waiting for me all those years ago.” Dess pulled down her oversized sunglasses and gave him a wry smile. “That seems like a lifetime ago.” He moved his hand a little further up her thigh. “How about we get a babysitter and you make Lauderdale with me Friday night?” “I could use a date night.” She put the sun glasses back in place to where he couldn’t see her eyes, just her jutting lip below the dark shades. “But this little monster has to eat.” “She’s the one getting fat as a little piggy.” He tweaked the baby’s toe and Amalie stopped feeding, moving her head to look at him. Baby Amalie giggled and babbled, “Da da da da.” “She said daddy.” Graham’s heart about melted. “She knows who I am.” “Da da da da,” Amalie repeated. “She’s been babbling like that for days. You’d know this if you spent a little more time with us.” “I’m sorry I had to work this weekend.” He tightened his grip on the steering wheel. “You know, to put a roof over your head and take care you and our child.” “My house is paid for.” Odessa snorted. “If you left your wife that would be one less family you’d have to support.” “Don’t you think she’d sue me for alimony?” Not to mention that a divorce will kill his carefully built reputation with the people who mattered in their community. “That would cost me an arm and a leg.” Just as if she’d read his mind, she said, “And having a bastard baby is so good for your clean cut good guy image? Please.” She yelped as Amalie latched back on to her breast. “I don’t know why you insisted on me having this child.” “Don’t you think it’s a little too late to go worrying about that now?” He countered. “I can’t do this all by myself.” Odessa yanked Amalie away from her breast and the child started screaming. Odessa screamed louder, “Why is this kid so damn needy?” “She’s just hungry, that’s all.” “Then how about you fucking feed her.” Odessa shoved Amalie into his lap. “My nipples are sore and she’s getting too big for this breast feeding nonsense.” Graham grabbed hold of Amalie just as she teetered toward hitting the floorboard. Steering with his free hand, he bounced her around attempting to shush her without pulling over the car. Trying not to shout in his daughter’s ear, he asked, “Did you pack a bottle or maybe a pacifier?” Odessa reached into the diaper bag and pulled out a bottle of gin. She took a shot straight from the bottle before offering it to him. “Not that kind of bottle,” he said. She took another drink and licked her lips. “Now that’s better.” “You’re not supposed to be drinking. Carmella says the alcohol contaminates your breast milk and,” he bounced Amalie against his knee, “makes her fitful.” “Well, it makes me feel a lot better.” Odessa took another drink before reaching back into the diaper bag and pulling out a pacifier. She took a cup from the holder and drizzled the gin over the pink nub before offering it to Amalie and then downing what leaked through into the cup. Amazingly enough the kid instantly stopped her crying. “From the way she’s been gnawing on my tit she’s got to be teething.” Odessa took another more ladylike sip of gin. “The sooner she gets her teeth, the sooner she starts eating on her own.” She tucked the liquor bottle back in the bag and acting as if she had all the time in the world went about zipping up her dress. She applied a fresh coat of lipstick and smiled at her reflection in the mirror before reaching to reclaim her daughter. “See, I’m much more motherly with a bit of gin in me.” Odessa smiled at him, her dark mood seemingly passing. The sunlight from the passenger window made her hair light up as if it were on fire and Graham couldn’t help but think about how damn gorgeous she was all dressed up like that with his daughter in arms in their matching polka dot