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Knowing that he might give up a bonus he badly needed, Matt shook his head and walked toward the area where he’d parked his truck. “Sorry, Zach. I can’t.”
Fifteen minutes later, as he pulled up to his apartment, he was surprised to see Charlene’s car. He was even more surprised to see Charlene in his living room, playing a game with Tatum.
“Hey, Daddy,” Tatum said, rushing toward him when he walked inside.
He hugged Tatum and gave Charlene an inquisitive look.
Charlene threw her hands up. “Sorry. I saw you tried to call, but I was driving, so I just came over, thinking you needed me with Tatum tonight.” She grinned at both of them. “And I was just thinking. Since you guys are in Raleigh now, we should do family game nights again, don’t you think? Part of you guys coming here was so we can act like a family, right?”
“Can we, Daddy? Please, please, please?” Tatum begged.
Matt shrugged. As usual, her behavior puzzled him. He felt a familiar twinge—the hope that Charlene was serious about being a family. Some alarm sounded in his mind, warning him not to trust her, but when it came to wanting the best for his daughter, he trusted a bit too much. Just ask Lucy.
Inwardly, he winced. She still hadn’t texted him back. In the back of his mind, he’d planned to fix things with Lucy when he and Tatum went to Dawn’s wedding in ten days.
“So we’re good to all hang out tonight?” Charlene asked.
For tonight, he’d take the family time. “You bet.”
“Yes!” Tatum was excitedly pulling games out of the little bin they’d brought from South Port.
The next two hours were spent eating pizza and playing Monopoly. Then they popped popcorn and watchedThe Jungle Book, because it was one they all liked. Matt was more than pleased that he and Charlene were getting along, and he could tell that Tatum was soaking it up.
Yes, this was what he’d envisioned when he’d moved to Raleigh.
Soon bedtime arrived, and they tucked Tatum in, one parent telling a story and the other singing a song. Matt felt this overwhelming sense of peace in co-parenting this way.
Once Tatum was in bed, Matt walked Charlene to the door. “This was a good night. Thank you.”
Charlene beamed at him and then moved closer, putting her hands lightly on his chest. “Matt, I have to tell you something.”
Matt looked down at her hands and frowned. “Where’s Ricky tonight?”
Charlene’s face fell. “Not sure.”
For a few moments, they were both quiet.
It was hard for Matt to admit that Charlene may still have some pull on him. He took a step back. “What’s going on?”
Charlene put her hands together. “I have to admit, I found it hard to trust that you’d stay in Raleigh when you first got here.”
He didn’t respond.
“And I’ve sort of been testing you the past few weeks, to make sure you had the metal to prove that this co-parenting thing would work. But,” she said, tears shimmering into her eyes, “Matt, having you and Tatum here, having access to Tatum again … It has proved so many things about you. It’s made me see what a wonderful man you are and how you work so hard to keep our family going. How you work so hard to keep our daughter in a good place. Thank you.”
Matt was shocked. He hadn’t been sure he was doing the right thing. In fact, all signs had pointed to her not really wanting him here. Now, hearing Charlene’s words of praise and gratitude did something to him. He felt a surge of hope at the idea that he and Charlene might be able to work it out for their daughter. “What are you saying, Charlene?”
She hesitated, then leaned forward, pressing her lips to his. “I’m saying that I want to do it slow, but I wouldn’t be opposed to us trying things again.”
His heart raced, and his old feelings resurfaced as she interlocked her hands across the back of his neck. “What about Ricky?”
She frowned. “We broke up a couple days ago.”
She pushed her body against his, but he held her off.
“Matt, c’mon. I don’t think it’s a secret that you don’t have anyone anymore. Maybe all of this is working out perfectly.”
He hadn’t talked to her about breaking up with Lucy. Sure, he’d told her that Lucy wasn’t coming to visit when she’d asked, but he’d never spelled it out.
