Page 13 of An Uphill Battle

Cash and Myla step into the room, and she immediately goes straight to Brody, picking him up and cradling him to her chest. “Oh, Mama missed you something fierce,” she tells him, burying her face in the crook of hisneck.

“Everything go all right?” Cash asks us, though his eyes never leave his wife. They rarely do. He’s so captivated by her, it’s not evenfunny.

“Yup, just fine,” I tell him, and he cuts his eyes to me and then to Drake before inspecting the livingroom.

“Hmm. Guess it must’ve. The house is in one piece, and y’all aretoo.”

“Ha! You think you’re so funny. Y’all ever gonna stop making jokes about Drake andme?”

“You ever gonna stop kiddin’ yourself about Drake and you?” Cash firesback.

Drake rises from the couch and places himself slightly in front of me, as if to shield me. Or, more likely, to shield Cash from me. “That’s enough of that. Glad y’all had fun, but we’re outta here. C’mon, Bit.” He reaches back for my hand, and I offer itreadily.

“Bye, y’all. Hope it was a good night.” I drop a quick kiss to Brody’s cheek, and we’re out thedoor.

6

Drake

“So, whatcha got goin’on today?” I ask Azalea as we walk to ourcars.

“Nothing much. Grocery shopping, meal planning, that kinda stuff.You?”

“Nothing much. Gonna head over to my parents’ place and visit for a bit.” Leaning against the hood of Azalea’s little matchbox car, I reach a hand out toward her to stop her from going past me. “I know they’d love to seeyou.”

“Oh, um. Maybe next time? I really need to get to the store.” She’s full of crap, and we both know it, but whatever. She needs time, and that’sfine.

“Sure thing, Little Bit. Next time.” I rise to my full height and open her door for her. Once she’s seated and buckled, I start off toward my truck. With one last look back at her, I tell her to drive safe, and then I get into my truck and start the trekhome.

* * *

It’s beentwo weeks since Azalea and I babysat together, and aside from a few scattered text messages, she’s been ducking me, and I’m fed up with it. Needing time is one thing—and after what Iknowshe heard on the baby monitor, I’m sure she does need some time—but ignoring me is something else entirely, and it’s not gonnafly.

No way, nohow.

So, I’ll catch her where I know she can’t escape. Her salon. No appointment, no warning. It’sperfect.

“Drake Collins, I don’t see you on our appointment book today,” Seraphine says, wagging her finger at me with a twinkle in her dark browneyes.

“That’s because I’m not. Does Azalea have time to fit mein?”

“Hmm. Magnolia could fit you in quickerthan—”

“Nah, I don’t mind the wait. How long’s it gonnabe?”

“About twentyminutes.”

I turn and make myself comfy in one of the waiting room chairs. “That’ll be just fine,Seraphine.”

She rolls her eyes at me. “Sure thing, Drake. I’ll let her know you’rehere.”

“Totally unnecessary. It’s a surprisevisit.”

Seraphine shakes her head, her dark chocolate eyes full of mirth, but she goes back to whatever she was doing at the computer, thank God. Because I’m counting on the element of surprise to work in my favor here. If she knows I’m here, she’ll start working on getting her walls up, but if I catch her off guard, I might just catch her unguarded, if you know what Imean.

To pass the time, I play around on my phone, checking social media and shooting the shit with Simon and Cash in our group text. I impress myself by only checking the time every five minutes, but my God, it really does feel like an eternity waiting on her. I’m anxious and ready to see her. Two weeks is too long. Hell, one day is too long. I’m a needy man when it comes to AzaleaBarnes.

I perk up when I hear the sound of her sweet voice coming closer. “You have a wonderful day, Mrs. Jones, and be sure to tell Seraphine to book extra time at your next appointment so that we can do thoselowlights.”

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