Custom Built (Fast & Fury #1) - Chantal Fernando Page 0,67

need to be a little more independent.” She pauses and adds, “Just a little, not completely.”

I laugh again. “Well, little steps, so, well done. You should be proud.”

“I am.” She beams. “And while I do work in the back, being in the club environment is fun. The bartenders even let me play around behind the bar before we open, and I even made up my own cocktail. Now they’re going to sell it at the bar, which is pretty sweet.”

“That is impressive,” I say. “I’ll have to try it next time I go there.”

“You should. I called it Too Pretty to Work But Still Here Anyway.”

My jaw drops. “You didn’t?”

She nods.

This time I can’t stop laughing. Heidi is a riot. She’s spoiled, sure, but she’s sweet, and now that I have my own daughter, I know exactly where Crow was coming from. Because I just want to give Quinn everything and never see her struggle a day in her life.

“You’re hilarious. Maybe that’s your calling. Creating new cocktails with names that make people laugh when they order them.”

“A girl can dream.”

“Do you want to have kids?” I ask, watching her with Quinn.

“One day, sure,” she replies, smiling widely. “But I think I have a long way to go before I can be responsible to care for a baby. I can barely look after myself right now.”

“I’m sure with babysitting Quinn, you’ll be a pro in no time,” I tease.

Crow walks in and stops when he sees us all. “My three favorite girls all in one room. How did I get so lucky?”

Damn, the man is charming.

He comes and sits down, stealing Quinn from his sister. “I heard you had your first day at Kamikaze.”

“Yep.” Heidi beams.

“And she already created her own drink for the menu,” I add, pride in my tone.

Crow looks impressed. “Good on you, Heidi.”

“Wait, let her tell you what it’s called.”

She tells him, and then it’s his turn to lose it laughing.

Chapter Twenty-Five

“What a beautiful baby you have,” a girl at the grocery store says to me. She must be in her early twenties, and has beautiful long blond hair. “She is so cute.”

“Thank you,” I say, smiling. “She’s a week old today.”

“What’s her name?” she asks, unable to take her eyes away.

“Quinn.”

“Love that name.” She beams. “Well, you both have a good day.”

“You too,” I reply, waving.

I carry on with my shopping, when Crow calls. “Hey.”

“Hey, babe. Where are you?” he asks.

“At the store,” I reply. “Why?”

“I’m leaving the clubhouse now and was going to ask if you want anything.”

“I’m good. I’ll meet you home in twenty.”

“Okay,” he replies, and we both hang up.

Today is the first day he left our apartment to go back to the clubhouse, aside from dropping in to get his clothes, and it feels so weird being out and about without him, just with Quinn. I get the last few things I need, check out and head back home.

Quinn starts crying in the back and I feel helpless, knowing I can’t even comfort her or feed her while I’m driving, so I pull over into a fast food parking lot. Feeling overwhelmed, I take a breath, feed her and then put her back in her car seat and drive home.

I don’t know how single mothers do it, because this whole parenting gig isn’t easy.

Crow is already there when I get there, and he comes out and carries the groceries in. I’m glad that he’s back, I’m not going to lie. It’s so much easier having that extra helping hand and someone you can rely on. It can be stressful knowing that all the responsibility is on you and only you. I much prefer it when he’s here with me.

He’s on my team, and it’s so vital to me right now.

“I had to stop and feed her on the drive home,” I say, sitting down on the couch and lifting my feet up. “She was screaming.”

“Did you give your mom a hard time?” he says to Quinn as he rocks her. “You should leave her with me and go to the store next time. That will be less stressful for you. Or send me a list, and I’ll go.”

“I love you,” I say, sighing. “Thank you for being here and helping with everything.”

He stops in his tracks and turns to me. “I love you, too. And you don’t need to thank me, I’m her dad. This is literally my job to be doing all of this stuff for her, and to support