AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I turned around from examining the choices of cheese to find Sage and Carly almost upon us. Carly was smiling and Sage had a perplexed expression.
“Hey, Sagie.” Jake held his arm out to his daughter, pulling her into his side as soon as he could reach her. “What a nice surprise, kid.”
“We came to buy you cheese,” she stated.
I tapped my head. “I guess great minds think alike, huh?” I reached into my bag slung on the back of the stroller and pulled out a few honey sticks. “Have you hit the honey stand yet? We practically cleaned them out. Want one?”
Carly plucked a stick from my hand. “I love these.” She leaned in and air-kissed my cheeks. “Thank you. Long time no see. Jake’s been hiding you guys.”
It sort of felt that way too. Since the emergency sleepover at his place, we hadn’t seen Sage, and that had been over a month ago. Jake’s walls were firmly in place, and it bothered me at times, but he’d been patient with me so I could give him the space and time he needed. I just hoped he’d feel safe enough to crack open his world sooner rather than later.
Carly tickled Nellie’s arm. “Hi, sweetie. You look sleepy.”
“She is,” I answered for her. “The fresh air always knocks her out.”
“Sage is here.” Nellie lifted her head with great effort and waved at her friend. “Hi, Sagie.”
Sage tugged on Nellie’s foot. “Hi, Nellie. Is my dad comfy?”
“Yeah.” Nellie flopped against Jake’s chest. “My Jake.”
Carly laughed, light and carefree. “Well, I guess she’s claimed you, huh? Too cute.” She patted her daughter’s head. “Want a honey stick, babe?”
“Oh.” Sage’s brows were drawn together. “Yeah, sure.” She carefully chose one from me, her eyes flicking to mine. “Thank you, Clara.”
“No problem.”
Jake still had his arm around his daughter, but she pushed away from him a little, giving herself room.
“I can’t believe you’re here,” Sage said. “It’s weird. I didn’t think you even knew where the farmers’ market was.”
“Your dad knows a lot of things,” Jake joked. “But, really, this is my first time. It was Clara’s idea. Turned out to be the best idea ever since I get to hang out with you. Want to show me all the cheese choices?”
She lifted a shoulder. “I guess I could do that. If I leave it to you, you might pick a bad one.”
Carly and I fell back and found a seat on a bench, letting them have a moment together. Well…with Nellie too, since she was firmly attached to Jake. But she was halfway to falling asleep and didn’t have many opinions about cheese, so she’d probably be a pretty silent companion.
“Sage says she never sees you guys,” Carly said.
I smoothed my hands over my linen pants, uncertain of how much I should say. “That’s true. We mainly hang out during the weeks she’s with you.”
She nodded. “Obviously, he and Nellie have bonded.”
“Yeah. They’re buddies.” I opened and closed my fingers. “To be honest, I’m flying blind here. This is my first time dating as a single parent, and I’m not sure I’m doing it right. It feels like it, but then Jake’s doing the complete opposite, so—”
She put her hand over mine. “Jake dated a real bitch who fucked him up. Excuse my language, but that’s the truth.”
I laughed. “Your language is fine. I’m glad you don’t beat around the bush.”
“Never.” She laughed too. “Push him a little. He’s got to get over that experience, and I can tell you’re the real deal. Push him. Tell him you want more and he needs to get off his ass to provide it to you. If I trust you around my daughter, there’s no reason for him not to.”
My brow winged. “You trust me?”
“Sure. You’re a mom, and you’re just as sweet to my girl as you are yours. Jake probably does too, you know? The fact is, Sage is good. She bounced back in no time after the bitch left. Jake was the one who was flattened. Not that she was any great love; he’d just been blindsided by it all—that she could be there one day and gone the next. I don’t think that’s you. Even if it doesn’t work out—”
I shook my head. “I was blindsided too. I’d never do that to anyone else.”
She squeezed my hand. “I’m sorry that happened to you. I bet you had people who pushed you, didn’t you?”
