“I never said it was her.”
He chuckled, though he didn’t seem amused. “You didn’t have to.”
“Your comment suggests that Graham’s relationship with Lily wasn’t all that it seemed.” I studied Pierce, but he didn’t so much as twitch.
This was why I hated playing poker with Pierce. He kept his cards close to his chest, and he was damn near impossible to read. At least with Graham, I knew his tells. But even after years of playing with Pierce, I was still no closer to discovering his.
Pierce’s phone rang. “Speak of the devil.” He flashed me his phone, where Graham’s name was displayed. “I need to take this. And you need to talk to Halle and your family before you tell the board.Soon.Got it?”
I gave him a thumbs-up, my voice dripping with artificial excitement. “Got it.”
He exited my office, closing the door behind him. I slumped in my chair. Ending things with Halle wasn’t an option. Which meant…I needed to find a way to convince her to go public with our relationship. I only hoped I could get her to agree before it was too late.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
“What’s an andopoppy again?” Kai asked while we were getting ready for bed the night before his procedure.
I tried not to laugh at his pronunciation, though this was no laughing matter. When we’d met with the doctor previously, she’d suggested a battery of tests to try to determine the cause of Kai’s tummy trouble. Blood tests, an upper GI endoscopy, and a biopsy.
She’d mentioned the possibility of Kai having celiac disease and had recommended having Kai go gluten-free as a precaution. It had been a lot to take in. But for the first time, it was nice to have a clear path forward. And the new diet did seem to be helping.
“It’s an endoscopy,” I said, smoothing his hair away from his face. Rosie grunted in her sleep from the foot of the bed. “And it’s a special test. It will help the doctors figure out what’s going on, so you can get to feeling better.”
I didn’t want to go into too much detail. I didn’t want to freak Kai out about the idea that they’d sedate him and then feed a camera down his throat.Iwas trying not to freak outabout it. About what it might mean—the results, the prognosis. I had to be strong and calm for him.
“But they have to put me to sleep?” Kai asked.
“They do,” I said. “And then you’ll wake up, and they’ll be able to tell us what they discovered.”
His face crumpled, and he looked as if he were going to start crying. “Mummy,” he whispered. “I’m scared.”
“I know, baby.” I pulled him in close, kissing the top of his head. I wished I could take away his pain, his worries. “But I’ll be there with you every step of the way. I promise. And Daddy is thinking about you.”
We’d talked to Craig earlier in the day, and I could see the concern in his eyes. He’d even offered to fly to LA to be with us, but I’d told him it wasn’t necessary. Though I’d promised to send frequent updates.
“And Jasper too?” Kai asked.
I followed Kai’s gaze to the doorway, where Jasper was leaning against the doorframe. Jasper often came over for dinner and stayed until bedtime. After Kai was asleep, Jasper and I would catch up on the day, cuddle, make love. It all felt so normal, so domestic. Apart from the fact that Jasper would sneak out late at night or early in the morning before Kai woke.
That was the only part that sucked, and I was over it. I could tell Jasper was too, even if he didn’t say it. It made me love him all the more—for his patience, for his willingness to go at my pace.
“And me too,” Jasper said, stepping into the room. “If…” He paused, glancing at me. “That’s okay with your mom.”
“I—” I wasn’t even sure what to say. I still wasn’t used to having support, especially not when it came to Kai’s health. For all these years, even before the divorce, I’d been on my own in that department. But now, Jasper was here, and he’d consistently shown up for my son.
He’d researched gluten-free foods and cooked some recipes with Kai that Alexis had sent me. Her eldest daughter, Sophia, had a gluten allergy, though she didn’t have celiac disease. But they’d been navigating a gluten-free diet for years and were full of great tips.
I so appreciated their support. And I was grateful that Jasper had taken my concerns about Kai’s health seriously, even going so far as to make the appointment with one of the best doctors in the area. Jasper had advocated for Kai. A child who wasn’t his son, wasn’t even related to him.
He loved Kai. Kai adored Jasper. And that terrified me.
I should’ve been happy about it, and I was. But I was also scared at how attached Kai had become to Jasper in such a short time. And Rosie.
But I also knew that I had to be brave—for my son. For the future of this relationship. I had to trust Jasper, and he’d given me every reason to believe he’d be there for us.
“And Jasper,” I finally said, adding, “when he can.”
Jasper frowned, and I was hit with a pang of guilt. I didn’t want Jasper to think I doubted him or how much he cared for my son. I just… I worried about the future. About how devastated Kai would be if things didn’t work out. And while I hoped that wouldn’t be the case, I often questioned how our relationship would be possible, considering our jobs.
