She nods, a tear sliding down her cheek. “Maybe.”
“Alright, let's get you some water. That might help.” I stand carefully, offering her my arms. “Can I carry you?”
She nods, reaching up.
I lift her gently, her small body tucked against my chest, her toy fox dangling from one hand. She's warm—maybe too warm?—and I feel that panic creeping higher.
What if it's not the ice cream? What if it's something serious? What if I fucked up already and Tiff comes home to find her daughter sick because I couldn't handle one simple night of babysitting?
“You're okay,” I murmur, more to myself than to her. “We're gonna get you some water and you'll feel better.”
“Okay.”
Chapter 18
Nerves rack through my body as I take in the couples next to me dancing. They’re spinning and dipping in perfect time while Reese tries to guide me through the easiest steps. My heels are killing me, my hands are sweating so much that I wonder what Reese must be thinking.
“See? You’re a natural,” Reese says, grinning as I manage not to step on his foot for the third time in a row. No, instead, I just roll my own ankle and attempt not to show the pain.
A natural.
Maybe when I was younger, but these moves are a lot more intricate than the ones I practiced in the cheer squad.
He spins me out, and then back in. By some miracle, I don’t embarrass myself, and when I’m up against Reese’s chest, I smile. I might be terrible, but I have to admit, it feels good being out for once.
When the song ends, his hand finds the small of my back, and he leads me to a free table. My feet thank me when I take a seat. Reese heads over to the water table and grabs us a couple of bottles before handing me one.
“A few more weeks of this, and I think we’ll be able to enter our first competition,” he says with a wink.
“Oh, please. Is it not enough to embarrass ourselves in front of all these people? You want to do it and get scored for it?” I take a sip of my water as Reese laughs.
“Well, it’d be a good excuse to get you out of the house more. You seem…lighter.”
The observation catches me off guard. “Lighter?”
“Yeah. Like you're not carrying quite as much on your shoulders.” He pauses, his expression turning more thoughtful. “You deserve that, Tiff. To have things that are just for you.”
“Thanks.”
My stomach knots a little as I take him in. Reese has been nothing but kind to me, and he’s right. This should be exactly what I need. A handsome man, a fun activity, a chance to be someone other than Ella's mom or the girl drowning in legal paperwork.
So why does it feel like this is wrong?
“You okay?” he asks.
“Yeah, I just—” I twist the water bottle in my hands. “I just really need to tell you something.”
His expression shifts. “Is it about Jamie?”
I freeze. “How did you—”
“Zach filled me in.” Reese's tone is gentle, not accusatory. “After I told him I was taking you tonight. He just wanted to give me a heads-up that Ella's biological father is in the picture now.”
That knot in my stomach tightens, and shame floods through me.
I should have told him. I shouldn’t even be here right now when I have so many thoughts running through my head. Why did I let this get so far? “Reese, I’m so sorry. I wanted to tell you myself. I—I didn’t mean to lead you on.”
“Hey.” He touches my arm lightly, stopping my rambling thoughts. “It's okay. I get it. It’s… a complicated situation.”