Page 99 of Worthy of Sunsets and Second Chances

“I wish you would have told us,” Rem says.

“Grady said it was better to keep it under wraps, so I was following his lead. But I wish I would have at least told you guys, not saying anything wasn’t easy.”

They all nod in understanding.

“I thought that once we found her it would be over, easy. I would be able to have what I needed and move forward.” I lean my head against the cold fire engine, wishing I would melt into it, let it protect me from the blaze happening in my own life.

“Excuse me,” a low, raspy voice says from behind us at the bottom of our driveway.

I whip around and come face-to-face with the last person I thought would show up at the station . . .

“Skylar,” I say, stepping forward and feeling Rem’s reassuring grip on my arm. “What are you doing here?”

“I thought we could talk?” She flips her long brown hair over her lean shoulder.

“I’m at work, you were supposed to be in contact with my lawyer. Grady’s been trying to get a hold of you.” I cross my arms and brace my feet.

“Right, well, I thought since you were the one that sent me these papers to sign”—she pulls a manila envelope from her oversized bag—“that we could meet up, go out to a nice dinner or something, and talk.” She smiles at me, biting her bottom lip in a way that is meant to be flirtatious but makes me feel sick.

“We are not going on a date, Skylar, there is nothing between us.” I try my best to stay calm, kind, like I would with any other person—but she’s not any other person. She is the one person that has the power to give me or deny me the thing that I want the most.

“We have a daughter between us,” she says, putting a hand on her hip.

“I have a daughter.” I take a few steps forward with each word I say. “This is confusing, Skylar, because when you left her in my care, with that letter, you told me, clearly, that you wanted me to have her. That you didn’t want to have children, to be a mother. You said you were placing her in my care forever. Why are you here now? Why didn’t you sign those papers and send them back with my guy?” I stand right in front of her waiting for an answer.

She looks down at the ground with a sniffle, and I slide a finger under her chin forcing her to look up at me.

“Why?” I demand. I hear car doors slam in the distance, but my focus remains locked on Skylar’s green eyes, seeking the truth.

“Eli!” Kendra’s voice snaps me out of the moment, and I drop my hand from Skylar’s face, shaking my head. I look over and see my woman marching toward me; dragon mode activated, fictional steam coming from her ears, fire in her eyes . . . and our daughter on her hip.

“Sweetheart,” I say, hurrying to her and Wren.

“Don’t you sweetheart me,” Kendra snaps out. “I came to warn you, or to see if you knew that she was in town, but obviously you do if she is already here and you have your effing hands on her.”

“I can explain.” I guide her up to the fire trucks and the guys, away from Skylar who is still waiting at the end of the driveway. “Please listen.”

“Fine.” Kendra passes Wren off to Rem and the guys who step into the station, giving us privacy and showing off things to their fire baby. This has become Wren’s home away from home, full of aunts and uncles that love to spoil her.

“Grady and I hired a private investigator to find Skylar, it took months.”

“Why?” Kendra glances at her.

“Because I need her to sign some paperwork. But when my guy found her, she wouldn’t do it. Said she needed to think it over and would send them back to Grady, but then she tried to contact him, left him a message, and showed up here.” I grimace.

“She was at the salon earlier,” she whispers. “That’s how I knew she was in town. The way she was talking . . . it sounded like you were planning on meeting her.” Kendra looks crestfallen.

“I was trying to have Grady set up a meeting, yeah, but she just came here. What you saw was me trying to get a truthful answer from her. Honestly.” I rub Kendra’s arms.

“Okay, let’s go talk to her,” she says, squaring her little shoulders and marching down the driveway, leaving me no choice but to follow her.

Damn, I love this woman.

Kendra sticks her hand out with a huge smile and says, “Hi, Skylar, I’m Kendra.”

Skylar, who’s a good six inches taller than Kendra, timidly takes her hand and shakes it. “H-hi, who are you exactly?”

“The love of Eli’s life. How can we help you today?”