Page 72 of Mistaken Identity
“There’s my girl.” I hugged her close, shivering slightly as the water seeped into my t-shirt. “Looks like you’re having fun. What did you do this morning?”
“We ’ad pancakes!” she cried.
“Ohh, special,” I said as I took off toward where Gunner continued to water his flowers. Flowers that he hadn’t had until this week. “Were you good for Gunner last night?”
“Daddy seep with me,” she declared.
My head whipped around to stare at Gunner.
Gunner’s head had whipped around toward us.
And we both looked on with surprise in our eyes. “Is that right, Lottie? You know Gunner is your daddy?”
“Mama told me!”
I frowned. “Mama?”
“In my dweams.” She nodded ferociously.
My stomach somersaulted. “Gunner is your daddy, and I’m your Uncle Audric.”
“I know!” She wiggled. “Down!”
I let her down, and she walked over to some pink flowers. “Look!”
I nodded as I walked closer to Gunner. “What the fuck?”
“I have no idea. It was just us last night. I never told her…”
I slapped him on the back. “Just take the win, man. You okay?”
“My fucking heart hurts,” he admitted. “I can still hear Jett calling me that in my dreams.” He swallowed hard. “Never thought I’d hear it again, to be honest.”
“Enjoy, man. You got a good little girl on your hands,” I said. “She’ll cure you of that broken heart. Maybe not fix it, but she’ll give you the strength you need to keep going, that’s for sure.”
Gunner cleared his throat again. “I’m taking her to see my uncle today. That’s okay, right?”
I laughed. “She’s yours. You need me, though, and I’m here.”
“I need you to keep staying here, though,” he said quickly. “I’m not ready…”
“You’re ready,” I disagreed. “But I’ll stay here as long as you think you need me.”
He nodded, looking relieved. “Thanks, man.”
“I’m heading to see Creole’s dad today,” I said. “But if you need anything, I’ll be in town. Not going too far.”
“Not like heading off to Hawaii at a moment’s notice?” He chuckled.
I headed toward the door. “That might happen again, but at least not this week. I have some work to finish up at the apartments. And Creole doesn’t have another flight out until next Wednesday.”
His laughter followed behind me as I left, and I was unsurprised to see the neighbors watching with curious eyes as I made my way to my bike.
The most curious of them all, the young woman next door who couldn’t help but stare unabashedly waved at me. I gave her a chin jerk back as I got on my bike and rode away.
I wasn’t sure that I wanted to go see Creole’s dad.
But I knew if I didn’t, it would only get harder to face him.
