Twist of Fate by Louise, Tia (free ebook reader for ipad .txt) 📗

way, investing so much time, and then figuring out later it wasn’t what I wanted.”

“It’s a risk you take no matter what you do.” She places a wrinkled hand over mine and gives it a squeeze. “You could’ve stayed here and figured out it wasn’t what you wanted. Every choice you make is going to have consequences, good and bad. You have to keep moving forward, keep making choices, and the road will rise up to meet you.”

“But how do you know—”

“You don’t.” She stands slowly and kisses the top of my head. “Stop stressing about it. No matter what choice you make, it will be the right one.”

She talks like my old roommate Tuck. He was a Buddhist. Gran is a Presbyterian. It all circles around to the same basic idea. We’re not in control of anything, but if we do our best and act with pure motives, somehow it all turns out right.

At least that’s what they say.

She’s halfway to the kitchen when she calls over her shoulder. “I want to meet her before she’s too big for me to pick up.”

My eyes slide to her small body, scuffling away in her slippers. “Meet who?”

She scuffs across the tiny, lime-green Formica kitchen, hollering back to me. “You know who. Now stop putting off the inevitable and do what you want to do.”

“Too hot to hoot.” Daisy is behind the counter making notes on the inventory sheet, and I glance up from where I’m trying to assemble an iron and brass toddler bed.

“What was that?”

“No X in Nixon.” She doesn’t look up. She says the words quietly, evenly, like she’s solving math problems I can’t see.

Laughter tingles in my stomach, but I hold it back. “You found it.”

Her lips tighten, but a laugh breaks through in a small explosion of air.

I leave my tools behind to cross over and wrap my arms around her waist, lifting her off the ground. “You found my secret.”

She squeals, slapping my arm. “Put me down, you strip palindrome hustler!”

“That’s not a thing.” I hold her off the ground, giving her a bounce.

Her eyes meet mine, shining with amusement. “Neither is strip palindrome! You made it up so you could get me naked.”

“It worked, too.” I lower her to her feet, looking down at her and remembering the day she was left in her bra and only one sock. It was insanely hot. “Weird Al for the win.”

“I thought you were so clever, and you were quoting song lyrics.”

“Those are not easy lyrics to remember.” I kiss her nose and start back to where I left the bed in pieces.

“I’ll have to challenge you to a rematch.” She returns to the inventory list. “After I’ve listened to it a few more times.”

When I arrived this morning, Melody was dancing around in a pink tutu over black leggings and a princess tee holding a football over her head. She was singing a song I didn’t know while Daisy loaded snacks and a thermos in her tiny, mermaid backpack.

I leaned against the door watching them be so domestic, so cute. Then my baby saw me and yelled for me to “Go far.” I’ve tried explaining to her it’s “Go long,” but she doesn’t understand why it’s long instead of far.

I mean, she’s right about it making sense. She’s the smartest little kid I’ve ever met besides Jesse. I stood at the door and watched her walk to school with Coco, and when I turned back, Daisy was smiling at me from behind the desk, contentment in her eyes.

We crossed a bridge last night, but I still have bags I left on the other side. I’m not sure how to collect them or dispose of them.

A quick glance at the grandfather clock in the corner, and I realize the quarterback princess will be here in less than a half-hour. “I’m ready to tell her.”

Daisy pauses, and when our eyes meet, she nods. “I wanted it to be your decision. Whenever you were ready.”

“I’m ready.”

“Do you want me to be here or…”

“I’ll take her to the playground.” I smile thinking about it. “Some things are better discussed over catch.”

Melody jumps up and down, pumping her fists over her head when she catches my gentle pass. She never stops running or jumping or climbing, and I get why she crashes so hard immediately after dinner every night.

She’s still in her pink tutu and black leggings and princess tee, and I take a knee, pulling her closer to me. “Let’s take a break, princess. I have something I need to talk to you about.”

Her small brow furrows, and she puts both hands on my neck. “Okay, brave knight.”

Moving all the way to seated, I pull her onto my lap, trying to think of the simplest way to put this. “You know how your grandpa was your mom’s dad?”

Her little hands are on the pink football, and she nods forcefully. “Mama says she misses talking to him.”

“Okay…” Not exactly where I wanted to go. “You know how Mr. Liam is Lindsey’s dad?”

She bounces around then, and her voice gets louder. “He showed us the quarterback princess!”

“Right…” That’s more like it. “Have you ever thought about your dad?”

“Mama said my daddy was making movies in Hollywood.”

Now I’m feeling like I should’ve consulted a book before charging into this so unprepared. Or Christ, at least asked Daisy what she’d already told Melody. It never even occurred to me.

“It’s true, that’s what he was doing… But what if he came back to see you?”

She tilts her little head and squints up at me. “Is he nice?”

“I think he’s nice.”

“Would he let me be the quarterback princess?”

“Absolutely.”

Her little lips poke out, and she motions with her little hand for me to come closer. I do as she beckons, and she puts a small hand on my cheek, whispering, “I wish you were my daddy.”

My heart swells so big and so fast, it burns in my chest. I lean down and whisper back, “What if I