Page 75 of His Curvy Happiness
“You said you wanted to spend more time with me. Did you change your mind, or are you worried about Mikayla?”
She drew a breath and glanced at the car. “Kyle is not a great dad. He’s not there for her. He hasn’t really ever been. She can’t handle another man walking away from her.”
I moved closer to her. “What about you?”
“I’m fine,” she said, stiffening her shoulders and standing up straighter, as if to prove to herself she could stand on her own two feet.
“I know you are. But you don’t have to be so strong all the time. You could let me in. Lean on me a little.”
She shook her head. “I can’t. Not when I know you could disappear at any minute.”
“I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’m not a good bet, Landon. I know that. I’m a divorced single mom with money problems and nothing to offer you.”
“You have everything I want right now, Casey. All I want is you.”
She shook her head, the fading sunlight catching tears on her lashes. “I don’t know how much of myself I can offer. Between work and my daughter… I have to be there for Mikayla. I’m all she has. That’s why I’m not looking for a relationship. We want different things.”
“We don’t need to make any decisions right now. We agreed to get to know each other. We’re going to the wedding together. Don’t end this now, Casey.”
“I’m not. I don’t want to. But I can’t have you around Mikayla.”
“You were the one who came to my store today. Who introduced us.”
“I know. And I shouldn’t have.”
“I’m glad you did.”
She smiled up at me. “She really likes you.”
“The feeling is mutual. She’s a great kid. Funny and a little sassy and smart.”
Casey laughed softly. “She was never like that with Kyle.”
“Like what?”
“Sassy. He would snap if she was like that.”
“That’s not fair. A kid should be allowed to express themselves at home. Especially at home.”
She nodded. “I think the same thing.”
“So where do we go from here?”
“I don’t know.”
“I want to see you again. With or without Mikayla. Both would be my choice.”
“You’re not like anyone else I know.”
“I hope that’s a good thing.”
She looked me in the eye and said, “So do I.”
Casey dropped me off at home, then waved as she drove away. Mikayla waved, too, and I wondered when I’d see her again. Casey had to do what was right for her daughter, but I hated that Mikayla was not a priority for her father. It wasn’t fair to the kid.
I waited about thirty minutes, then sent Casey a text asking when we could get together to finish our conversation from earlier.
