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“Not really. No.”
“If you don’t want to talk about it, then you have to at least come have a drink. It would be rude not to.” Quinn smiled. “Come on, dude. I’m not taking no for an answer. Leave your car and I’ll drive.”
Edward contemplated her offer. The truth was, he needed to unwind. The entire work week had been trying. He was grateful for Friday, although his Monday morning hadn’t gone well at all. He hated fighting with Savannah. He felt as if he needed to protect her, yet he was always hurting her. He was stuck in a hard place. He wanted her to be happy, but not at the cost of losing his daughter. She was all he had. Sure, he’d graduated from one of the most prestigious law schools in the country, Harvard. He’d been at the top of his class. He had practiced law at one of the top law firms and had almost won the mayor’s office. He had a gratifying career as a council member and soon he’d make a decision to run for the senate. And although he’d failed at being a husband to Savannah, with fatherhood he’d been given a second chance to make things right. He wouldn’t gamble with that.
“Fine. Give me like twenty minutes to wrap things up,” he said.
“I’ll meet you in the lobby in thirty.”
Quinn had loved Edward from the moment they’d started working on his mayoral campaign. And he knew it. She had placed her own career on hold to support his. A paralegal in the prosecutor’s office, she’d always been ambitious. It didn’t surprise him one bit when she landed a job in the mayor’s office. He knew that she loved him, but he never acted on it. He also knew that he would never love her the way she wanted him to. Not the way he loved Savannah. He would never commit to her. Not even sexually. He felt that a sexual relationship with Quinn, even after his divorce from Savannah, would violate everything he loved and honored. His reluctance only made her try harder, and having Edward in her life and her bed had always been her one ambition. But he kept things at arm’s length. He enjoyed her friendship and never gave her any reason to think there would be anything more. In fact he’d always told her that he loved their friendship just the way it was; didn’t want to tarnish it. He’d always made it clear that he wasn’t interested in her that way, and he respected her too much to give her false hope.
His six-foot-two frame sank into the passenger’s seat of her Mercedes coupe. He moved his seat all the way back and reclined. “Please drive the speed limit today,” he warned.
“Excuse me. I always drive the speed limit.” Quinn smiled and adjusted the volume on her music.
“And no rap today...”
Before he could finish his sentence, Nicki Minaj’s vocals permeated the car. Obscenities drifted into the air as Quinn let the convertible top down and pulled out of the parking garage.
“Buckle up,” she said and then zoomed down Okeechobee Boulevard.
When they stepped into the bar, their colleagues had already snagged a table near the window. John Palmer raised his glass into the air to get their attention. The birthday boy was on the dance floor with a tall, sexy woman. Dollar bills were pinned to his shirt. Quinn took a seat at the table and Edward made his way to the bar, where he ordered a round of drinks for his colleagues. At the table he began to feel the music and bob his head.
“We should dance.” Quinn leaned in and tried to speak over the music.
“If it isn’t Edward Talbot,” Martin interrupted.
“Happy birthday.” Edward gave him a strong handshake, ignoring Quinn’s offer. “What are you, like fifty now?”
“Minus ten, bro,” said Martin. “And I’m sensitive about it, so no jokes.”
“You should be glad to see another year,” Edward said. “What are you drinking?”
“Vodka tonic. And not the cheap stuff. I want top-shelf.” Martin laughed.
“You got it.”
“I’m glad you came out to celebrate with me. I feel pretty honored,” Martin said. “Take a walk with me to the bar.”
Edward excused himself and followed Martin to the bar. “What’s up?”
“The election year is fast approaching. What are you doing about the Florida Senate race? Are you running or what?”
“I’m still undecided.”
“You should run. You can win this,” said Martin. “You should’ve won mayor. No doubt you were the most viable candidate.”
“I appreciate that, but I’m happy in my current position.”
“Should you decide to run, I’m willing to invest in your campaign. I’m there for you, like you were for me when I ran for city commissioner.”
