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I spend a couple of minutes watching her point to the presents and talk about the sparkles the lights cast on the wrapping paper. I think that's her favorite part.
When she picks up her troll dolls from the floor and carries them to her toy chest, he helps her, smiling at me when I walk back into the room.
He waits for me at the front door after we walk out into the cold, holding Larkin's hand because she demands it. Her car seat has already been pulled from his truck and put in my car. I notice the warmth inside as I load her up, and it's just one more thing that makes the threat of tears very real. Normally, I'd have to bundle Larkin up like we were heading for a mountain hike because the heat was just as finicky as every other problem that car had.
He doesn't hesitate to press his lips to mine once more after I stand and close Larkin's door.
"I'll see you this evening," he whispers as he walks around the car and opens my door for me.
I nod, wishing I had a couple of hours to stand here and tell him all the things I have bottled up inside of me, but, thankfully, I don't have time. He may still be hanging around for now, but I doubt that would be the case if I fully opened up to him.
He stands on the sidewalk, giving me a little wave as I back out, the warmth of the car swirling around us.
I'm halfway to Madison's when I realize I never told him that I couldn't make my shift tonight. It makes me feel like a complete jerk because I normally don't work on Tuesday evening, but Maggie was leaving to go back home for the holidays, and I offered to take every one of her shifts this week.
I consider taking Larkin back to the Kennedys, but just the thought makes my stomach turn. I have to stand my ground. Nora has to know that she can't just talk to me in any kind of way.
No matter how much time I want to spend with Walker and how much debt I have to pay off, what kind of example am I setting for Larkin if I say nothing while someone berates me on a daily basis?
Chapter 35
Walker
As she drives away, I replace the anger on her face yesterday with the grin in place when she backs out and drives away.
I knew she'd notice the heat coming from the vents because Boone told me it was something he had to fix. Actually, he suggested that I sell the whole damn car to the junkyard because everything that could go wrong with it had already happened. He was surprised that the damn thing was still running sometimes.
I knew she'd never accept a new car, so I asked that he fix what he could. He grumbled about wasting time, but he got it done. The man might be cranky on his best days, but he's not a swindler. He charged me a lot less than he should've with the amount of work listed on the invoice, but I think that had more to do with helping Claire than helping me.
There were wires and wire harnesses that had to be replaced. He changed the battery and the alternator was going bad, causing her cranking issue. The list was endless.
Boone drove the car to her house this morning because as much as I wanted to spend time with Claire, I didn't want to put her in a position where she was forced to offer me a ride. I knew it would make her late for work, and although Corbin probably wouldn't have minded, I knew it would stress her out.
I climb into my truck and head to The Brew and Chew for breakfast, a genuine smile on my face when I place my order with Ruth. When I ask for coffee, I realize I missed an opportunity by not bringing her one from the house.
I pull out my phone while waiting for my food to arrive, reading an article on the current economic crisis.
As always, my food arrives quickly and, after thanking Ruth, I dig in.
I'm a quarter of the way through a fantastic omelet and halfway through an article on the expectations of being a stepdad when a shadow blocks out some of the light directed at my table.
I look up, expecting to see Ruth there, but I lock eyes with Nora and Leo Kennedy instead.
I sit back in the booth, chewing my bite of food and taking a sip of coffee, waiting for them to speak. Nora glares at me like I'm the most distasteful person she's ever laid eyes on, and Leo looks like he wants to escape but the punishment that he'd get from his wife isn't worth it.
"Good morning," I say, knowing it's only going to make her madder. "Would you like to join me?"
I sweep my hand, indicating the other side of the booth I'm occupying. Nora looks like I just cussed her in church, but Leo looks like he's battling between taking the seat and standing.
"You need to stop poisoning Claire against us," Nora snaps. "It's your fault we haven't seen our granddaughter in several days."
The shit hit the fan at their house yesterday morning, so it really hasn't been days. Nora isn't rational on the best of days, so there's no real point in arguing with her.
I know she's gearing up for more when she looks over her shoulder in order to determine who might be paying attention. It must be my lucky day when she smiles, realizing there's no one worth worrying about within hearing distance of us.
"We offered that girl so much when she first came to town," Nora says, her voice a whisper. "She was ungrateful then, and she has continued to be that way since."
I know people have different viewpoints of how a situation went down, but Nora is delusional if she's expecting me to believe they welcomed a pregnant Claire with open arms. I know better, having gotten that information straight from Claire rather than relying on the biased whispers I'd heard around town after she stepped foot in Lindell for the first time.
