“I’ll grab your things and put them in Rocco’s house,” he says behind me.
“Thank you, but I can grab them.”
“Stop,” Carmello replies. “Just grab the kid. I got the bags.”
I open the door to find Adaline with her arms extended and singing some song no child has any business singing.
“Wiggle, wiggle,” Adaline chirps, almost leaping into my arms as I unbuckle her from the car seat. “You booty…”
My hand lands on her mouth before she has a chance to continue the song. I narrow my gaze at Carmello. “What the heck were you listening to?” I ask him as soon as Adaline’s in my arms and we’re clear of his car.
He lifts one shoulder and looks away from me, knowing full well he’s busted, but he’ll dig in. It’s one thing I learned about the Caldo men in the short amount of time I spent with them years ago. They have a hard time admitting when they’ve fucked up. And this time, he’s fucked up. “Snoop and Jason Derulo. Best song ever.”
Adaline wiggles her bottom in my arms, shimmying down my body, and takes off as I keep my eyes pinned on Carmello. “Seriously? She’s five.”
“Start ’em young and right, Reb. You know this. She doesn’t even know what she’s singing anyway.”
“But everyone else will,” I explain to a man who’s never had a child.
He waves his hand, brushing me off. “She’ll forget it before she falls asleep tonight.”
My steely stare hardens. “Are you new? She’ll remember those words for days and days. Fuck.”
He laughs and moves past me again, carrying the bags toward the house. “Look at them.” He ticks his head toward the corner of the house, and my eyes follow.
Rocco’s kneeling, and Adaline’s at his side, touching his shoulder. She’s leaning forward, smelling an orange flower, while Rocco speaks so softly to her, I can’t hear their conversation.
My heart seizes at how cute they are together.
I know my daughter misses having a father in her life. I missed out on that experience too, and now, so is my kid.
All because I picked shitty men.
“Cute, huh?” Carmello smiles.
“Precious,” I say in a sarcastic tone, but my insides are a jumbled mess.
Watching them interact makes my chest ache. The burn is so deep, I’m not sure I’ll ever get the feeling to go away. She deserves to have a man look at her every day the way Rocco is watching her, smiling at her cute little face.
“Lighten up,” Carmello tells me, nudging me with his elbow. “Things can only get better.”
“Sure,” I mutter, following him toward the front door of the house.
“Yo. I got shit to do, bro!” Carmello yells out to Rocco, who quickly rises to his feet, taking Adaline by the hand and leading her in our direction.
I expect her to let go of him, but she adjusts her grip, only holding his hand tighter.
They look so natural together.
If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was his.
They have the same fierce look.
Same dark hair and tanned complexion.
In a perfect world, she would have been his and not Collin’s, but nothing about my life has ever gone the easy way.
“Wiggle. Wiggle.” Adaline’s still singing, holding on to Rocco’s hand like he’s her tether to the ground.
“See,” I say, motioning toward her and still glaring at the smiling Carmello. “You did that.”
Carm winks at Adaline, not helping the situation. “I’m not sorry. The kid knows good music when she hears it.”
“Ugh,” I mumble, rolling my eyes.
“Mommy,” Adaline whispers and grabs on to my hand, holding both Rocco’s and mine at the same time. “Is this where we live now?”
Her eyes are big, filled with so much hope and excitement, it hurts me to be the one who has to kill all that joy.
“We’re just visiting for a few days,” I tell her, gently squeezing her fingers.
She tips her head back farther and peers up at Rocco. “Only a few days?” she asks him with a giant pout on her face.
The kid is good.
She knows how to work the guilt and her pretty face.
I am in for a world of hurt when she gets older. Well, I am already in that world, and she hasn’t even started attending school.
She can charm the last coins out of an old lady’s pocketbook with her smile and a please.
Rocco places the key in the lock and casually tips his head down. I can see the second he sees her pout and gets sucked in by the cuteness. “You can stay as long as you want, princess.”
My eyes flash with annoyance, but he’s not looking at me.
He’s given her hope when there isn’t any, and I’ll be the one left to pick up the pieces…again.
Her frown disappears, replaced by a huge smile. “And Mello?” She glances to my side where Rocco’s brother is standing, holding the suitcases, jostling back and forth on his feet like he has ants in his pants.
“I’ll visit, squirt,” he tells her, giving her the sweetest, soft smile. “Good?”
She nods. “Yep.”
Fucking fabulous.
Two good guys, not realizing they are going to break her heart. Rocco already broke mine, and now they both are going to do it to her.
Rocco opens the door and goes to take a step inside, opening his fingers like he’s going to release Adaline’s hand, but she’s having none of it. She moves with him, keeping a death grip on his hand but releasing mine.
I feel a small pang of jealousy, but I try to push it away. She must be starving for the affection only a father can give. She has me all the time, but even I get bored with myself, as I’m sure she does too, which is obvious by the way she’s clinging to both Caldo men.
“I’m going to throw these in the spare room and head out,” Carmello tells me.
I only nod in response, too busy looking around.
The inside of Rocco’s home is not girlie like the outside.
It’s rich, with deep tones of brown and black, leather furniture, and lots of wood everywhere.
There’s not a feminine touch in sight, and since he doesn’t and has never had a girlfriend, he has his place the way he wants it.
I like the more modern, contemporary edge. I never did frilly. I’m not into flowers, lace, throw pillows, and all the useless shit so many of my friends are. I don’t care if I have the softest throw rug; I’m just happy if I have a couch that doesn’t have a hole in the cushion.
“Nice place,” I tell Rocco as he walks to the other end of the living room, Adaline still attached to him, and places his keys on the coffee table.
“Thanks,” he says, peering down at Adaline and where their bodies are attached.
Adaline yanks on his hand, and he leans over as she beckons his face closer. “I have to go potty.”
“Down the hall, sweetie,” he tells her, ticking his head across the room. “Can you go alone?”
She immediately nods and skips away, leaving us staring at each other in awkward silence.
Carmello breezes out of the hallway, phone in his hand, typing away like mad. “I’m late for my date. You kids have fun tonight.”
“You sure you don’t want to stay?” I ask, almost pleading with him not to leave me alone…leave us alone.