Make Me Yours(65)

“Good.” Eleanor crosses her arms. “I’ll help you pack.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Ruby’s eyes are fire until she turns to me.

When her eyes meet mine, they change to pleading. “I can’t stay here, Remi. You know I’m right.”

She steps closer, putting her hand on my arm, and I’m ready to argue until I hear my daughter sniffling from the bathroom.

“We’ll talk about this tomorrow.” My tone is firm. “After you take Lillie to preschool.”

Eleanor starts to speak, but I shoot her a look that says don’t you dare.

Her chin lifts, and she wraps her robe tighter around her body before stalking from the room as if she has a reason to be offended.

“Eleanor.” I call after her, and she pauses in the hallway outside the door. “I’ll secure you a place in Eagleton Manor tomorrow. I want you out of my house by the end of the day.”

Her lips part as if she’s about to say something. I only shut Lillie’s door in her face.





27





Ruby


I don’t expect to get much sleep after snuggling Lillie into bed with me. She sniffled all through her bath, and now with her little head resting on my chest, I can still feel her crying.

“Stop crying now, Lil.” My voice is soothing and I pick at her damp curls with my fingertips. “You just scared us. That’s all. It looked like you were bleeding.”

“I just wanted to squeeze them. I didn’t know they would pop.” Her little body tenses against me, and her chin dips. “Gigi thinks I’m a bad girl.”

I don’t say what I’m thinking. Gigi thinks everybody’s a bad girl.

Instead I give her a little hug. “She does not. She’s your grandmother. She thinks you poop roses.”

That turns the tears into giggles, at least for a moment. “Daddy won’t get me a puppy now. I’m not re-sponsible.”

She says the word slowly, as if she’s sounding it out, and my lips press into a frown. “I think your daddy might have forgotten about the puppy. I’ll remind him to think about it tomorrow.”

“No! Don’t remind him tomorrow. Wait til Saturday.”

I suppose when you’re four, one day makes a big difference. Too bad it’s not that way for grown-ups. “Okay, I’ll wait. Now you have school tomorrow. We need to sleep.”

She’s quiet, and I continue playing with her soft curls, tracing my finger along her arm. My heart hurts thinking what I have to do. It’s the first time in the three weeks I’ve been here she’s actually needed me in the night. Now I have to leave her.

I can’t help feeling like I’m abandoning her to the Wicked Witch of the West. Only… I guess the witch has been evicted. I wonder if Remi realizes what he’s done. I fall asleep with a frown on my face, and by morning, Lillie’s foot is under my chin, and I’m lying diagonally in the bed.

It’s hard to believe I started the night blissed out in Remi’s arms.

“Come on, butter bean. Time to get moving.” I pick up the sleeping Lillie and carry her to her bedroom.

She lets out a little whine, but I get her started brushing her teeth. Then I lay out a cute little sack dress and leggings on her bare mattress. No sign of ketchup anywhere. Remi must have carried all the sheets downstairs after I took her to bed.

When we arrive in the kitchen, Lillie and I are both dressed for the day, and I’m surprised to see a plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast waiting on the bar. Glancing around, I don’t see anyone in the living room or the patio. I can’t imagine Eleanor did this. She was shooting fire from her nostrils last night. Dragon lady… Stephen was right.

I scoop breakfast onto a plate for Lillie and put a mug in the Keurig before walking down the narrow hall to the laundry room. “Eat up, Lil. I’ll just check on your sheets.”

Rounding the corner, I almost bump straight into Remi, who’s holding a bottle of Spray and Wash and looking confused.

“Hey! Did you make breakfast?” I don’t know why I feel awkward around him. After all we’ve shared, you’d think I’d start being comfortable.

Maybe the problem is all we’ve shared.

“Yeah, is it still warm? I wasn’t sure how much sleep you got after last night.” He seems worried, like it’s not my job to take care of Lillie.

“I managed to get a few more hours. You?”

“Nah, I was pretty much done for after that.” He returns to the bottle. “You said the sheets were probably ruined. I’m afraid you might be right. I treated them with this last night, but I can’t tell if it’s making much of a difference.”

“Don’t tell me you know your way around a laundry room.” Teasing helps me relax a little.

I step around him to look at the white sheets covered in tiny drawings of a mermaid princess riding a unicorn.

“I’d hate for her to lose these. Do you remember where you got them? Maybe I could order her some more.”

“No clue. I can check with Eleanor.”

Glancing up at the clock, I pat his shoulder. “Let me know. I’ve got to take off or she’ll be late for school. Just leave these. I’ll tend to them when I get back. Maybe bleach will work.”