Page 9

“What if you are, and you’re just scared?”

Remy’s door opened. She padded out in her pajamas. “Daddy!”

I opened my arms. She climbed onto my lap, warm and smelling like lavender shampoo.

“Ready for bed, peanut?”

“Uh-huh. Did you see Miss Jo at the store?”

Obviously, she’d been listening at her door for a minute. “I did.”

“Did you say hi?”

“I did.”

Remy yawned. “I like Miss Jo. She’s nice.”

“She is nice.”

“Do you like her, Daddy?”

My heart squeezed. “Yeah, sweetheart. I like her.”

“Good.” Remy yawned again. “I think Mommy would like her too.”

The words hit me. I looked at Mom, who had tears in her eyes.

“I think you’re right,” I managed.

After I tucked Remy in, I pulled out my phone and looked at Jo’s contact information.

I debated before I finally sent a text.

Just checking in. You doing okay?

The three dots appeared almost immediately.

I am. Thank you for earlier. For everything.

Anytime.

More dots.

I mean it. Thank you.

I stared at the screen.

Sleep well, Josephine.

You too, Lane.

I looked at those few words for a long time.

Then I went to bed and dreamed of soft pale green eyes and a woman who made me believe I could feel like myself again.

Chapter 5

Jo