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“It does belong there and I was right to call her.” The fact that Sebastian had allowed one woman’s lie to keep him from his family was beyond frustrating. “Do you know why he no longer talks to his family? Because they think he knocked up his girlfriend and dumped her when he found out she was pregnant.”
Macon’s head shook. “What? I knew there was a fiancée, but I thought she left him.”
“He left her because the baby wasn’t his, but apparently he failed to mention that fact to his family.” She took a deep breath. She couldn’t give in to the anger she felt. It was far more important to decide on a course of action, and her time was running out.
“He didn’t tell them?” Macon asked.
She sighed, weariness threatening to overwhelm her. Ramona had taken a little cajoling, but she’d told her the story. There had been bitterness in her tone, but also an undertone of loss. She was tired of hating her brother, likely tired of missing him. Like Sebastian, Ramona was an orphan. Though she’d married and had a child, it had been easy to figure out how much she missed the man she’d shared a childhood with. “From what I can tell, he tried to explain it to his mother, but she wasn’t listening and he got stubborn. Apparently this Alicia person was the town sweetheart and everyone turned on him.”
“And that was when he called me,” Macon surmised. “He was in a bad place back then.”
“Well, he’s in a bad place now, too, because he’s a stubborn asshole.” He’d been a jerk and she wasn’t talking about the fact that he’d accidently shoved her. That had been nothing. But the words had been something he would have to make up for. Groveling was in that man’s future.
She simply had to convince him to do it.
Ally reached out, grasping her hand. “I’m so sorry, sweetie. You can stay back at your place and we’ll drive you into work every day. I’m scheduled to help out here until the soft open.”
“I told you, I’m not moving.” This was war and the prize was Sebastian. Unfortunately, the opponent was Sebastian, too. The good news was her opponent was wounded and in no position to physically kick her out.
Macon’s lips curled up. “You’re going to give him hell, aren’t you?”
She wasn’t trying to. “I’m trying to give him heaven. I’m trying to show him he doesn’t have to live like this. I might have failed at fixing his relationship with his sister. She’s stubborn, too, but I can show him there’s absolutely nothing wrong with asking for a little help. Can’t I?”
Ally looked up at Macon. “Like I help you every now and then?”
Macon reached out and put a hand on her head, stroking her hair. “Yes, though Sebastian needs it even more. Helping him shower and keep his wound clean is going to be important. The apartment isn’t built for a wheelchair and he’s going to be in his for a week or two. He does need help, but I think he isn’t going to want it from Tiffany.”
“Well, that’s sad because I’m all he has.” She needed to make that plain to everyone. The plan coalescing in her brain wouldn’t work unless she outflanked her opponent.
Macon shrugged. “I’m a busy man. Obviously Eric has a lot to do.”
Ally seemed to catch on. “I’ll call around and make sure everyone knows you’re taking care of the situation.”
Tiffany steeled herself because she was going into battle.
* * *
Sebastian was beyond tired as Eric wheeled him down the hall toward the apartment he’d shared with her.
Had she struggled with the easel? It was heavy and a little unwieldy. He’d wanted to see what she was working on, but she’d claimed it wasn’t ready for viewing yet.
How would she feel when she found out he’d convinced Eric to put two of her paintings up in the lobby and Sean was purchasing another for the dining room in Dallas? They’d bought all three from the gallery that Tiffany showed her work at. He’d meant to make it a surprise for the soft open. He’d been able to imagine how happy she would be, how she would run up to him and throw her arms around him. Now she likely wouldn’t even look at him.
It was going to be the last gift he could give her.
“How exactly are you going to get around?” Eric asked.
“I’ll manage.” He’d done it before. He could do it again. After Alicia’s lies had cost him his family, he’d gone for a couple of weeks with no help at all. It had been hell, but he’d managed somehow. He would deal with all of it because he deserved this. After the way he’d hurt Tiffany, he deserved all of it.
He fished his key out. Best to start dealing with the new reality right now.
“I can stop by and pick you up,” Eric promised.
He had a lot to deal with. “It’s all right. I can take the bus. They have a wheelchair rack and they drop off a block from Top.”
Eric sighed, a frustrated sound. “Please tell me you’re kidding. You needed stitches. You don’t need to bang around on a bus.”
Only two. For a man who’d needed four different surgeries in a six-week period, it was nothing. He had a folder full of instructions, prescriptions for antibiotics, and pain meds he wouldn’t actually use. “It’s not anything for you to worry about. I appreciate the fact that you got me to the hospital, but I’ll be fine in a day or two.”
