He shrugs. “Sometimes, is important.”
Then he makes his way down the tunnel toward the locker room.
Well, crisis averted.
Now we just need to win.
Chapter
Twenty
Serena
I wake up early Monday morning after two wonderful nights’ sleep. West’s bed is incredible—not too hard, not too soft—and has a vibrating massage option, along with heat. I’ve never slept so well.
I made Joey sleep with me last night since Lindy has school today and she mentioned that he kicks a lot in his sleep. Jayne and I made the executive decision that sleepovers, as the kids call them, will only happen on weekends. Joey wasn’t too happy at first but I read him a few extra stories and he fell right to sleep.
Leaving him sleeping on West’s massive bed, I slip into the bathroom and take a quick shower. I’m getting spoiled here. His bedroom is spacious, the bathroom is my favorite room in the house, though I also love the kitchen, and driving his SUV reminds me of the days when I had money.
When I was acting, I always had work. Nothing that would make me a star but steady work that brought in good paychecks and paid for culinary school. Getting the role on Dusty Peaks was the first step in what I hoped would be a long, successful career. I leased the Lexus, had a fantastic apartment in Buckhead, and was living the dream.
Until it all crashed down on me.
I love Joey more than anything but I do miss the life I thought I was going to have. And sometimes I miss acting so much I want tocry. I loved everything about losing myself in a character and sharing that character with the world. Being with West has made a lot of suppressed memories resurface and sometimes it’s hard not to be resentful. Not of Joey, but of his father, who put me in an untenable position and destroyed both of my dreams—culinary school and acting.
Heshouldbe paying child support.
Heshouldn’thave threatened to take my child.
And I shouldn’t have panicked.
But I did so now all I can do is move forward.
By the time I’m dressed and have my makeup on, I’m in a better mood and Joey’s awake. I help him get dressed and brush his teeth, and then he bounds down the stairs looking for Lindy. She’s at the island in the kitchen eating waffles and Joey whirls to me.
“Where’s mine?” he demands.
“Easy, tiger, we just got downstairs. You want waffles?”
“Here, I made extra just in case,” Jayne says with a grin. She proffers a plate and Joey sits down excitedly.
“Thank you,” I tell her.
“No biggie. They were frozen and I put them in the toaster.”
“I’ll teach you how to make Belgian waffles from scratch,” I tell her.
“I don’t cook beyond the basics,” she admits, leaning against the counter. “But I’m trying to learn. West has started teaching me but between work and taking care of Lindy…” Her voice trails but I understand what she’s trying to say. “Taking care of a child, especially one that technically isn’t yours and has been through recent trauma, is a lot.”
“Totally.”
“You graduate in May, right?”
She nods.
“Well, if I’m still around, I can teach you this summer.”
Jayne cocks her head. “Why wouldn’t you be around?”