remarked, grabbing up a remote controlled helicopter
and inspecting the packaging.
Jasmine rolled her eyes. “It's
just...don't you think Maya's a little young for this stuff?”
“Oh come on, she won’t be in
diapers forever,” Liam protested.
Jasmine shook her head and
continued walking. When she spotted an upscale baby boutique in the distance,
she parked Maya’s stroller near the entrance and entered to examine an outfit
that caught her eye in the window.
“I was thinking something more
like this,” Jasmine said when Liam approached her, holding it up for him to
see.
Liam took hold of it and
searched the fabric for a price tag before approaching the cash register “My
daughter, my money,” he called out when Jasmine started to protest.
Liam exited the store with his
purchase in hand a few minutes later, but he paused as soon as he saw the look
on Jasmine's face. It was obvious that he’d offended her.
“Jazz, I’m sorry, alright?”
Liam said, reaching for her hand. “I meant our money. What’s mine is yours. You
know that.”
Jasmine narrowed her eyes at
him and folded her arms over her chest. “Do I?” she questioned. “I mean...it’s
not like we’re married or something.”
“Only because you turned me
down,” Liam shot back.
“Of course I did.” Jasmine let
out a dry laugh and shook her head. “You and me...together? It’s a disaster in
the making.”
“Yeah, well, our daughter seems
to think otherwise.”
Jasmine followed Liam’s gaze
and failed to contain a smile when she saw that Maya was staring up at them adoringly.
It was all it took to make her let go of her anger. She started to say
something, but she heard a familiar voice shout out her name before she could.
Liam turned around and swore
under his breath.
“Eli,” Jasmine managed once
she'd gotten over some of her surprise, standing up straighter and giving him a
tight smile. They'd smoothed things over since their spat, but that still
didn’t mean she wanted to see him.
Eli smiled in return and nodded
at Maya's stroller. “Is that who I think it is?” he questioned, setting down
the bags in his hands to get a better look.
“Sure is,” Liam spoke up in a
protective tone, moving in closer to his daughter.
Eli gave him a sour look. “She
looks just like you,” he said to Jasmine, continuing to study Maya's face. “And
you too, I suppose,” he added, glancing up at Liam and rolling his eyes.
“Her names Maya,” Jasmine said,
cutting Liam off before he could make another snide remark.
Eli dropped his gaze to inspect
her hand. She was no longer wearing the ring, but Liam placed a protective hand
on her shoulder to keep him from getting any bright ideas, and they stared each
other down in a silent standoff.
“I’d better run,” Eli spoke up
after awhile, turning his attention back to Jasmine and nodding towards the
exit.
Jasmine nodded and mumbled out
a tense goodbye. When he was finally gone, she exhaled a deep breath and turned
back towards Liam. Just like he promised, he treated her to a pretzel from Aunt
Annie's and they went to take a seat at a table near a large fountain in the
middle of the mall.
“I love that you do that,” Liam
remarked, studying Jasmine as she adjusted Maya against her chest and tossed a
large burp cloth over her shoulder to avoid putting on a peep show.
“Do what?”
“Breastfeed. I read in one of those
baby books you gave me that most new mothers give up once they realize how
painful it is.”
Jasmine shrugged off the
compliment. “Yeah, well, it’s an important part of getting her to bond with me.
And it’s a lot better for her than formula, that's for sure.”
Liam tried his best not to
stare, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that
Jasmine’s body was providing their daughter with all the most
and inspecting the packaging.
Jasmine rolled her eyes. “It's
just...don't you think Maya's a little young for this stuff?”
“Oh come on, she won’t be in
diapers forever,” Liam protested.
Jasmine shook her head and
continued walking. When she spotted an upscale baby boutique in the distance,
she parked Maya’s stroller near the entrance and entered to examine an outfit
that caught her eye in the window.
“I was thinking something more
like this,” Jasmine said when Liam approached her, holding it up for him to
see.
Liam took hold of it and
searched the fabric for a price tag before approaching the cash register “My
daughter, my money,” he called out when Jasmine started to protest.
Liam exited the store with his
purchase in hand a few minutes later, but he paused as soon as he saw the look
on Jasmine's face. It was obvious that he’d offended her.
“Jazz, I’m sorry, alright?”
Liam said, reaching for her hand. “I meant our money. What’s mine is yours. You
know that.”
Jasmine narrowed her eyes at
him and folded her arms over her chest. “Do I?” she questioned. “I mean...it’s
not like we’re married or something.”
“Only because you turned me
down,” Liam shot back.
“Of course I did.” Jasmine let
out a dry laugh and shook her head. “You and me...together? It’s a disaster in
the making.”
“Yeah, well, our daughter seems
to think otherwise.”
Jasmine followed Liam’s gaze
and failed to contain a smile when she saw that Maya was staring up at them adoringly.
It was all it took to make her let go of her anger. She started to say
something, but she heard a familiar voice shout out her name before she could.
Liam turned around and swore
under his breath.
“Eli,” Jasmine managed once
she'd gotten over some of her surprise, standing up straighter and giving him a
tight smile. They'd smoothed things over since their spat, but that still
didn’t mean she wanted to see him.
Eli smiled in return and nodded
at Maya's stroller. “Is that who I think it is?” he questioned, setting down
the bags in his hands to get a better look.
“Sure is,” Liam spoke up in a
protective tone, moving in closer to his daughter.
Eli gave him a sour look. “She
looks just like you,” he said to Jasmine, continuing to study Maya's face. “And
you too, I suppose,” he added, glancing up at Liam and rolling his eyes.
“Her names Maya,” Jasmine said,
cutting Liam off before he could make another snide remark.
Eli dropped his gaze to inspect
her hand. She was no longer wearing the ring, but Liam placed a protective hand
on her shoulder to keep him from getting any bright ideas, and they stared each
other down in a silent standoff.
“I’d better run,” Eli spoke up
after awhile, turning his attention back to Jasmine and nodding towards the
exit.
Jasmine nodded and mumbled out
a tense goodbye. When he was finally gone, she exhaled a deep breath and turned
back towards Liam. Just like he promised, he treated her to a pretzel from Aunt
Annie's and they went to take a seat at a table near a large fountain in the
middle of the mall.
“I love that you do that,” Liam
remarked, studying Jasmine as she adjusted Maya against her chest and tossed a
large burp cloth over her shoulder to avoid putting on a peep show.
“Do what?”
“Breastfeed. I read in one of those
baby books you gave me that most new mothers give up once they realize how
painful it is.”
Jasmine shrugged off the
compliment. “Yeah, well, it’s an important part of getting her to bond with me.
And it’s a lot better for her than formula, that's for sure.”
Liam tried his best not to
stare, but he couldn’t help it. He couldn’t wrap his mind around the fact that
Jasmine’s body was providing their daughter with all the most
Similar Books
