“You’re doing wonders for my ego here, Olive.”
She laughed and used the last forkful of lettuce, tomato and cucumber to grab up the last of the salad dressing, taking a forceful bite and chewing so damn slowly I knew she was just trying to torture me. “I’m sure your ego will survive knowing that one woman on the planet doesn’t want you.”
Ouch. “Just one? Yeah, maybe if that’s the case I will survive.”
The waiter returned to clear the table and set up the pizza table between us, giving me time to figure out what I needed to say next. Hell, I had no clue what Olive expected me to say. Did she expect me to say anything? “Five more minutes,” he said before rushing off once again.
Olive took a long, fortifying sip of water and smoothed the already sleek waves of her jet black hair, and sighed. “I’m having this baby Liam and you can choose to be involved or not.”
“Of course I’ll be involved,” I damn near barked at her.
She held up a calming hand. “Don’t get offended, I’m not judging you. I’m simply telling you that you have a choice here. Don’t answer now. Take your time and think about this, long and hard, Liam. If you say you’re in, then I expect you to be in completely. I won’t allow you or anyone to wander in and out of my child’s life when it’s convenient.” Her fierce words made me envy the child, made me wish there had been an adult in my young life who’d protected my heart so carefully. “Take your time and make this decision wisely.”
The way she spoke, so calm and even, like we were talking about the menu or the weather, made me furious. The fact that she thought I would choose to abandon my child offended me. Pissed me off. “That’s my kid too.”
“Biologically, sure.” She wore a sympathetic smile like I was someone to pity. And there was that damn word again.
“I’m the father Olive, period.”
“Oh please Liam.” She punctuated her words with an eyeroll I didn’t appreciate. “Two nights with the same woman is too much commitment for you and a child, requires a lot more than two nights. It’s all day, every day for years and years and years.”
She wasn’t wrong but her words, they chafed. “That’s still my kid and I’m gonna be there, whether you want it or not.” There was no way in hell I’d let her keep my child from me.
She shrugged like it didn’t matter to her either way. And then she sighed again, all sympathetic and calm. “Yeah well you and I both know that plenty of parents have no problem leaving their children behind. Don’t be a martyr and make you promises you’re not sure you can keep. Think about this baby Liam, not your ego for once.”
“Here you are, one spinach and mushroom pizza with extra cheese. Anything else?”
“Yes,” Olive said primly. “Take half of this and make it to go, please?”
The kid frowned and then shrugged. “No problem, ma’am.”
“Thanks. And can you add an order of onion rings to that?”
“Absolutely,” he said, smile bright and understanding. “It’ll be three more minutes.”
“Perfect. See you at the counter, then.” As soon as the kid was gone, she pushed her seat back and stood, sparing me a bored look. “Just take some time to think about it, that’s all I’m asking.” Then she disappeared into the bathroom, leaving me alone with half a pizza and my thoughts.
Don’t be a martyr, she said as if that’s what I was doing.
It wasn’t.
Was it?
No. My own father had been careless with me and my life, and I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. I would be there for my child, as soon as I figured out what that meant.
I tucked into my pizza with the same energy Olive had taken to that salad, but I couldn’t enjoy the greasy goodness because her words had struck like a hundred blows, all hitting center mass.
A baby was more than one night, but it was different when it was your child, right? It wouldn’t feel like an obligation, like a tether. Would it?
I had a lot of thinking to do, like Olive had asked, and that’s exactly what I would do.
And then, I’d figure out what to do next.OliveI sighed deeply and reached for the patience that escaped me today as I talked yet another nervous client through his pre-date jitters. “Our algorithm matched you with her Paul. Why wouldn’t she like you?”
“I don’t know Olive. Women tend to have that issue when it comes to me.”
His honest words made me giggle. “Maybe you’re just projecting. Read her profile again so you can see that you’re both into Star Trek and she was the Midwest Rubik’s Cube Champion in college.”