“Looks like it’s you and me, Lex.” Kinley reaches for her and slings the diaper bag over her shoulder, and off they go.
“I’ll be back in a few,” the waitress says, and then she’s gone.
I’m looking at the menu when I get a text.
Aaron: You all get on the road okay?
Me: Yeah. Lexi just woke up, so we stopped to feed her and get some
food ourselves.
Aaron: Good. Have a safe trip.
Me: Will do.
I’m sliding my phone back into my pocket when the girls make it back to the table. “All better,” Kinley says, sliding into the booth with Lexi on her lap. “I thought I would just hold her while we eat. Give her a break from that seat.”
“I can take her,” I offer.
“I don’t mind.” She grins at Lexi as she sits on the table. She’s loving the attention. The waitress comes back and we order. I make Lexi a bottle at the same time and push it across the table to Kinley. My little girl, who is all crazy arms and legs with excitement, immediately settles down once she starts to eat.
Kinley eats one-handed. I offer to take Lexi, but she just smiles and says she’s fine. We hang out for about twenty minutes after we’re all finished eating, letting Lexi get a break from the seat. When she starts to get restless, we know it’s time to move on.
“Want me to drive?”
“I’m good, babe.” We are already three hours into our total eight-hour drive time. Five hours to go. Depending on how Lexi does will determine how many stops we’ll need in the future. So far, my girl travels like a champ.
“Aaron texted me,” I say once we are loaded back up and on our way. “He just wanted to make sure we got on the road okay and to say have a safe trip.”
“He’s surprisingly doing really well with all this.”
“Yeah, I mean, I’m sure it has to be weird his best friend marrying his little sister and with the circumstances and all,” I admit.
“He knows this is what’s best.”
My phone rings before I can answer. I see it’s my attorney, Mr. Fields. “Hello.”
“Evan, I’ve been doing some research. My paralegal has it documented Misty insisted, on the record, her parents never wanted to have anything to do with Lexi. This should help your case.”
“That’s good, but I told you they don’t have a leg to stand on. I’m getting married this weekend, so their claim that she doesn’t have a mother is null and void.”
“But you don’t have to get married. I think this is the piece we need.”
“I know I don’t have to. I want to.” It’s true. I want to marry Kinley. Not just so I can keep my daughter, but for reasons I cannot allow myself to think about. I know she’ll be leaving once this all blows over, and I’ll need to be able to let her walk away, but the thought already causes panic to set in. I don’t know how I’m going to do that.
“Oh, I just assumed—”
“Yeah, well, you shouldn’t,” I fire back. I didn’t tell him we were doing this for Lexi. The less people who know the truth, the better.
“Did you think about that pre-nup?” he asks.
“No, no pre-nup. We’ve talked about this. I’m driving us there now. Anything else you need to tell me?”
“Evan, I wish you would reconsider.”
“No,” I practically growl.
“Fine, have a safe trip.” I don’t wait for him to say anything else before ending the call.
“You know I’ll sign anything you want, Evan.”
I drop my phone in the cup holder and place my hand on her thigh. I always have to be touching her. “That’s the thing, babe. There is nothing I want you to sign except for the marriage license.” No truer words have ever left my mouth.
Chapter 36
McKinley
We made it. We only had to stop one other time for lunch. We changed and fed Lexi, ate, and then went to the mall. We walked around for a bit, stretching our legs. They had a play area that was not busy at all considering it’s Monday. I laid out a blanket on the couch in the center of the mall and let Lexi stretch and play. She loved it. After that, we loaded up and drove the rest of the way. So here we are. I’m nervous as hell. Our parents are close, so I’ve known Evan’s parents my whole life, but seeing them this time is different. Now I’m not just McKinley, their son’s best friend’s sister and their friends’ daughter. I’m here to marry their son.
Evan pulls into the drive and shuts off the car. Before we have a chance to get out, his mom is rushing toward us. “Prepare yourself, Lex. Grandma is about to unleash some major hugs and kisses,” he chuckles.
Sure enough, his mom goes straight to the back door of the Durango and rips it open, tears streaming down her face. “Oh, Evan, she’s beautiful.”
I feel like I’m invading on a family moment, so I climb out of the car and go stand at the back, giving them time. Not a minute later, Evan is rounding the back with a concerned look on his face.
“What are you doing?”
“I just felt like it was a private moment for the three of you. I didn’t want to take away from that, so I was giving you time.”
He steps in close, his hands resting on my hips. “Baby, look at me.”
I tilt my head up and the look in his eyes tells me, whatever he’s about to say, he means every word.
“I don’t want time away from you, McKinley. You’re going to be my wife. I take that very seriously. It may not be a traditional marriage in the sense of why we decided to do it, but it will be a real marriage. I won’t hide things from you and I won’t keep you separated from anything in my life.”
“I…I wasn’t sure, and I wanted to give you time,” I try to excuse my actions.
“I don’t need time, baby. You’re a part of this. I’m always going to want you wherever I am, just remember that. I always want you.”
His words cause my heart to race. I will it to slow down, reminding myself he’s just being nice. He’s appreciative of what I’m doing to help him keep his daughter. He feels obligated to have me there. He’s blurring the lines and I have to hold strong. I can’t let myself fall any deeper than I already have, or I fear I won’t recover from it when it’s all over.
I should have thought this through a little better. Regardless, I would not have changed my mind. All that matters is keeping Lexi with Evan. This is for Lex.
“McKinley, oh, give me a hug. It’s been too long,” Carol says. She’s got Lexi in her arms.
“Hey, Carol,” I say, giving her a one-armed hug. As soon as Lexi sees me, she grins big and holds her hand out. It’s almost like she’s reaching for me, but I know she’s not. When I step back from the hug, Lexi begins to whimper.
“It’s okay, sweet girl. Grandma’s got you,” I say, stepping close to her and placing my hand on her back. She again holds her arm out and I want to take her, like I know she wants, but I can’t. Carol needs time to bond with her as well.