“Lunch?” I wrinkled my face, still out of it from being woken out of a dead sleep. Hadn’t she just said Brooklyn was at school?

“Yeah, you know . . . we can talk, decide where to go from here.”

She had my full attention now. Dinner had gone well the other night, with Brooklyn giving me a tour of her room and telling me about what she was learning at school. And now Cori seemed open to letting me see more of her. I’d figured it was too soon to ask for one on one time with my daughter, but maybe not.

“Sure,” I said. “In the city?”

“We can meet halfway.” She named a deli I knew of and we agreed to meet there in an hour.

I took a quick shower and drove there, thinking about the possibilities this opened up. I could bring Brooklyn to the club for lunch sometime since we didn’t open til evening. She could cook with the chef and made something fancy. We could get all you can eat pancakes at the diner near my place. I’d need to get a better place so she could have her own room when she visited me. We could paint it together.

I could introduce her to Viv and we could all spend time together. The thought of the two most important people in my life getting closer made me emotional. Viv would know more about what a nine-year-old girl liked, too. We’d go places together.

This was beyond my wildest dreams. I was on cloud nine when I walked into the deli and slid into a booth across from Cori.

“Hey,” she said, smiling.

“Hey. How’s it going?”

“Pretty good.”

A server came by for our orders and once he was gone, I waited for Cori to take the lead in the conversation. I wanted her to think me seeing more of Brooklyn was her idea, even if it was also mine.

“So,” she said, fiddling with her paper straw wrapper. “I sometimes wonder if I should have come to visit you. Written letters. You know, tried.”

My brows shot up with surprise. “Tried? I was in prison, Cori. You did the right thing making a clean break from me.”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I had it really bad for you, Kane. You were always so dark and mysterious. Kind of angry at the world. But there was something more there, and I saw it when we were together.”

I’d been high every time we were together. I couldn’t remember a single encounter. But I didn’t think it would be wise to tell her that.

“I fucked things up so bad,” I said. “Getting this second chance with Brooklyn means everything to me.”

“So you believe in second chances?” Her eyes were hopeful when they met mine.

“I didn’t used to,” I admitted. “But my girlfriend has made me believe in things I never did before.”

“I didn’t know you had a girlfriend. You’ve never mentioned her.”

“Yeah. Vivian. I’ve never brought her up because I wanted to keep the focus on Brooklyn at first. I like spending our time together talking about her life, you know?”

Cori nodded. “She’s so happy you’re coming around. And I am, too.”

Her gaze flicked to mine for just a second and I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. I was kind of fucking clueless about women’s subtle signals, but I didn’t like the feeling I had right now.

“So . . .” I cleared my throat. “Is there anything I can do to help with Brooklyn?”

“You’ve already done a lot. I used the back child support money for the down payment on our house. I never could have afforded it without that.”

“It was nothing,” I said. “I can’t ever thank you enough for always giving her a happy, stable home. You’ve done a great job with her.”

She smiled. “Thank you. I’m crazy proud of her.”

“I don’t just mean money, though. I mean like . . . taking care of her while you’re at work or just taking her out to dinner in your neighborhood so you can have a break.”

“Oh.” Cori frowned slightly. “You don’t like hanging out with both of us?”

Shit. This conversation was like a minefield.

“No, it’s not that,” I said. “It’s just . . . being a single parent for so long . . . you’ve never had much time for you. To do adult stuff, like date. When’s the last time you went out?”

“You’re asking because . . . you want to watch Brooklyn while I go out?”

“Sure, yeah.”

Cori shook her head. “I’m always working or with Brooklyn. I don’t exactly have men clamoring at my doorstep.”

“So go out and try. You’re pretty and smart and . . . all that shit.” I ran a hand over my short hair.

“You still think I’m pretty?”

Fuck. There was no winning this conversation.

“Course you are. Any man would be damn lucky to have you. Maybe Viv and I can come over this weekend and take Brooklyn out to dinner so you can give it a go.”

Cori shook her head. “Look, Kane. You’ve only known Brooklyn a couple weeks. I don’t want you bringing women around her.”

I bristled. “It’s not women, it’s only one. Viv and I are together.”

“Sure, but . . . for how long? It’s not good for our daughter to meet every person you go out with.”

The server returned with our sandwiches and we ate in silence. This wasn’t going according to plan. When we finished eating, I picked up the check from the table.

“I have to run payroll at work today so I need to go in early,” I said, getting up from the table.

“Okay, well . . . thanks for lunch. Do you want to come over for dinner this weekend?”

Did I want to have dinner with Cori? Not really. But for now, it was the only way I could see Brooklyn.

“Sure. Text me when and I’ll be there.”

She smiled. “Great. See you then, Kane.”

I drove back to the city in a pensive mood. This shit, I hadn’t seen coming from a mile away. Cori didn’t want Brooklyn meeting Viv. I couldn’t possibly hurt Viv by telling her that.

For now, I’d have to keep the peace by only seeing Brooklyn on Cori’s terms. But I sure as fuck didn’t have to like it.

Viv

I dialed Kane on my cab ride to the airport. When he answered, all I heard was the din of music in the club behind him.

“Hang on,” he said loudly. After a minute, the sound of the music went away. “Hey, sorry. Had to come back to my office.”

“Hi,” I said, missing him already.

“Hey. You on your way? We’ve got that spicy soup you like tonight.”

I sighed. “Sadly, no. I’m on my way to the airport.”

“The airport?”

“Yes. I have to go track a client down in LA. A childish, inconsiderate client who makes me want to scream most every day.”

“On Friday night, though?” His tone was disappointed. We hadn’t seen much of each other this week due to work schedules.

“I know. I’m going now so I can fly home tomorrow night. I didn’t want to get in on Sunday night and have to go right back to work Monday morning. Can we raincheck on dinner til tomorrow night?”

“I’m going to Cori’s tomorrow night.”

“Oh. Damn. I mean, good because I want you to see Brooklyn, but . . . I miss you.”

“Miss you, too. How ‘bout I come over when I’m done over there? She goes to bed by nine and I should be back in the city around ten.”

“Yes. I’d love that.”

“Text me when you get to L.A., alright? And don’t stay in some shithole motel, they’re not safe.”

I smiled. “I’m billing the client, so I will definitely not be staying in a shithole.”

“Okay. See you tomorrow, babe.”

“Bye.”

I hung up and laid my head against the window of the cab. Nothing like ending a busy work week with a quick cross-county trip. Especially when I was going just to get a signature from a playboy actor with nothing to do but annoy me.

Hopefully I could sleep on the flight. And I’d have extra time with Kane soon. I was already planning to take most of next week off for Christmas. He and I were spending the day together and flying out the day after to see my parents. He didn’t seem freaked out by it at all.