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“Oh, right. You were here for Lucas’s birthday party. I almost forgot.” She smiles as we pick a booth along the back windows. “And just look at you now, a full-fledged resident.”
“In theory. But I can’t get a New York driver’s license until I have the closing papers on the house and at least one utility bill.”
“I’ll get a new one, too,” she says. “That way we’ll both have our new address on them.”
“I think you should wait.”
She furrows her brow.
“You don’t want to go through the hassle of gettingtwonew licenses in one year.”
When it occurs to her what I’m saying, her head cocks. “Oh, so you want me tolegallybecome an Anderson?”
“Haven’t we discussed this?”
She shrugs. “I thought since I was keeping my name for work purposes, Montana would be my legal name, but that I’d ‘pretend’ I’m an Anderson the rest of the time.”
She peruses the menu as if she hasn’t eaten here hundreds of times in her life. Also as if she didn’t just deliver me a blow to the gut. Then she looks up and laughs at my expression. “Of course I’m going to change my name. But that was a lot of fun.”
I give her a playful nudge under the table.
After we order drinks, I continue the conversation. “Speaking of names. How long do you intend to let this go on with Bug? It’s getting a little out of control, don’t you think?”
“It’s fine.”
“Fine? She’s threatening to name the baby something like Bertha, Henrietta or Clementine.”
Her mouth twitches with a grin. “She won’t do that.”
“How do you know?”
“I know because Darla has to live with the name just like we do. You think she wants to run after her little sister shouting‘Bertha’?”She shakes her head. “I don’t think so.”
“She’s being pretty stubborn. She might just do it out of spite. I’m afraid this whole thing may backfire on you.”
She puts her hand on top of mine. “We can always change the name on the birth certificate later when she comes to her senses. I’m trying to build trust.”
My jaw drops. “You’d really be willing to put a name like Mildred on our daughter’s birth certificate?”
“It’s not like the baby will know her name. I’d give it a few weeks before the guilt of it gets to Bug.”
“But what would we call her in the meantime?”
She shrugs. “Sweetie? Baby girl?”
“Still. It’s a dangerous game you’re playing just to make Bug feel like she’s a part of this.”
Dallas and Blake walk through the front door, see us, and come over. Before Dallas’s ass hits the seat across from us, Allie stops him. “Sit somewhere else, guys. This is a date.”
He eyes her like she’s crazy. “At Donovan’s?”
“Thank you,” I say, turning to glare at Allie.
She points across the restaurant. “Go. We’ll talk to you later.”
“Nice to see you too,” Blake says, winking before turning to walk away.
At least a dozen other people come up and talk to us before our food comes. By the time Allie’s grilled chicken salad gets placed in front of her, she’s apologizing. “Maybe Donovan’s wasn’t the best place for our date.”