The mayoral campaign had cost Edward his marriage. He’d been gun-shy about running for any office higher than the one he held as city commissioner. His current position as city commissioner required less of his time and allowed him to spend more quality time with Chloe. He liked it that way.
“I appreciate the support,” said Edward, “and should I decide to run, you’ll be one of the first to know.”
Edward’s phone vibrated in his pocket and he pulled it out, looked at the display. Savannah was calling. He was happy to see her smiling face on the screen of his phone, because she certainly hadn’t been smiling when he saw her in person. She’d had a change of heart, he hoped. Perhaps she was feeling a bit of sorrow—much as he was feeling about their last interaction. A reprieve was exactly what they needed.
“Excuse me, Martin. I need to take this,” he said and then walked as far away from the music as he could get. He answered the phone. “Hello.”
“Edward?” the sweet voice on the other end asked.
He could barely hear and decided to step outside the bar. He stood on the patio. “Hello. Savannah?”
“Edward, I’m at St. Mary’s with Chloe.”
“Oh my God! What happened?”
“Her asthma again. She was running a pretty high fever when I picked her up from school. She’s been complaining of chest pains. So I brought her to the emergency room.”
“Has she seen the doctor?”
“Not yet. We’re waiting.”
“I’m on my way,” Edward said before hanging up.
Unfortunately, Chloe had battled with asthma for most of her life. It usually flared up in the spring when pollen was high in Florida. She suffered so much and so often that it broke his heart. And every incident and flare-up became more serious than the one before, and it devastated him that he couldn’t fix it. He was her father, her protector, and he couldn’t protect her from her illness.
As soon as he hung up the phone, it dawned on him that he hadn’t driven. He found Quinn and appealed to her to drive him back to his car.
“The hospital is closer,” Quinn said. “I’ll just take you there.”
Edward wanted to protest. The last thing he wanted to do was show up at St. Mary’s with a woman Savannah had accused him of seeing for years. But Quinn had been correct. The hospital was a closer drive, and he needed to get to Chloe as quickly as possible. He hopped into the passenger seat of Quinn’s convertible and she drove him to the hospital. She pulled into an empty space in the parking lot.
“Do you need for me to wait for you? Or come inside?”
“No. I’ll be fine.”
“You want me to come back and pick you up?”
“No, I’ll manage. It will probably be late. I’ll just grab a taxi.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely. I’ll be fine.” He opened the car door. “Thanks a lot for driving me.”
“Call me if you need me,” she said.
Edward walked into the emergency waiting room. When he didn’t see Savannah and Chloe, he inquired at the front desk and was informed that she’d just gone back to see the doctor. He was allowed to join them. Savannah looked frantic and defeated, but her eyes lit up when she saw Edward. He went straight for Chloe and kissed her forehead.
“Hi, Daddy,” she weakly said.
“What’s going on with my favorite girl?” he asked.
He’d always called Savannah his favorite girl, too. He hoped the comment would get under her skin.
“I don’t feel good,” Chloe whined.
Savannah cleared her throat. “The doctor thinks it might be asthmatic bronchitis. They’re going to do a test called Spirometry test, which will measure her lung function.”
He nodded and acknowledged her statement, but didn’t really look her in the eyes; he was too embarrassed about their last conversation and still a bit angry. He took note of how beautiful she looked in her two-piece blue business suit, but tried to keep his attention focused on his daughter.
Hours passed before they received the results of Chloe’s Spirometry test that confirmed that she indeed had asthmatic bronchitis. The doctor handed Savannah a prescription and gave Edward a strong handshake. They were given instructions on how to care for Chloe and then sent on their way. It was late, and Edward felt exhausted as they took the silver elevator down to the first floor.
“Where’d you park?” Savannah asked.
“I actually left my car at the office. I caught a ride over from the bar with a coworker. We were celebrating Martin’s birthday,” said Edward. “I’ll just grab a taxi.”
“Do you need a ride?” Savannah asked.
“Would you mind?”
“No. Not at all.” She pulled her keys from her purse. Held them in her hand. “I’m right out front.”
