Page 58 of Ruin

“Things might be messy now, but it will get better,” Rich assures me, touching my hand across the table.

“You think so?”

“I know so. You’re a great mom, Cam. Gigi is an amazing little girl. And kids are resilient. It will all work out okay.”

“I just…I don’t know if I’m handling things the right way. Not telling Gigi from the start that Zeus is her dad.”

“I don’t think there’s a set rule for a situation like this.” He gives my hand a gentle squeeze, lacing a few fingers through mine. It doesn’t feel sexual. It feels comforting. And I really need comfort right now. “I think you know your daughter best, and you’re handling it the right way for her. What does Zeus think?”

“He’s just following my lead. He hasn’t been pressuring me at all to tell her.”

“That’s good, right?”

“Yeah.” I sigh. “But it has also helped me delay the inevitable, you know.”

He nods, picking up his beer.

“But I do think it’s time though. It’s been two weeks of them getting to know each other. Gigi thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread, which is great. She should. He’s her dad. So, I’m hoping that she’ll take it well when she finds out who he really is. I just think, if I let it go on longer, Gigi could resent me for not telling her sooner.”

“That kid would never resent you. She loves you.”

That makes me smile a little. “Yeah…” I muse. “I was thinking that I should tell her tomorrow. Well, that we—Zeus and I—should tell her after her ballet class. Not that I’ve had a chance to discuss it with Zeus yet to see what his thoughts are.”

“Well, you’ve got your chance now,” Rich says, eyes looking in the direction of the entrance. “Because he just walked in the bar.”

“Wha—” My head swivels on my neck.

And there, filling out the doorway, looking as imposing and gorgeous as always, is Zeus.

And his eyes are narrowed and staring at me and Rich. Or more accurately, staring at Rich’s hand, which is still holding mine across the table.

I push to my feet, my hand pulling from Rich’s, and I quickly make my way toward Zeus. My first thought being about Gigi.

“Is Gigi okay?” I ask as I approach him.

“She’s fine.”

I exhale in relief.

“She’s at home with Elle,” he adds. “I dropped her off about half an hour ago.”

“Then, why are you here?” I blurt out.

His brows push together. “I came to catch the last part of the game.” He nods in the direction of the TV hanging from the wall at the end of the bar, which is showing a football game. “I didn’t know you’d be here, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I wasn’t.” I was.

“If you say so.”

“I do.” I fold my arms over my chest. “Why in the world would I think that you came here for me?”

“I don’t know, Dove. You tell me.”

He’s staring at me, and I’m starting to get flustered and confused with the direction this conversation is going, which is the direction of…I don’t have a clue.

“You really need to stop calling me that,” I say, changing tactics.

“Dove? You never used to have a problem with me calling you it. You especially used to like me calling you it when I—”