Hard Hit (IceCats 3)

“Well, of course,” I agree as I pull the door open to my baby mama. “But let me deal with her, and I’ll see you soon.”

“Okay. Love you.”

“I love you more,” I say proudly, much to Lilly’s annoyance, before I hang up.

She looks up at me, her eyes in slits as she pushes back her blond hair. “Is that her?”

“If you mean my incredible girlfriend, yes, it is.”

“Whatever,” she says, walking past me and into the living room.

“I didn’t welcome you in,” I say to her, but she ignores me, going to where Celeste is sitting. I leave the door open because she’s leaving and move past her to grab my daughter before she can. “I’m not playing, Lilly. You need to leave.”

Her eyes are on Celeste. “She looks so much like you now.”

“Well, she is my kid.”

“But with my eye color,” she observes, but I’m over it.

“For real. You need to leave,” I say sternly.

She shakes her head. “Can I please have a second?”

“One,” I count like the childish dude I can be when I want. “Leave. You aren’t welcome here. If you want to see her, I’ll see you in court.”

“That’s the thing. I don’t,” she says, meeting my gaze. “I look at her, and I feel absolutely nothing.”

My stomach clenches. “What?”

“I had this monster plan of coming back, getting you back, and playing family, but I can’t do it,” she says, shaking her head. “I can’t. I don’t want to be a mother, and I sure as hell don’t want to be with a man who doesn’t want me.”

I blink. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”

There is no remorse in her expression. “I never wanted kids. Hell, at one time, you didn’t want them either.”

“Because I didn’t want to put my kid through what I went through. But when it happened, I stepped up, and I became a dad, ultimately falling in love with not only my daughter but with being a father. I would never do what you have done to her, but somehow you are doing it twice. Thankfully, she’s young and won’t remember a lick of this.”

She nods, her eyes on Celeste again. “Marc called this morning and wants to work it out with me. But before I agreed, I wanted to see her. I wanted to see you. And like I thought, I don’t want this.”

“Yay?” I say sarcastically. “What the fuck? Get out.”

She looks back at me. “I’m going to go to my lawyer’s office and sign over my rights. Marc doesn’t want to deal with a baby, and he suspects you won’t be one of those easygoing dads who goes along with whatever.”

“I’m not. My kid is everything to me.”

“Exactly, and since I don’t want kids either, it’s fine. I’m good.”

I can’t seem to process what she is saying. Again, the pain of her rejection of my daughter sears through me like a really bad case of heartburn. How could she not want her? I don’t care if she doesn’t want me, but Celeste, she’s an angel.

“She’s in good hands and will be loved right. Way better than I could ever do.” Lilly reaches out, about to run her finger along Celeste’s arm, but Celeste tucks her arm into the crook between her body and my armpit. She looks at me, confused, before looking back at Lilly. I’m speechless as Lilly’s eyes meet mine once more.

“Is it serious with her? The girlfriend?”

“Yes.”

“And she’s good to Celeste?”

“Loves her like she’s hers.”

She nods. “Good. That’s really good. Have a good life.”

And just like she did before, she walks out without a backward glance. I stand in my living room, my daughter resting her face on my chest, almost in the exact position last time Lilly left us like this. Only, last time, I was sad, not only for my daughter but for myself. That’s not the case anymore. Celeste doesn’t need Lilly; she has me. She has Jaylin.

Lilly will never be in our lives again.

But Jaylin always will.

When we walk into Aviva’s room, Celeste is holding the new baby balloons while I hold the big vase of flowers I got Aviva. In my back pocket is a Snickers for Nico, but of course, I don’t even see Aviva, Nico, or the new baby. My eyes go right to Jaylin. She stands by the window, typing something on her phone, looking every bit the successful, gorgeous woman she is. She has her hair pulled up in a high bun, a shirt that reads “New Aunt,” and jeans. I can tell she hasn’t slept a wink, but I find her irresistible. She looks up from her phone as Celeste squeals at the sight of Jaylin.

“There’s my girl!” she gushes as she comes over, and Celeste opens and closes her palm for Jaylin. I grab the strings of the balloons before they float away. I grin as Celeste reaches up for her, and my grin grows when Jaylin leans in to kiss me softly on my lips. Before she reaches for Celeste, she says, “Hey there.”