“Your daddy looks so handsome, doesn’t he, baby girl?”
Liv’s level of nervousness earlier was nothing compared to how nervous Billy felt now.
“Are you gonna be okay?” he asked.
“Me? What about you?”
“It’s the rest of my life, Livvie. And your life too, right, Willow?” Billy kissed Willow for the hundredth time since Liv had gotten there.
“She calms you.”
“Yep. She’s the only one who does, other than Renie.”
“It’ll be fine.”
“I’m hoping for a hell of a lot better than fine, Liv.”
“Yeah, that’s what I meant.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “Bonne chance!”
“Thanks, I think. Oh, keep your eye on this one, she took a few steps today.”
“Billy! Are you kidding? Willow took her first steps today? That’s a huge milestone.”
“I know it is, Liv. Jeez. I got it recorded for Grandma and Grandpa. You can see it tomorrow if you want. In fact, I’m sure you’ll see it with your own eyes in a few minutes. If you put her down that is. You can’t be ho
ldin’ her all the time, you’ll spoil her.”
Liv grinned. “I love seeing you as a father.”
“Again, thanks. Ben’s gone, right?”
“Yep, he and the boys are at a movie, and they’re going to eat afterwards. Then they’re coming here.”
“Okay, I gotta get this show on the road. Bye-bye, Willow. Daddy loves you so much. Bye, Livvie. Thanks again for this.”
He pulled the truck over twice on his way to the Rice Ranch, wishing he’d had a drink, but he didn’t want Renie to smell alcohol on his breath. It wouldn’t have helped his nervousness, anyway.
Renie was furious with Billy. She texted him an hour ago, and he still hadn’t answered. Maybe he was busy with Willow, and surprisingly, that part of it didn’t irritate her. It made her smile. In fact, she planned to ask him to text her pictures. Maybe they’d even try Facetime tonight. If he ever answered her.
A knock on the door startled her. As much as she didn’t want to crawl out of bed, she had to. Ben and her mom were out with the boys for the afternoon, and she was home alone. She looked in the mirror as she walked past it. It wasn’t a pretty sight. She should shower soon.
She opened the door without looking, and took a step backwards. “Billy? Wow, you look…good.” She looked him up and down, leaning against the door jam.
“Hi.”
He smiled. “Hi, yourself.”
Damn, she loved his smile.
“You gonna invite me in or feast me with your eyes out here on the porch, sugar?”
She remembered another night he said almost those same words to her. She stepped aside and waved him in.
“I’ve been texting you.”
“I know.”
“You couldn’t have told me you were in town? It would’ve been nice if I had at least taken a shower today.” She laughed. “And look at you cowboy…so handsome.”