“I made plenty. Eliza has asked, ‘Where Dada,’ several times since we got home.”
“You should have let me know. I’d have come over sooner.”
“You’re here now.” She waved her hand for him to go ahead of her.
In the small house, it only took a few long strides to enter the tiny kitchen and spot his girl.
“Dada!” She held her spaghetti-sauce-covered hands out to him.
He dodged her hands, leaned down, and kissed her on the head. “Hey, sweet baby. Did you get some of that food in your mouth?”
She picked up a handful of sauce-drenched noodles and stuffed them in her mouth, smiling as a long noodle stuck to her chin.
“Good job, baby.”
Shelby came to the table with a loaded plate for him. “Sit. Eat.”
He took the seat across from her and next to Eliza. “Thanks for inviting me in.”
Shelby held his gaze. “You’re always welcome, Chase.” Shyness overtook her, and she busied herself with breaking up a piece of garlic bread for Eliza, who stuffed two small pieces in her mouth.
“One at a time,” he and Shelby said in unison.
Shelby smiled. He laughed, enjoying that they were in sync on something.
“Eat,” she coaxed him. “You need to take better care of yourself.”
This is where he’d hoped to steer the conversation so they could talk about their future. “I’m working on it. I had an omelet for breakfast and a big sandwich and an apple for lunch, thanks to you stocking the fridge. I’m going to hit the grocery store tonight on the way home and fill the cupboards. Um, if you could make me a list of things Eliza likes, I’ll keep them stocked at my place for when she visits me.”
Shelby finished chewing, making him wait with his breath held for an answer. He hoped she didn’t refuse to let Eliza come to his place.
“Sure. She’s a little picky at this age, so having what she likes will make things easier on you. Less tantrums,” she added.
“Really?”
She raised a brow. “You’ll need to feed her, right?”
“Yeah. It’s just... I wasn’t sure you’d let me take her.”
Shelby’s head tilted. “We need to talk about how this is going to work. She’s only spent the one night I came to get you away from me. Are you prepared for her to sleep over?”
“Not yet. I bought furniture for her room. It will be delivered tomorrow. I got her a twin bed. I think I’ll put it up against the wall. I bought a bed rail to put on it so she doesn’t roll out the open side.”
Shelby twirled her fork in the pasta. “It’s about time I got her a big girl bed here, too.”
He let out a sigh of relief. “I thought maybe you’d say it was too soon for a twin bed.”
Shelby shook her head. “Even if I thought that and you got the bed, we could simply put the mattress on the floor or something for safety, but I think the bed rail will work just fine.”
Another wave of relief hit him, and he sank back into the chair. “Okay. Good.”
Shelby’s gaze softened. “Chase, relax. You don’t have to be perfect at this. I’m not.”
“From my perspective, it looks like you are.”
“That’s only because I’ve had the last two years to learn how to be Eliza’s mom. You’ve been gone more than you’ve been here.” She held up her hand to stop him from defending himself. “You were working, and then you needed help to put your life back on track. I understand. You weren’t expecting her. I didn’t expect you to change your life for us. I only wanted you to be a part of her life in whatever way you can.”
“I want to be a real and present part of her life, not just a weekend dad. I want you to know you can count on me to be there for her when you need me.”