Chapter Thirteen

If River had thought Berry might be upset at about his and Sunday’s relationship, he was very wrong. He told her over breakfast, before Sunday arrived for the day, and Berry shrugged.

“I know. You love Sunday.”

River smiled. “Well, we’re just at the start of whatever it is we’re doing, so love is …” He trailed off. Yeah, fuck it. Berry was right. He was in love with Sunday, had been from the beginning. “Yes, I do. But I haven’t told her that yet, and I’d like her to hear it from me, okay?”

“Okay.” Berry was busy pulling all the green loops out of her bowl of cereal—she swore they tasted nasty even though both River and Carmen couldn’t discern the difference. “But you do. Momma said she could tell.”

“She did?” River was surprised. He hadn’t thought he’d said too much about Sunday to Lindsay. “You know, this doesn’t mean I didn’t care for your mommy.”

“I know. You and Mommy loved each other but you weren’t in love.”

River grinned at his daughter. “How did you get so smart, kiddo?”

Berry grinned at him, her mouth full of cereal, and he laughed. Children had never played into his life plan but with Berry, he couldn’t imagine being without her. Screw Angelina—she wasn’t going to risk Berry’s happiness for her own selfish means. He ruffled Berry’s hair, so dark and curly like his.

“Sweetie … you know Nanna wants to see you?”

Berry nodded. “Carmen said she was coming to see me.”

River sighed inwardly but nodded. “She wants you to go live with her.”

Berry put down her spoon and when she spoke, her voice was so small it broke River’s heart. “Don’t you want me to live with you, Daddy?”

“Of course I do! I’m just saying, Nanna is asking if, sometimes, you can go and stay with her. You don’t have to. This is your home, Berry, here with me and Carmen and Sunday too, someday, I hope.”

Berry smiled, a look of relief on her face. “But Nanna wants me to visit her?”

River nodded. He really wanted to scream that no, Nanna was just using her to get to him, but he didn’t. Berry would not be exposed to Angelina’s fucked-up plans if he had anything to do with it, but he had to give her the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she really did care for Berry—it was impossible for River to fathom that anybody wouldn’t want the adorable little girl in their life.

“Hey, gorgeous people.” Sunday walked into the kitchen and River’s heart lifted. Just seeing her beautiful face was enough to make him happy these days. He kissed her on the mouth, just briefly, but she looked surprised, cutting her eyes to Berry.

River smiled. “Berry thinks we make a lovely couple. Don’t you, Berry?”

Berry nodded eagerly and Sunday laughed, obviously relieved. “You two have talked?”

“Daddy is crazy for you,” Berry said, then covered her mouth, thinking she had given away his secret. Sunday and River laughed, Sunday tickling the little girl and making her giggle.

“And I’m crazy about both of you.” She pulled Berry onto her lap and smiled at River over her head. “You know I’ll never try to replace your mommy though, right?”

Berry nodded, not fazed by the question at all. “I know.”

River poured Sunday a cup of coffee, offering her some breakfast. She thanked him for the drink but shook her head. “I grabbed a Danish with Daisy this morning. I needed the sugar after last night.”

River grinned and kissed her. “Damn right.”

“You did a swear,” Berry hissed at him, and he laughed.

“Sorry, Pooh. Listen, what say we go out for the day? We could go up the mountain, or maybe to Telluride for shopping?”

Sunday and Berry looked at each other and said, in unison, “Shopping.”

River shook his head in mock sadness. “Women.”

Sunday helped Berry get dressed. Brushing the little girl’s curls, she wondered at how easily this little person had fit into their lives here and yet she herself had found a home here quickly too.

“Sunday?”

“Yes, sweetie?”

“Do you think you and Daddy will have a baby?”

Sunday felt tears prick her eyes. “Well, I don’t know, honey.”

“I’d like a brother or sister. No, sister. Boys are horrible.”

Sunday chuckled. “They grow up into nice people though. Like Daddy.” Not all of them of are nice … she shook the thought away.

“I suppose.”

“Listen, BerBer … your daddy and I are just beginning to figure all this out. There will be time to see if we want to have children together.”

Berry suddenly clung to her neck and Sunday hugged her. “I miss Mommy.”

“I know, sweetheart, I’m so sorry.” She held her tightly. “I know she’s watching over you, that she is with you all the time, even if you can’t see her. That she loves you more and more every day.”

Berry nodded, her little head bobbing against Sunday’s chest. Sunday looked up to see River watching them. Their eyes met.

“I love you,” he mouthed, his eyes intense, and Sunday smiled.

“I love you too.” She knew the truth of it, and in that moment, it seemed more than right to speak it.

River drove them into Telluride and they enjoyed a morning of walking around the stores, even the tacky tourist spots. Berry consumed far too much sugar and Sunday teased River about it. “You’ll never get her to sleep now.”

“Oh, ye of little faith. I’ll just tell her one of my interminable stories about the history of painting. That’ll do it.”

Sunday pretended to agree. “Ah, yeah, that’ll do it, all right.”

River grinned and dipped his finger into the ice cream sundae in front of him. He smeared a glob of cream on her nose. Berry burst out laughing and Sunday tried to lick it off but couldn’t reach with her tongue. “Silly Daddy,” Berry said and with Sunday’s help, drew a heart in syrup on River’s cheek.

River looked at Sunday, his eyes dancing. “Do we let her get away with that?”

“Oh, no way,” Sunday laughed and with Berry shrieking with laughter, they covered the little girl’s face with syrup and sprinkles, making the other patrons laugh at them.

“Look at us.” River was shaking his head, trying to clean himself and Berry up.

“We’re walking works of art.” Sunday lifted Berry into her arms. “I’ll take her to the bathroom.”

River wiped the rest of the syrup from his face as his phone chirped with a text message. His smile faded as he read it. “Goddamn it.”

When Sunday came back from the bathroom, her smile faded when she saw his expression. “What is it?”

He cut his eyes at Berry and shook his head. In the car on the way back home, he waited until Berry had fallen asleep before he spoke. “Angelina is coming to town on Friday to talk.”

“Christ.”

“Yeah.” He glanced at her. “Listen, I’ve been thinking. I don’t want to risk her recognizing you. If you two have a beef then she’ll think nothing about revealing where you are to the whole world and there’s no way I’ll allow that. Your life isn’t up for negotiation in this.”

“So what are you saying?”

“When Angelina’s here, I’ll deal with her. I’ll allow visitation with Berry—supervised—but that’s as far as I’m willing to go. For Berry’s sake. But I want you out of the way. Don’t come to the house; don’t engage with her.”

Sunday was silent for a time and River reached his hand over and took hers. “You know I’m right.”

“I wanted to help you.”

“I know, baby, but you still can. Research anything you can that we can use against her if it goes to court.” He sighed. “I know what she wants, of course, but she’s no going to get it.”

“She wants you.”

He nodded. “But I’m not available.” He grinned ruefully. “Not that I ever was to her. Not since … you know.”

Sunday touched his face. “If she even tries anything …”

“Oh, she will, but I’m a different person now. A man. A man who will shut that shit down the moment she starts.”

“Don’t be alone with her. Have Carmen or Luke there.”

“If I can. Listen, will you stay tonight?”

Sunday nodded. “I will. Now that Berry knows about us, I will.”

He lifted her hand and kissed it. “Thank you. Just knowing you have my back gives me great strength, baby. Angelina won’t get her own way this time.”