Stout (Men of Lovibond 2)

“I’m good. Great, actually.” The best I’ve been in days.

“I see you brought more goodies.” I had to. I’ve baked like a lunatic this weekend. And I’ve run out of neighbors willing to take the sweets off my hands.

“Yeah. I was in a baking mood this weekend. I get like that sometimes.” I put the plastic container on Molly’s desk. “Do you mind seeing if Oliver is busy?”

“Oh.” A peculiar expression crosses her face. “He’s not here, honey. He left for Savannah yesterday morning with Lawrence and Tap.”

I knew it. Something is wrong. The three of them wouldn’t have gone home for no reason. “What happened?”

“Lawrence and Oliver’s mother passed away Sunday night.”

Oh, God. No. No. Not Libby. Oliver must be in agony. Oh, Lawrence. She’s lost her mom.

“Was she in an accident?” Libby seemed so healthy and active. I can’t imagine her dying from some kind of health complication. Oliver never mentioned her being sick.

“I’m not sure. All I know is Tap called Porter first thing Monday morning to let us know they’d be out for a few days.”

I can’t believe Oliver’s mother is dead. He didn’t call you, Adelyn. He didn’t reach out to you. That says so much about how badly I’ve hurt him.

I’ve been a mean, spiteful bitch. And now I’m paying for it.

Oliver’s in pain. I should be with him in Savannah at a time like this, not in another state.

This is our first major life-changing event as a couple and I’ve failed him. I’m fucking sick with myself.

Molly knows Oliver and I are together. She must be wondering why he’d leave without telling me something so important. “We had an argument. A pretty terrible one and it was all my fault.”

“It’s not my business, honey.”

“Maybe not, but I wanted you to know Oliver didn’t do wrong. It was me.”

“Honey, I know Oliver. Things will be fine.”

“I hope so.” I desperately hope so. Has he given up on me?

I look at my watch. Ten after one, which means ten after two there. The funeral is probably happening as we speak. “I should wait on calling in case they’re having afternoon services.”

A whirl of brown curls races into the room and propels herself into Molly’s arms. Willow. “Molly!”

“Ah, there’s my girl.” Willow crawls into Molly’s lap. “Did you have a good day at preschool?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“What did you learn?”

“Umm . . . I don’t know.”

“Doesn’t sound like you learned much if you don’t know.”

“Mmm . . . August.”

“You learned your months of the year?”

The cutie shrugs. “I guess.”

Molly looks at me and winks. “First week of preschool.”

Willow laughs when she’s poked in the ribs. “Do you know what month comes after August?”

“September.”

“Yes, and who has a birthday in September?”

“Meee.”

“That’s right. And how old will you be?”

“Four.” Willow is such a beautiful little girl. Long brown curls. Vivid blue eyes. Just like her dad. Vance had the same vivid blue. And I hated them. Thought they were monstrous. Haunting.

I squat so I’m on Willow’s level. “What kind of party do you want?”

“Princess.”

“Pink?”

“Yes, ma’am.” She’s been taught manners.

“I love pink princess parties. Bet you didn’t know that’s what I do. I’m sort of like a fairy godmother. You tell me what you want at your party and I make it happen.”

“Like Cinderella?”

“A little. Would you like me to talk to your mom about having a big pink princess party for your birthday?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“I’ll do that for you.” I see her eyeing the cupcakes so I ge

sture toward the container. “Want one?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I offered the cupcake without considering if it’ll be okay with Toni. “Will her mom mind?”

“She can have one. That’s fine.” The voice comes from behind me.

I turn to see who I presume is Toni standing at the time machine punching her card. “Oh, hi. I’m Adelyn. Oliver’s girlfriend.”

“I’m Toni. I work in the warehouse. That’s my daughter, Willow.”

It isn’t possible Toni’s more than twenty-one or two but she looks at least fifteen years older. Life hasn’t been kind to this woman.

“Where’s Keeley?” Molly asks.

“Frankee has the afternoon off so she took her for me.” Lovibond family. It’s real and it exists.

“Willow tells me she wants a pink princess party for her birthday next month.”

“I’m sure she does. And I’d love for her to have one but big parties are expensive.”

I’ll foot every penny of this little girl’s party without blinking but I don’t want to cue Toni to who I am. “Oliver said he and I would work something out if you say it’s okay for her to have it.”

Toni shakes her head. “That man is too good to us.”

“He is a very good man who wants Willow to have the princess party of her dreams. So what do you say?”

“How could I refuse my baby girl a birthday party?”

“Great. I’ll be in touch in a couple of weeks and we’ll work out the details.”

“Thank you. That’s really nice.” Toni holds out her hand for Willow. “Come on, knucklehead. We gotta let Molly get back to work.”

I wave at Willow when she turns back to look at me. “Bye.”

“That was awfully nice of you.”

“Does Willow always come to work with Toni?” A beer brewery doesn’t seem like a proper place for a child. Or safe.

“Not usually. Her babysitter quit on her a few weeks ago. She has to bring the girls until she can find a replacement. But the boys know.” I like how Molly refers to Oliver, Lucas, and Porter as the boys. “Stout turned a storage room into a playroom for them. He was afraid they might get hurt in the warehouse.”