“I don’t want to take you out of your way, so you can just drop me off at home. I’ll take a taxi into the office in the morning,” Edward said. “Besides, you need to get this one home as soon as possible. Get her to bed.”
“We have to fill her prescriptions first.”
Edward climbed into the passenger seat of Savannah’s practical four-door sedan. It was one that she’d purchased after their breakup. He’d offered her the family SUV after they’d parted, but Savannah had complained that she wanted something a little more economical.
“That Lincoln Navigator, although very nice, is a gas guzzler. I want something that gets good gas mileage—a nice little Toyota or something.” She was the levelheaded one and way more practical than Edward. She’d kept him grounded. It was what he loved about her.
They’d traded the Navigator for a fully loaded Toyota.
She toyed with the buttons on the stereo until she found something mellow. She seemed nervous. She and Edward had become friends and co-parents for Chloe over the years, but it had been a long time since they shared such a small space together. He tried to lighten the mood by commenting on her music.
“What is it we’re listening to?’ he asked, and then switched to a hip-hop station.
“Who listens to that?”
“Normal people.” He smiled and then looked out the window.
They stopped by the drugstore, and soon Savannah pulled up in front of Edward’s home. Waited for him to step out of the car.
“Daddy, I’m hungry. Can you make me your special soup?” Chloe asked before her father exited the car. “It’ll make me feel much better.”
Edward gave Savannah a knowing grin. “It’s really late, baby. Mommy can grab you some soup on the way home.”
“Please, Daddy,” Chloe sang. “I want your soup.”
“What do you think?” Edward asked Savannah.
“I don’t know.” Savannah was hesitant.
“Please, Mommy,” said Chloe.
“She’s pretty convincing,” Savannah stated, and put the car in Park. “I guess it’ll be okay. Your soup is pretty easy to make.”
“I have all of the ingredients here,” Edward said. “I just need you to cut up the papaya for me. If you don’t mind.”
She’d always helped Edward prepare his papaya soup—a Bahamian recipe that he’d prepared on many occasions. It was Chloe’s favorite, and Savannah’s, too.
“Okay, Chloe.” Savannah sighed. “But then we’re going home and getting you medicated and in bed.”
Edward stepped out of the car first and opened the back door for Chloe to hop out. He picked her up and she wrapped her legs around him. He carried her to the front door. Savannah locked up the car and followed. Something inside Edward felt joy that they were staying. Maybe he would have an opportunity to talk to Savannah about London again, and this time he’d convince her to stay or at least consider leaving Chloe with him.
Chapter 6 (#ulink_3e43338c-802c-5c93-b2a1-22d2e34f97d4)
Savannah chopped the papaya while Edward sautéed onions and melted butter in a saucepan. Caribbean music drifted through the air. She could count on one hand the number of times she’d entered Edward’s home, and never past the living room. She’d picked Chloe up from there a few times and was always careful not to invade his space. In particular, she didn’t want to run across a loose earring or a pair of women’s panties. She usually stayed in her place.
“Care for a glass of wine?” Edward asked Savannah.
“Sure.”
He turned the fire down low and then opened a bottle of Riesling. Poured two glasses and handed one to Savannah. After cutting the papaya, she took a seat at the kitchen’s island and sipped on wine. She watched as Edward combined the ingredients of his soup together. As it simmered, he took a seat across from her.
“Aside from Chloe’s trip to the ER, how was your day?” he asked.
“It was going pretty smoothly,” she said. “It changed everything when I found out that my baby was sick.”
“I know what you mean. My heart sank when I got your phone call.”
“I knew you’d want to know that she was sick.”
“Thank you for calling me.”
“I’ll always let you know what’s going on with her. You’re her father, and I know that you love her.”
“I love her very much.”
“How was your day?” Savannah changed the subject before Edward brought up the move.
“It was a pretty good end to the work week.”
“So it’s Martin’s birthday.” Savannah smiled. “I like Martin. He’s a good man.”
“He is a good man,” said Edward. “He offered to help with my campaign should I decide to run for the senate.”
“Are you considering it?”
