“No, Amy. I wouldn’t do that to our daughter.”
“Oh, that’s right.” She sneered, crossing her arms. “You wouldn’t do anything with Britt and couldn’t be bothered with her. Until now.” She heaved out a breath. “You must be here for a reason. What do you want?”
“I—” After tonight’s fiasco, this would probably be the last time she’d speak to him. Hopefully she wouldn’t be hard on Britt for keeping their secret. “I want us to be a family.”
She scoffed, rolling her eyes.
“I’m serious. And don’t be upset with Brittany. Please,” he added, showing that he was trying not to tell her what to do. “I reached out to her three months ago.”
Her nostrils flared. “Three months! You were sneaking behind my back for that long? I don’t know why I’m surprised. You did that most of our marriage.”
“I know, and for that I’m sorry. It’s another reason I moved back. To apologize and try to make up for the past.”
“Don’t waste your breath.”
Daniel opened his mouth to speak, but the bright lights from the house reached far enough that he could see the furious anguishin her eyes. He knew he’d hurt her. She’d refused to speak to him during their divorce, requiring that all communication be done through her lawyer. He’d easily obliged, still too much of an alcoholic to care at that point. But after all these years... she was still dealing with the pain he’d inflicted. “Amy,” he said, going to her. “I—”
“Back off.” She held out her palms. “I don’t care what you’re going to say. You should have been man enough to come directly to me instead of going through Britt. She’s vulnerable. Fragile.”
“She’s stronger than you think.”
Amy’s eyes narrowed into slits. “You know nothing aboutmydaughter.”
“Three months ago, you’d be right. But I’ve gotten to know her, Amy. She’s talented, kind, and strong.” He paused, his chin trembling with emotion. “She’s also a grown woman. She can make her own decisions.”
“Amy!”
He turned around to see her date jogging toward them. It was the same guy from the movie theater. Clearly, they were in a relationship. Jealousy twisted inside him again.
“Are you okay?” he said, moving to her side.
Without a word, she turned to the guy, grabbed the back of his head, and kissed him. Hard. Full. And a knife stabbed into Daniel’s heart when the man drew her against him, eagerly returning her kiss.
She pulled away, giving Daniel a triumphant look. “I am now.”
The guy looked dazed and confused. “Do you want to go back inside? Or I can take you home. I got the keys from the valet, so we can leave now.”
“Take me home.” She grabbed her shoes from Daniel and stalked away, her date or boyfriend or whatever right on her heels.
Daniel thrust his hands through his hair, his senses reeling as he watched them walk away. His hope for reconciliation disappeared. Amy was right. He should have gone to her first, even though she’d just proved his assumption that she wouldn’t be willing to talk to him or even be civil. Now Brittany was stuck in the middle again, having to choose sides—
Brittany!In his haste to talk to Amy, he’d left her at the party. He hurried back to the house, kicking himself for doing the exact thing he’d promised he wouldn’t do.I left her alone.
***
Hunter turned on the light and shut the door behind him. They were in his father’s office, which had more square footage than his entire apartment. He yanked at his bow tie, almost ripping it off. The thing was strangling him. Or maybe it was the mix of panic and fear making his throat feel like it was closing.
When he unbuttoned the top two buttons on his shirt, she backed away, running into the emerald green chaise longue opposite his father’s mahogany desk. “W-what are you doing?”
He stopped his movements, realizing he was scaring her. “This stupid shirt and tie... It’s like a noose around my neck.”
But that didn’t appease her. She looked like a beautiful ingenue that had just walked out of an old movie, albeit one with fear in her eyes and her gloves bunched around her wrist. “Britt—”
“Don’t come near me.”
This was eerily reminiscent of when she found out who he was—or rather who he’d presented himself to be. He held up his hands. “I’ll stay right here. Promise.”
“You said you wanted to talk.” She bit her lip, hard. “So talk.”
