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Rolling my eyes, I reach out for him, and Elijah comes and stands under my arm.
“Well, let’s get you some breakfast quick, and then Liv can take you to school. I have to work, of course, but I’ll be home tonight for dinner.”
“Really?”
I look over at Liv, who seems a bit shocked that I’ll be home that early.
“Yeah. Like you said. Make the time, right?”
If I didn’t know any better, I would think tears pool in Liv’s eyes, but as quickly as I see it, the expression is gone.
Elijah steps inside and goes to the kitchen island. I already have his backpack ready for him, and it hangs on the chair where he sits.
Just as I’m about to say something to Liv, she pushes past me and goes to the fridge, setting her purse down on the table by the door.
“Want some eggs quick?”
Elijah perks up, tearing his attention away from the Switch I didn’t see in his hands.
“Yes, please!”
I go to him, taking the device to bring it upstairs later.
“No more games, buddy.” I look at the clock on the microwave. “I need to go, but I’ll see you later.”
Kissing the top of Elijah’s head, I reach for my briefcase and turn to Liv, who is cooking the scrambled masterpiece on the stove.
“I’ll see you later. You’ll be here for dinner?”
She smiles, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes.
“Yup. Like normal. I’ll make enough for everyone.”
Liv only looks at me for a few seconds and then goes right back to the eggs. I don’t want to read into it, but the feeling that she’s avoiding me creeps up my spine.
“Okay.”
I walk to the door, yelling back to Elijah over my shoulder.
“Love you! See you tonight!”
“See you later, Dad! Love you, too!”
As I drive to my office, tension pulls at my gut. Making eye contact with myself in the rearview mirror, I scold myself for being paranoid.
“It’s fine. Relax. Just Monday morning woes. Just forget it, Noah.”
But all through the day, the only thing I can think about is the strange look on Liv’s face as she said, “Like normal.”
* * *
Finishing up work that day is a struggle. There are a million emails and messages to respond to, and the investors still want me to drop everything and fly to Hawaii.
I really don’t think I can make it happen, but I check flights anyway.
Closing up my laptop and sliding it into my briefcase, I switch off the desktop monitor for the other computer and push back from my desk. I’m stiff from sitting in the fucking chair all damn day and so ready to call it quits and have dinner with Elijah and Liv.
There’s far less traffic this early in the day, and I get home in no time. Parking in the garage next to the SUV, I go inside, and Elijah is helping Liv cook something that smells amazing.
