Page 109 of Joey

“What’s to judge?” I laugh.

“Come on,” he says. “You really want me to believe that Brooke Alder is your fiancée?”

“I spent a lot of money on that ring for a girl who isn’t.”

“Did you buy Huck and Wald a ring too?”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

He opens his mouth to respond but the double doors open and I turn just in time to see Maisy Kane walk through the door holding the hand of a middle-aged woman.

“There’s my little flower,” Conner says. She runs to him, eyeballing me as she passes, and hugs him around the waist.

She’s taller than I imagined. Maybe because I don’t really know how tall five-year-olds are. Or maybe she gets her height from me. I’m not sure.

But one thing I am very sure about?

She looks like me.

Not Jesse. Not Johnny. Not my father. Not this man here, pretending to be her father.

Me.

“Hello, Maisy,” I say.

“Hello,” she says, hiding behind Michael.

“Do you know who I am?”

She nods. “My mommy has a picture of you in her phone.”

“She does?” I ask, looking at Michael.

“It’s an old phone,” he says. “She gave it to Maisy one day to play with and then let her keep it and bought a new one.”

“It was after Malinda came and I was tired and fussy,” Maisy explains.

“Oh,” I say, loving her instantly. Because she is so lovely. So… pink. “That’s nice.”

“You’re Joey,” she says. “I called you.”

“I know,” I say. “That’s why I’m here. Just… checking in on you. Making sure you’re OK.”

“I miss my mommy. Do you know where she is?”

“No.” I sigh. “I don’t. I’m sorry.”

She presses her lips together and forces a smile.

“So…” I say. “Would you like to have tea with me? There’s a whole bunch of little cakes over there and no one’s eating them.”

I don’t know if this was Michael Conner’s plan when this visit started, but it’s my plan now.

“Sure,” Maisy says, then looks up at her father for permission.

“It’s fine,” he says. He glances at me. “She’s not allowed to attend afternoon tea yet.”

“It’s for grown-ups,” Maisy explains.