“Does Landry know that her mom could come back for her? Still have a chance at taking her home?”
I hung my head. “Guess not. Either that or she figures there’s no way her mom would ever come back.”
Bryan picked up a handful of sand and let it fall back to the ground. “What are you going to do if she does?”
“I don’t know. She has four more days…we just need to make it four more days.” The life this brave, perfect little girl had led—the abandonment she no doubt felt, the fears she dealt with on a daily basis—in a way, they were all my fault. I treated women like they were toys. I used them and then tossed them to the side. No wonder her mom didn’t come to me, no wonder she didn’t ask for help. I probably made her feel like she was nothing, like she was less than nothing.
“Stop.” Bryan put her lips against my shoulder, kissing me lightly and causing goose bumps to break out all over my body. “I can hear your self-deprecating wheels spinning.” She looked out toward Landry, with her head resting on my arm. “You’re at the beach with your daughter. You just handed her your heart and made her the happiest little girl in the world. Don’t let your guilt ruin this for either of you.”
She was right. Whether Landry was my blood or not, I promised to never let her go. And I wouldn’t break that promise. She was mine. I put my arm around Bryan. “You are the best friend I have ever had, baby doll.”
She tilted her face up to mine, kissing my jaw. “Me too.”
***
Landry fell asleep the second we got in the car, and it was only about a three-minute drive home. I didn’t want to wake her just yet, the cool AC and the alone time with Bryan were icing on the cake. I leaned my seat back and Bryan did the same.
We looked at each other, smiling at our choice of hangout location. “Did you always want to be a musician?”
“I guess so. I don’t ever remember wanting to be anything else. We’re lucky, the guys and me, our success came early in life.” I never thought about the future when I was growing up. I was loved and safe and cared for; I never had to worry about anything. I met the guys, we formed the band, and it took off. My life was cake. And I took it for granted. “What about you? What did you want to be when you grew up?”
“A vampire slayer.”
I turned and looked at her. “You serious?”
“Hell yeah, I’m serious. I watched Buffy the Vampire Slayer one day with my grandparents and that was it. I wanted to grow up and be a badass like Kristy Swanson and be kissed by a guy who looked like Luke Perry.”
“There is a Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie with Luke Perry? I thought you were talking about the TV show with the tiny blonde and that British guy.”
“Oh I watched that too, but no, my obsession was born with the movie.”
I reached out and tapped her shoulder. “You got plans tonight, baby doll?”
She shrugged. “Depends on who’s askin’.”
“I am. I was thinking—” I stopped talking when a black car pulled up to the house. I sat my seat up and watched out the window as Diane got out. My heart jumped into my throat.
Bryan put her hand on my arm. “Who is that?”
“The social worker. She must have the results for the paternity test.” I was suddenly terrified. What if Landry’s mom had lied? What if they tried to take her anyway from me? I couldn’t let that happen. I shouldn’t have requested the stupid test in the first place. I opened my door and got out on shaky legs. “Diane, hi.”
Bryan got out and walked around the car to stand next to me. She held her hand out to Diane. “Hi, I’m Bryan.”
“Nice to meet you, Bryan.” She looked toward the house. “Do you live here too?”
“She’s Dylan’s little sister. I have to work during the day so I asked her to come help me watch Landry.” I don’t know why I jumped in with that. I just felt like I needed to justify bringing one more person into Landry’s life.
Diane nodded. “Well, that is very kind of you, Bryan.” She reached into her bag and handed me a thick manila folder. “I have the results of your paternity test, Jacks.”
I was afraid to touch it. “What does it say?”
She eyed me cautiously. “She’s your daughter.”
I smiled. My first and most honest reaction was to smile. “What does that mean? What if her mom comes back?”
“Well, you’re her biological father, so even if her mom comes back you can fight for custody. As long as you can prove that you can provide a stable home, you stand a good chance at winning too. If that’s what you want.”