Barely Breathing(54)

I wanted kids. With him. I hadn’t seriously thought about it until this moment, but seeing him next to his daughter made it all so clear. I wanted Brooklyn to be as much a part of our lives as she possibly could, and I wanted more kids, too.

“Guys, this is my girlfriend Viv,” Kane said to Cori and Brookyln. He wrapped an arm around my waist.

“Hi,” Brooklyn said, smiling.

“Hi.” I smiled back and turned to her mother. But Cori just regarded me with a cool expression and said nothing. Maybe she was skeptical of any woman who would be spending time with her daughter.

“This is for you,” I said, handing her the centerpiece I’d bought her. It was a basket of Christmas greenery and pinecones. She looked at it with her lips set in a thin line.

“Thanks.” She took it but wouldn’t even look at me. Kane rubbed his hand over my hip.

“Brooklyn, I’ve got something for you,” he said.

Her dark eyes sparkled happily as he handed her a small box. She tore through the shiny silver paper and delicate red ribbon to reveal a Tiffany blue box. Kane seemed to be holding his breath as she opened it.

She gasped and looked up at him. “It’s so pretty. Can I wear it?”

“Brook,” Cori prompted her. “What do you say?”

“Thank you,” she said to Kane.

“You like it?”

“I love it. Can I put it on?”

Kane looked at me. “I’ll let Viv handle that because me and those tiny necklace clasps don’t get along so well.”

Brooklyn handed me the box and I looked down at a silver heart-shaped pendant on a chain with small sparkling silver stones on one side. Kane was working hard at being a good dad. I was so proud of him.

I helped Brooklyn move her hair aside and I put the necklace on her, trying my best to ignore her mother’s icy glare.

“Perfect,” I said when she turned around to show it to me.

“We have to go,” Kane said. “But I’ll see you soon, Brook. Maybe Viv and I can take you ice skating over your school break if it’s okay with your mom.”

“Can I?” Brooklyn asked Cori.

“We’ll talk about it.”

“Merry Christmas,” Kane said to Brooklyn.

“Merry Christmas.” She smiled and toyed with the shiny new necklace around her neck.

Cori reached for Kane and hugged him, pressing herself to his chest. I gripped my purse strap, feeling awkward and out of place. He patted her on the back, but didn’t return the full embrace. Finally, she pulled away, her eyes full of emotion as she looked at him.

We said goodbye and walked out, and Kane wrapped his arm around my waist again for the walk to the car. Once inside, we drove in silence for a couple minutes before I spoke.

“What was that about?”

“What?”

“Cori,” I said, my tone indicating it was obvious. “She hates me.”

“No, don’t take it that way.”

“She glared at me the whole time we were there. What does she have against me?”

He shifted in his seat and I felt a nervous flutter in my stomach.

“Kane. What does she have against me?”

“How can she have anything against you? You’ve never met before.”

I sighed with aggravation. “Don’t tell me you didn’t notice how cold she was to me.”

“Yeah, I know.”

“Was she just upset that we dropped by unannounced?” I continued before he had a chance to answer. “No, because look at the way she hugged you. It’s just me she hates.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“I know there’s something you aren’t telling me. What is it?”

He shifted in his seat again. “Let’s not talk about her on Christmas, babe.”

“Too late. Tell me.”

His expression darkened slightly. “She’s made comments about wanting to get with me.”

My heart nearly stopped. “Get with you? Are you serious? What, like sexually?”

He gave a half shrug. “Yeah, but not just that. She wanted us to try a relationship.”

“Are you f*cking kidding me?” My voice was high with panic but still laced with anger.

“I told her no, Viv.”

“Pull the car over.”

“Babe, don’t––”

“Now. Pull over, Kane. Right. Now.”

With a heavy sigh, he did. Then he just looked at me, his expression a mixture of annoyance and expectation.

“Why didn’t you tell me? How could you take me over there and not tell me that?”

“I told her no,” he repeated, as though it answered everything.

“Did she even know I was coming with you today?”

He lowered his brows and stared straight out the windshield. “No. I don’t need her f*cking permission to bring my girlfriend places with me.”

“But to her house? On Christmas?”

“Look. She got out of line last weekend and I was trying to send her a message. I’m with you, and she needs to respect that.”

My mouth fell open in shock. “What do you mean, out of line?”

He shifted in his seat. “Does it matter?”