Page 51 of The Body Checker
“I never said you were, but the circumstances…I don’t want to see Daisy…” I let my words fall off as a fine shiver goes through me.
“Is that why you don’t want a family or kids?” he asks, as things grow personal between us.
I take a long moment, then say, “My parents failed so badly at marriage, and it wasn’t easy being abandoned. I just…don’t want to set myself up for that.”
Jonah opens his mouth like he wants to say something, closes it again, and stands. “You’re cold. Let’s get inside.”
He grabs our towels, and wraps one around me and the other around himself. Then he gathers our clothes, as well as the baby monitor, and we both go inside. Where we go from here, I’m not certain. Will he even want me in his house tonight if he’s contemplating marriage to another woman? Do I even want to be in his house if he’s contemplating marriage to another woman?
“Glass of wine?” he asks, his voice less harsh as I take in his bare upper body.
I nod, and he grabs a chilled bottle of white from the fridge and two glasses. He pours and we both take a much needed sip. Little cries come from the baby monitor, and we set our glasses down.
“Go relax and have your wine, Quinn. I’ll check on Daisy, then I’ll join you.” He lets his towel fall and climbs back into his clothes. I don’t bother dressing. Instead, I make my way into the living room and flick on the television, giving Jonah alone time with his daughter. It seems to be what he needs right now.
I hear Jonah’s voice through the baby monitor as he changes Daisy’s diaper and cuddles her. I sip my wine and flick through the stations, my heart so invested in this family, I’m sure to fall to pieces once I have to leave them. I settle on a rerun and things go quiet upstairs. I glance at the clock. It’s not late, but I have a feeling Jonah fell asleep rocking his little girl.
Deciding I might as well get a good night’s sleep too, I turn the television off and stand. I stretch out my limbs, but when a hard knock sounds on the door, I nearly jump out of my skin.
I hurry across the room and look through the peephole. There is a girl on the stoop, but I don’t recognize her. She sways a little, and runs her hands over her long dark hair, like she’s trying to make herself presentable. I wait, debate on what to do, but then she knocks again. Harder this time.
“Jonah, open up,” she says, and then hiccups.
OMG, is she drunk?
I push back from the door and turn when I hear footsteps coming my way. “Jonah,” I say, as he rubs his eyes.
“What’s going on?” he asks.
“There’s a girl on the steps. I think she’s drunk.”
“Shit.” He looks through the peephole, then swings the door open wide. The girl gives him a seductive smile—but then her eyes go wide when they see me…in nothing but my towel.
“What the hell are you doing here?” she spits out, and leans her hand on the side of the house to keep her balance.
“I…uh…” I say and step back.
“What do you want, Shari?”
Holy hell, this is Shari.
“I want my daughter,” she says, and tries to push past Jonah, but he won’t allow it. He grips her shoulders and holds her in place.
“Let go of me! I’m getting my daughter and taking her home.”
“You’re not going anywhere with her.”
Her eyes are venomous when they connect with mine. “I’ll phone the police.”
“Go ahead. You’ve been drinking, a
nd now you’re behind the wheel. If you want to end up in the drunk tank tonight, make the call. Let’s see how fast you get your daughter back after that.”
She changes tactics, and sags against Jonah, running her fingers along his chest. “What we talked about earlier, Jonah. You said you were going to think about it. You can’t blame me for being mad when I find you here with another girl.”
“Quinn is Zander’s sister. She’s been helping me with Daisy until I could find a nanny. You should be thanking her.”
Quinn is Zander’s sister.