Hard Hit (IceCats 3)

I really don’t want to do this. I exhale a long breath before I answer. “Yes, he is very special. I like him a lot.”

“Well, tell me his name.”

“Kirby.”

She pauses, and out of the corner of my eye, I see her face scrunch up. “Kirby?”

“Yes,” I say as I glance at her. “What?”

“That’s an odd name,” she says with a snicker.

“I like it.”

“Mmm-hmm. What does he do for a living?”

I squeeze the steering wheel, willing the car to teleport to her house so this conversation can be over. “He’s a professional athlete.”

“Well, goodness me, is that right? What does he play? Basketball?

“No. Um…hockey.”

“Hockey?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s that?”

“Guys on ice, fighting and passing around a little black ball? No. Not ball. He said puck, but I think it looks like a ball.”

She pauses, eyeing me. “I’ve never heard of this sport. Are you sure it’s real? Are you sure he’s a professional?”

I laugh. “Yes, Mom. He plays for the IceCats with Aviva’s fiancé.”

She thinks that over. “Oh. Okay. That’s interesting. Did you meet him through them?”

“Yes,” I admit slowly.

“Hmm. Well, you’ll need to bring him over for dinner.”

“I don’t want to,” I say quickly. “You’ll chase him off.”

She takes offense to that and yells, “I will not! And you will bring—”

Just then, Celeste lets out a wail. I look up in the rearview mirror as my mother jumps, a squawk leaving her lips.

“Oh, sweet baby. It’s okay,” I say calmly, but Celeste is wide-eyed and pissed my mom yelled, waking her up. “Way to go, Mom,” I scold as I reach back, rocking her car seat to soothe her. Thankfully, we’re at a stoplight.

My mother is gawking at me. “When were you going to tell me there was a baby in the car?”

I shrug innocently. “I didn’t think I had to.”

She turns in her seat to look back at Celeste. “Who in the world does this child belong to? I hope someone would have told me Aviva had a twenty-pound child who looks like she’s a year old.”

I give her a dry look. “No, and she’s only eight months.”

“She’s big for her age. Someone is feeding you good,” she says, taking over soothing Celeste. “She sure is pretty. Look at those eyes.”

I smile. “She’s a doll.”

“Whose baby is it? Your friend’s?”

I swallow hard. “Sure.”

I feel her eyes scrutinizing me. “Which friend?”

I bite my lip. “My friend.”

“Jaylin Renee, is this your boyfriend’s daughter?”

Now that is a loaded question. One, I’ll need to admit once more that Kirby is my boyfriend and, also, that he has a child. I bite the inside of my lip and nod. While I know she’s about to bitch me out, I’m proud that I can admit it. Look at me growing.

“Your boyfriend has a child?”

“Yes.”

“You’re dating a man with a child?”

“Yes. Since he’s my boyfriend and that’s his child.”

“Where is the mother?”

“She abandoned her, and Kirby has been raising her by himself for the last three months.”

“Really?” she asks much more calmly than I expect. “And is the mother Caucasian?”

I eye her. “Yes, and so is he.”

“I thought she was a little pale to have any black in her.”

I want to laugh, but I don’t think she’ll take that lightly. “So, a white man. With baby mama drama?”

I cringe. “I don’t think there is any drama. He doesn’t speak to her. He’s suing her for custody.”

“So, an instant family, then?”

I clear my throat. “I guess so.”

“Mmm-hmm. Okay,” she says slowly. “She sure is cute.”

“She is,” I agree, licking my lips. I don’t know why, but I ask, “Are you mad?”

She doesn’t answer me right away. “I’m not sure what I am. I need to think on this. Talk to your father.”

“Okay,” I drawl, not sure how to take that. “I like him a lot. Like, a lot, a lot.”

I can feel her gaze on me. “Then you need to bring the man, whom you like a lot, a lot, and his child to dinner so your father and I can see what we think. Though, if I’m honest, I’m sure there are plenty of men out there who don’t have this kind of baggage. Even if their kid is cute as a button.”

“You’re right. There are,” I agree, glancing over and meeting her unsure gaze. “But none of them are like him.”

She looks at me seriously for a moment. “I didn’t even realize you were into white men.”

“Mom, I’m into men.”

“Don’t like what you’re implying, Jaylin Renee, especially in front of this sweet child.”

I grin, exhaling hard.

That was easier than I thought.

Despite the fact that my heart is pounding out of my chest and I feel light-headed, I made it!

Maybe I can do this…

Chapter Twenty-Three

Kirby

* * *

Apparently, Jaylin, Jean, and Celeste had a busy day yesterday.

Since I was in meetings, I came out to a lot of texts and a bunch of phone calls from my girls. Of course, I jumped to the conclusion everyone was dead, so my heart was basically in my throat as I called Jaylin, but she reassured me everything was fine. Thankfully. I’m already struggling with being away from Celeste; I really don’t need my nanny to have an emergency. Not that I’m upset. Not even a little bit. I’m mainly worried for Jean, but I’m beyond grateful that Jaylin was there to step in. I think the best part was how excited she was. She felt accomplished, not that I doubted her at all. She’s great with Celeste, and knowing that she left work to take care of my child solidified my feelings.