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“Real mature, Leah.”
I glared at him and then rolled my eyes. I climbed into bed. “I’m tired.”
He turned his head and took a breath, I suspected to rein in his anger. When he turned back, he said, “I was worried.”
“Despite what you and my father think, I’m a grown woman who can venture into the world without getting lost.”
This time he rolled his eyes. “I was worried about you emotionally. Karen said you and your dad fought.”
“You don’t seem worried when we fight.”
He sat on the edge of the bed. “You don’t walk off into the night when we fight.” He took my hand. “I can understand if you want to be alone, I just want to know that you’re okay… and that you’ll be coming back.”
Did he really think I’d leave him? Now I felt guilty. “I just needed space. Next time I’ll let you know.”
He nodded and leaned over to kiss me. “Get some rest.”
I turned over, and I heard him sigh, and then he stood, turning off the light and exiting the bedroom. As I laid in bed willing sleep to come, I knew it was time for me to accept that Sebastian and my father would always have a problem. I’d need to figure out how to navigate that for our baby.
Chapter 34
Sebastian
The sun was just starting to spread its rays into our room, but I was already showered and dressed as I sat on the edge of the bed to wake Leah. After a long night of trying to continue to justify my fuck ’em attitude about Henry, I finally came to terms with the fact that Leah was right. For her and my child, I had to keep trying.
“Leah.” I gently rubbed her arm.
She turned over and blinked. “Sebastian?” Her eyes studied me for a moment. “Isn’t it Saturday? Are you going to the office?”
“I’m going to play golf.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “Did you tell me that? I forget a lot lately. Must be baby hormones.”
I shook my head. “No. I just decided. I’m going to ask Henry to play a round.”
Her eyes widened, and she was now fully awake. “What if he says no?”
I shrugged. “Then I’ll ask next week. And the week after.”
She smiled, and my heart grew full. She levered up and wrapped her arms around me. “Thank you.”
I kissed her neck. “Wish me luck.”
Ten minutes later, I was standing outside Henry’s door. I wasn’t afraid, but I wasn’t looking forward to dealing with his snark.
For Leah and the baby, I told myself as I knocked.
Karen opened the door in a robe. “Sebastian.”
“Karen. I’m here to see if Henry would like to join me for a round of golf.”
She made a face that suggested he wouldn’t, but then her eyes narrowed. “I’ll make sure he joins you.” She opened the door. “Come in.”
I wait in the foyer as she got Henry.
He emerged with a scowl, dressed similarly to me in khakis and a golf shirt. “I was ordered to play golf with you.”
“That’s the difference between you and me Henry; this is my idea, not Leah’s, because I want to make her happy.” It wasn’t the best idea to lead with snark, but I wasn’t going to put up with the bullshit.
He shook his head, but opened the door and I followed him out. Neither of us talked during the elevator or car ride to the golf course. In fact, we were walking to the fifth hole tee when I finally decided I needed to say something.
“Henry, I’m sorry that I’ve hurt you. It wasn’t my intention. We can keep on like this if you prefer to hold a grudge, but for Leah and the baby’s sake, I’d like to find a way for us to get along.”
Henry ignored me, continuing to walk toward the tee.
“So that’s it? My child is going to grow up watching his grandfather ignore his father?”
Henry whirled around. “I know you, Sebastian. It won’t be long before another pretty intern is in your office and you would then leave my daughter and her child.”
“If you believe that, then you don’t know me.” I shook my head, not understanding why he thought so poorly of me when over the last five years he’d been such a good friend. Being in the sex toy industry led people to think all sorts of things about me, but Henry knew most of it wasn’t true, didn’t he?
“I can’t even look at you and not think of the sordid, perverted things you’ve done to my daughter.”
“First, what Leah and I have isn’t sordid or perverted and you dishonor her by thinking so. Second, it’s disturbing that you even think about your daughter’s sex life.”
Henry clenched his teeth and started up the fairway again.
“God dammit, I love her.”
“You don’t know love—”
“I do. God help me, I do. Henry, I want to spend my life with her.” I wanted to tear my hair out Henry’s behavior was so frustrating.
