CONNECTED

44.

"Hm" Montana looked at me intensely. "What he say?"

"Does it really matter?" I picked up my menu from the wooden table, pulling at the collar on my blazer out of nervousness. "We're here, aren't we?" I could feel his eyes staring into me as I kept mine on the menu in my hands.

"I'm already knowing you caught hell to be here with me. You don't gotta go into detail."

"I won't"

"What you wanted to meet with me about, Karin?" He changed the subject.

"Well" I sighed, taking a deep breath. "I've given it a lot of thought and if you'll still have me— I'd like to be your Muse again." I said, causing him to raise his brows. "Seriously."

"You wanna get back into Modeling?" I nodded my head. "It's about time." He smirked before his face broke out into a full blown smile. "You know your spot always open." He stared at me with so much admiration. "Can I give you a hug?"

I simply stood to my feet, holding my arms out as he did the same. He grabbed me, holding me tightly against him hugging me across the table.

"You just made my day Karin. You have no idea." We sat back down.

"We create magic, Montana." I covered my mouth, gasping. "I mean— not like-"

He laughed, cutting me off. "I know what you mean, Karin." The smile on his face filled me with joy. "You serious? You been outta the game for a year and now you finally wanna come back? I almost replaced you."

"You can't replace me." We shared a laugh. "I'm irreplaceable, Montana."

"You right"

"How's Pumba?" I asked about his Pit Bull that I hadn't seen since he was a puppy. I was sure he was fully grown or close to it by now.

"I don't know, I gave him away."

"Why?"

"Too bad" He made me laugh. "I was buying new shoes every other day fucking with that dog." He shook his head, scoffing. "I do kinda miss his company though."

"Cali is not going to be happy to hear that when I pick her up from school today."

"Shorty still in school? Ain't it summer time?"

"Yes, but this is her last full week." Normally the kids would get out of school at the end of May or top of June, but this year because of all the snow days we had that required school to be canceled, Cali and Mia wouldn't be out until June 28th.

The Church Summer Camp always started the Monday after 4th of July, meaning the girls would have about a week to do whatever they wanted. I knew Cali would be mad at me for signing her up to go to Church Camp again this Summer, but I didn't want her being lazy and just laying around the house, or trying to go bother Nicole every single day.

"How your girls been? Show me some pictures of my Shorties." It didn't feel like it, but it had been practically a year since my girls seen Montana. He distanced himself once Julio and I made it known we were back together, and I wasn't modeling at the time so there was no reason for us to see one another— which was devastating for me and my girls. Cali and Cari adored Montana. He avoided me if we did cross paths at Nicole's Spa. My first time truly seeing him and not just passing by, was at Nicole's Birthday Dinner. Of course I invited him, he was her Business Photographer and friend. We held a brief conversation with one another that night and the next morning I seen he took it upon himself to follow me on Instagram again.

"Damn, that's Cari?" He looked up from my phone, shocked. "When she get so big? Shorty was—" He demonstrated how small she was the last time he seen her with his hands. "Terrible two's at one still?"