I don’t react to this information despite sensing she expects me to. “Were any of them any good?”
“My success rate is fifty percent.”
“Better than most.”
Lineke allows a smile. “Lana hasn’t been out of her marriage long.”
“And you don’t think she should rush things.”
“No, I don’t. She never grew up, really. I’d rather she learns about herself before rushing into making a new family.”
“That’s sound advice, but it’s a little late,” I say and gesture down at the baby.
“I guess.”
“Lineke, I’m glad Lana has you watching out for her. If I were a different kind of man, I’d tell you about my great intentions. But that’s bullshit. I don’t know what I’m doing with Lana. I’m trying something new here for me and my girls. It might not work. Lana and I might end up needing you to play go-between until Carina’s old enough to visit alone. There’s no way to fucking know, but I have to try.”
“Because of Carina?”
“I didn’t try with my other daughters’ mothers. I never tried for any woman. I’m giving this a shot because Lana does something to me. I want to see what happens if I don’t shut that down.”
Lineke studies me. I sense she’s around ten years older than me, but I still feel like a guy trying to get the approval of his girlfriend’s mom.
“I never liked Kenny,” she says, and I think of Lana’s ex. “Nothing he could do would ever change how I felt about him. From day one, he rubbed me wrong. I knew he would be a terrible father and husband. Even after all his smiling pictures with Desi, I felt in my gut that he was trash.”
Lineke crosses her arms and gives me the “mom” look. “I don’t particularly like you either. Your sisters annoy me. Rooster is fine, but he enjoys fucking with the women and getting them after each other. I also don’t like how you’re an enemy to River Majors. That man has done a million wonderful things for my family. I’m partial to him, and I’m not partial to you.”
A younger, softer man might want to prove himself to Lineke, but I just watch her and wait for the “but.”
“But I can imagine changing my mind about you. My gut isn’t set on its feelings yet. So, for the time being, I plan to come along to these weekend visits. I don’t trust your family won’t gang up on Maude. However, I do possibly envision a day when I won’t need to come along.”
Giving her a smile, I adjust a cranky Carina in my arms. “My sisters will never be tame, but most of the bitchiness you saw was them worrying over me and the girls. I normally have bad taste in women, and they want to protect me from myself.”
“Well, you got lucky with Lana,” she says, returning to her daughter’s new nickname.
“That I did.”
“Want me to take the baby?” she asks when Carina’s whining turns to crying.
“No. Would she be hungry?”
“Yes. There are bottles in the cooler. I think it’s still at the door.”
I’m halfway through feeding Carina when Lana appears on the walkway. She looks so unsure when her gaze meets mine. Is Sidonie getting on her nerves already? Or am I the problem? Hell, maybe she just misses her baby.
I shouldn’t read too much into a woman I barely know. I’ll figure out the meaning behind her expressions eventually. For now, I just smile and let her think whatever she wants. Later, I’ll help her see my world the way I do.
LANA
I’m not ready to meet more Executioners. I planned to talk to Bronco when I arrived. Hash things out, but Sidonie wants me to pay attention to her, and Bronco wants to focus on Carina. He claimed we could talk tonight. That’s fine, but I wanted to get that out of the way. Now I have to meet the Executioner VP’s wife, who tried to feed Ramona.
After checking on Carina by looking down at Bronco with her in the family room, I return to where Desi and Sidonie play dolls. The girls simply glow. I swear they’re smiling so much their cheeks will hurt later.
When we hear someone calling upstairs to say dinner’s arrived, Sidonie looks bothered over stopping their game.
“I have an idea,” Desi says, and Sidonie stops frowning. “Can we swim tonight while the sun is up? Then we can play here until bedtime. Is that okay? Or do we have to do