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“I was panicked, but it wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction. I meant it, Liv. I’m in. I’m all fucking in, and I promise I will keep making it up to you, but I’m done with staying at Maxim’s.”
“Okay,” she says softly, blue eyes wide and filled with vulnerability as she stares back at me. “You can’t do that again, Vincent. I know you freaked out and I know you had every right and reason to, but next time you freak out, you can’t shut me out. You can’t drown yourself in a vat of alcohol, and you can’t just stay away for days.”
“I won’t,” I swear, taking her face in my hands and looking directly into her eyes. “I’ve learned from this. I know I still need to find a way to prove it to you, but I have. I’ve also been talking to Maxim a lot about it, and I’m going to find a better coping mechanism. I’ve been running with him every morning, and I’m going to keep doing that. I know I’ve still got a long way to go, and I can’t promise that I’ll never fuck up again, but I can promise that I won’t shut you out or drown myself in a vat of alcohol.”
She lets out a heavy breath, but then she lets go of me and swings her legs off the bed. “Okay, baby daddy. Let’s go home. This place smells like disinfectant, and it’s making me nauseous.”
I laugh, and for the first time in nearly two weeks, I actually mean it. “Let’s go home, Mama.”
She freezes, and for a second, I think I fucked up again until she reaches out and punches my shoulder, laughing as she gets up and reaches for the pile of her clothes on the chair. “Only if you never call me that again.”
Everything that’s been tense inside of me releases. I know that we’ve still got a lot to talk about and to work through, but this is the first time I’ve felt like we might actually be able to do it. Like she might actuallywantto do it.
Once she’s dressed, I sling my arm over her shoulders and pull her into my side as we walk down the hall together. “I love you, Liv. I really fucking love you.”
“I really fucking love you too,” she murmurs, resting her head against my shoulder until we reach the end of the hall and see that everyone is there. And by everyone, I do mean everyone.
The entire Full Moon crew is in the waiting area in the lobby, and when Isabella notices us, she shrieks, and then they’re all on their feet, surging toward us and speaking over each other as they pepper us with questions. I smile despite the absolute chaos, not letting go of my girl as we try to answer all the questions and assure them there’s nothing to worry about.
Well, there is one thing I need to worry about, but I’ve got a week to get it done, and I think that’s enough time. It has to be.
41
OLIVIA
Maxim and Emma’s wedding is everything. It’s beautiful, the venue is perfect, and the ceremony went off without a hitch. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as they read the vows they wrote themselves, and when Tim, who got ordained online, pronounced them husband and wife, I cried.
No, not cried. I bawled my fucking eyes out. I’m not even blaming it on the hormones. It was just… it was everything.
And now, as I watch Maxim spin her around the dance floor for their first dance as a married couple, I’m fighting back tears again. Vincent is sitting next to me, his arm around my shoulders as I lean against his chest.
“It’s weird to think how close they came to this never happening,” he murmurs into my ear. “Fuck, I mean I always knew how much he loved her, but seeing them like this… I don’t really think love is a strong enough word to describe it.”
As I look at them staring into each other’s eyes like they’ve completely forgotten they’re surrounded by so many people, I nod. “It’s a real fairy-tale ending. I know you’re probably going to mock me for this again, but they’re couple goals. Really. I love them together so damn much.”
“Yeah, so do I.” He presses a soft kiss to my temple. “I just happen to think thatweare the couple goals. Think about it. Less than a year ago, we hated each other, and here we are—in love, having two babies, and moving to the suburbs.”
I groan. “Don’t say the M-word to me right now. I still can’t believe you talked me into doing it again. We only just got all the boxes unpacked in the apartment, and now you want to box it all back up.”
“I want to box it all back up because the apartment is great, but that house on my parents’ street is better. The kids are going to need their own bedrooms eventually, which they can’t have at the apartment since we both still need an office at home, and there’s a backyard and a swimming pool. No way the apartment beats that.”
“No, it doesn’t. I’m just not looking forward to moving again.”
“You won’t be.” I feel him smiling against my ear. “You’re going to leave the morning of the move with only your purse. Then you’re going to go to your parents’ house, spend the day with your mom, and when you’re ready to come home, you’re going to drive to the new house, and everything will be there.”
“I still don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“It’s a good idea.” He scoffs laughingly. “It’s a great one. Besides, literally everyone in our families has offered to help, and I’ve got a moving company booked and paid for. It’ll be a breeze.”
The music fades, and Maxim kisses Emma deeply before leading her off the dance floor. He whispers something in her ear. Then she nods and walks back to the head table while Maxim strides over to the podium.
I frown. “I thought all the toasts were done.”
“Most,” he says offhandedly, then kisses my temple again before he slides his arms away from me and pushes back his chair. “I’ve still got a few things to say, though.”
“You?” By the time I spin around to face him, he’s already standing.
Waggling his brows at me, he nods and then takes a breath so big I see his chest rising and falling with it. I’m still frowning when he winks and heads over to the podium just as Maxim picks up the microphone.
