“I really am okay,” I tell them as I take a sip of water. Meanwhile I have beads of sweat on my temples, and it’s taking everything in my power not to rush back into the bathroom to throw up again. Honestly, I feel like garbage, but I don’t want to go home. “I’m sure my immune system just has to get used to being around little kids again,” I tell them.
“That could take weeks,” Becca says.
“Years,” Hannah adds, and it does manage to get a smile out of me. Who would have thought that I’d be working at the daycare again with Hannah and Mitchell’s soon to be ex-wife. Bigger question: who would have thought I’d be enjoying it, and that I’d also come to really like Becca. Honestly, the guy has a type. A type he’s not good enough for.
“I’m staying,” I say, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly. Then I get a whiff of a freshly soiled diaper and stomach churns.
“I’ll handle that,” Hannah says.
“And I’ll handle the glitter queen,” Becca says.
“I think I’m going to step outside for a moment,” I say, and they both nod.
As soon as the door closes behind me, trapping the noise and the chaos and the smells, I feel better. Still, I sit down on one of the benches against the building and take a deep breath of the warm afternoon sun. I don’t know why I feel so sick. But they’re probably right. Childcare of any kind is like an active petri dish, and it takes a tough immune system to withstand it.
I take a second to check emails and voicemails on my phone. Now that I have a steady job, I have been looking for rentals. Unfortunately, finding anything in my salary range in LA is nearly impossible unless I am willing to have roommates or live in what would be considered the ghetto. In that case, I should probably just stay with Demi. She has a very cute apartment in a nice area and has told me more than once that I can stay.
A car pulls into the parking lot and stops, followed by the crunching of footsteps on the gravel. I can tell just by the sound of it that it’s a man. I stand up, assuming it’s one of the parentshere to pick up their kid. Considering everything going on inside, I figure I should help him with checkout.
But when I look up, it’s not one of the dads.
“Zane?” I ask as he marches towards me. He stops right in front of me and runs a hand through his hair. He looks tired, unshaven, and frazzled. I’ve never seen him like this before. He looks like hell.
He looks the way I feel.
“What are you doing here?” I ask. “And where is Bentley?”
“He’s with Cal’s sister, Natalie. Don’t worry, I trust her. But I need to talk to you,” he says. Seeing him standing here in gym clothes, looking terrible and sexy as hell all at the same time tugs on my heartstrings, but I also feel guarded.
“About what?” I ask cooly. “And how did you know where to find me?”
“Demi told me you quit,” he says.
“And you believed her.” It’s more of a statement than a question.
“Yes, why wouldn’t I?” he asks.
“You’re just not in the habit of believing when people are telling the truth,” I say flatly.
He swallows with a nod. “I deserve that. And I don’t deserve to be able to explain my side to you, but–”
“No. You don’t. Zane, I have never lied to you about anything.”
“I know.”
“I told you I was paparazzi. I told you I needed photos. I told you what my boss wanted, and I told you I wouldn’t do it. And I didn’t,” I say.
“I know you didn’t.”
“Oh, so you believe it now,” I spit out. “Let me guess. Demi told you I had nothing to do with the photos, so now you believe it?”
“I know you didn’t do it because I know who did,” he says. I am a little curious who he’s talking about, but I also feel like this is one of those too little too late scenarios. “Ashlyn. I know I was a jerk. I know I accused you of some terrible things. But you have to see it from my side.”
I cut him off. “Your side? Zane, this whole thing has been your side. What about my side? You may have trusted me with your home and your job, and your child, but I trusted you too. I trusted you with my heart.”
“I know. And I know I was wrong. I figured it out. I looked through old security footage. It was Nikki. All of it was Nikki.”
“Your ex?” I ask. And while I am a little surprised, I’m also not. It makes sense. And yet…
