“He’s not a baby.” she argued.
“That’s not what I meant.” As much as I’d tried to push past it, there was one thought that had been gnawing at me for months. It got stronger after Gemma died. And now I couldn’t ignore it anymore. “What if he wants more kids?”
Zara’s gaze softened. “Have you talked to him about it?”
“I never had to. This was supposed to be easy. I wasn’t supposed to fall in love with him. I’ve watched him fall in love with Ezra, I’ve seen him embrace his role as a father. If he decides he wants to give his child a sibling, which is his prerogative, I can’t get pregnant.”
“Sissy, doesn’t Asa know you had a hysterectomy?”
I nodded.
“He fell in love with you anyway,” she continued. “It sounds like you’re projecting your own fears onto him. And that’s not fair to Asaor you.”
On top of everything else, I didn’t give him the benefit of the doubt. I assumed he would eventually resent me for something I couldn’t control, especially since he’d never even done or said anything to make me think he wanted another kid.
“If you love him, fight for him.”
She was right.
I’d made my decision and I was determined to make it right.
I wanted my family. Not Mom. Not Zara. Not X. Not my niece and nephew. Not even Tyn.
Myfamily.
I wanted Ezra.
I wanted Asa.
I didn’t want themjustfor now, I wanted forever.
I bookedmy flight to Detroit before I left the restaurant, then stopped at Pure Talent to let X know I wouldn’t be taking their offer.
On the way up to his office, I ran into Jax.
“Hi.” I hugged him. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here today.”
“Hey, baby girl,” he said, squeezing my shoulder the way he did when I was little.
Although Jax retired as the CEO of Pure Talent, he’d stayed on as Chair of the Board. He wasn’t involved in the day-to-day operations, but he was still very involved with the company.
“My son told me he’s trying to woo you to Atlanta.”
I eyed him skeptically. “Are you going to tell me you had nothing to do with that?”
He chuckled. “I can’t lie. I told Xavier that he would be a fool not to at least try to lure you here.”
“He definitely made it hard to say no.”
“Good.” He gestured to an empty conference room. “Let’s sit for a second.”
I followed him into the room and took a seat in one of the comfy chairs. The Pure Talent Headquarters was sleek, modern. Floor-to-ceiling windows, lots of open space. There was a café in the lobby, and recently, they’d partnered with a vegan restaurant for the building next door.
“I love what you’re doing here,” I told him.
“Does that mean you’re taking the job?” he asked.
Sighing, I stared at the man who was more of a father to me than my own. The years had been good to him. He still looked larger than life, even with gray hair and a slower stride. “I can’t.”
