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The more he was around Charli and the more she relaxed around him, the more Blake saw of the woman he’d once loved. The memory of that love was stronger than it had been in years, making him wonder if perhaps it hadn’t died completely.
As he watched Charli talk with the kids, Blake wondered if there was even a remote possibility that she’d give him a chance to show her the type of man he was now. He wanted to show her that he was stronger now. More capable of standing beside her as she reached for her dreams.
Except that she’d already achieved most of what she’d dreamed of having. She had the job she’d hoped to get. She had a daughter she doted on. She had a lovely home.
And she’d done it all without him.
When he’d left, Charli hadn’t let his desertion stop her from moving forward—moving on—and reaching for the things she desired for her life.
The only thing she didn’t have was the marriage she’d wanted, though he wasn’t sure that she hadn’t been married and divorced. And there was still the question of who Layla’s father was.
Blake looked over at the young girl, searching for signs of her father in her looks. But all he saw was Charli. Though her hazel eyes were a couple of shades lighter than her mom’s, Layla had her dark hair, and even her mannerisms and personality were so much like Charli’s.
Was there a chance she was his?
He couldn’t tell for sure just from looking at her. Knowing her birthday might help figure that out, but there was no guarantee that Charli hadn’t gotten involved with someone else as soon as she realized they were actually, really done.
Jackson had basically admitted that she’d had what sounded like a rebound fling… with a guy she had apparently not minded her family knowing about. He didn’t want to think about that situation, particularly because it meant another man had helped Charli achieve her dream of being a mom.
Short of asking Charli directly, Blake had no way to know for sure who Layla’s father was. Not that she would tell him. After all, from what Jackson had said, she hadn’t told anyone.
Would Charli keep it from him if Layla was his?
She hadn’t tried to keep him from being around Layla. He would have thought that if Layla being his was a secret Charli was keeping from him, she would have kept them apart.
Blake sighed, thoughts of the possibilities cramping his brain.
He had to believe that Charli would tell him if Layla was his. If for no other reason than for him to share the financial responsibility of raising her.
Watching Charli, Blake could see that she was still ticked off. Even though she was speaking with the kids, her usual smile was missing. This wasn’t the first time Blake had seen Charli angry. She had a bit of a temper, and he’d witnessed it occasionally during their relationship. Even back then, it had mainly been her siblings that made her mad.
It took a lot to set Charli off, but when she went off, she went off. Thankfully, most of the time, she didn’t stay mad for very long, and Blake had always enjoyed cajoling her out of her bad mood. Somehow, he doubted he’d have that same luck this time around.
As soon as the kids finished their game, everyone began to get ready to leave. Blake swapped out his bowling shoes, then helped Amelia with hers, and carried both pairs up to the counter. Jay was there already, settling the bill for the evening.
When Blake tried to pay for his and Amelia’s part, Jay waved him off.
“We’re happy that you both could be here,” Jay said.
“It was more fun than I thought it would be, and it looks like Amelia really had a good time, too.”
Jay smiled. “It’s always great to see the kids enjoying life.”
The others joined them to return their shoes, then they all left the bowling alley. Amelia skipped ahead with Layla and Peyton, while Blake followed after them. Charli must have still been avoiding her siblings because she ended up walking alongside Blake. Not too close, but closer to him than to any of the people who had annoyed her.
The sky was dark, with the sun having set while they’d been inside, but the parking lot had plenty of lights that illuminated the area. There were quite a few cars in the lot, which wasn’t a surprise since the lanes had slowly filled during the time they’d been there.
The bowlers had consisted mainly of families and teens. Despite its somewhat run-down appearance, it was apparently still a favorite destination for people looking for something to do on a Friday night in Serenity.
As they neared their cars, Blake said, “Hey, Charli, would you mind giving me your phone number?”
She stared at him, and for a moment, he thought she was going to outright refuse him. “Why?”
“After tonight, I think your siblings have something on their minds. I thought maybe we should talk about it.”
She sighed, then held out her hand. Blake unlocked his phone and opened his contacts before handing it to her. It took her only a minute to enter her name and number into his phone and give it back to him.
“Thanks,” he said.
