doesn’t like cantaloupe.”
“Well, he’s a big boy, and they sometimes have to eat things they don’t like to be healthy.” I guided her back over to the display of melons. “What kind of cookies should we make later?”
“I like sugar cookies,” she said, watching me choose a cantaloupe before moving over to the honeydew.
“Perfect. Let’s make birthday cookies. They’re like sugar cookies, only they have rainbow sprinkles in them.”
“Yes!” she shouted, jumping up and down. “Then we can watch How to Train Your Dragon.”
Laughing, I nodded enthusiastically. “Sounds like a great day to me.”
Chapter 5
Judge
Head pounding, I walked half blind into the kitchen in search of coffee. I had no idea what time it was, but the brightness coming through the windows told me it was still daylight. I needed to tell Mabel to have someone install blackout shades on every window.
Playful little giggles had me smiling even as I fought the urge to regurgitate all over the pristine tiled kitchen floor. I freaking loved the sound of Josie’s laughter.
“Uncle Judge!” she squealed, making spots flicker in front of my eyes for a few moments. When I felt her little arms wrap around one of my legs, I bent to kiss the top of her head.
“Hey, princess. You and Mabel hanging out?”
“No, I’m making cookies with Elli. Would you like one? They’re so yummy.”
I nearly groaned at the reminder that Ellianna was home. Keeping my eyes on my goddaughter, I gave her a smile. “Thanks, Jo, but I’ll pass. I need coffee.”
“Okay, we’ll save you some.” She bounced over to the island, and I watched her go, only then letting my gaze drift over to where the beautiful, delicate woman was putting extra cookies into a ceramic jar.
Her hair was pulled up into a messy knot on top of her head, exposing her elegant neck. She had a smear of flour on her cheek and the tip of her nose. Her apron had little handprints on it from where Josie must have touched her stomach while she’d helped make the cookies. With Ellianna’s attention on what she was doing, refusing to acknowledge me, I took a few extra seconds to soak up the sight of her.
All week, I’d tried to put her out of my mind, avoiding the house as much as possible so temptation would be out of reach. But instead of spending the night elsewhere as I usually did, I hadn’t been able to stay away. I’d climbed into my empty, cold bed each night, mentally and physically exhausted but too wired from knowing she was beneath the same roof to be able to get much sleep.
Which was why I’d woken up with a raging migraine.
It was her fault I couldn’t shake this need for her that burned through me whenever she was close—fuck, whenever I did nothing more than think about her. She was the reason I had no control. She had a hold on me that I couldn’t shake, damn it.
Crossing to the coffeepot, I grabbed the biggest mug in the cupboard and filled it to the rim.
I should have already fucked this burning need for her out of my system, but Rita had pissed me off too much, and I’d sent her home on Monday. She was the only regular hookup I could depend on not to catch feelings. She was too busy with her own career and never had relationships with men. Random bed partners had lost their appeal for me years ago. Now I kept it to the ones who only wanted to scratch the proverbial itch.