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There have been no signs of a serious relationship in the time we’ve been apart. That’s one blessing, I suppose. Although a better man would hope that she’d found someone to make her happy. That she has had love in her life for all these years. Someone to comfort her when I couldn’t be the one to hold her at night.
But I never claimed to be a better man.
I’m selfish. And selfishly, I’m glad that the evidence points to there being no one else. At least as far as I know. Theo would tell me if that wasn’t the case. He’d prepare me.
I think.
“He’s dead,” I offer, getting right to the point.
Theo nods like he isn’t surprised by the information. Of course he knows. The man posed a threat to his family. Obviously, keeping tabs on his whereabouts would make sense.
“I’ve done my part for the last decade,” I remind him.
He squeezes my shoulder and watches me silently.
“It’s time, Theo. You owe me. Youpromised.”
He sighs. “And I don’t intend to break that promise. But we need a minute to process this, to plan it. You can’t just barge into Cat’s office and tell her everything and expect her to forgive you.Us.We need to be thoughtful about this. Approach it in the right way.”
Despite my utter misery for more than a decade, I can’t fight the smile that spreads across my face. I know exactly how to get Cat to forgive me. It starts with the man before me telling her everything. “Don’t worry, I have the perfect plan. Just do exactly what I say, and we can make your granddaughter one very happy woman.”
3
WHAT A TIME BY JULIA MICHAELS
Cat
Chloe hits my chest with a thump as she crashes into me and wraps her arms around my waist. Most of the time, she acts older than she is. It guts me because our time together is so limited, and it’s moving way too quickly. But right now, she’s every bit the little girl who hangs on my every word. The one who lights up when she talks about music, who knows more about fashion than anyone I know—other than Cynthia, of course—and who has been stealing sips of my coffee since she could walk.
The little girl with chestnut hair the exact color of mine and eyes the color of the sky.
She’s a conundrum in the greatest sense of the word. The best thing I ever did and the one thing I’d give up everything for.
I squeeze her tightly and press a kiss to her forehead, taking in a long drag of her sweet scent. “Missed you, Bug,” I whisper, emotion stealing my voice.
It’s so damn hard not having her and Cynthia in the apartment down the street in Boston. I hate missing out on daily hugs. That she can’t barge into my office after school like she used to. That I’m not part of her everyday life. All I get is short visits every other month if we’re lucky.
Cynthia’s eyes meet mine above Chloe’s head, and she smiles warmly. “She missed you too.” The sentiment and the obvious love she has for both Chloe and me sets my heart at ease, but only momentarily.
At the sight of Peter behind her, my body goes rigid. I loosen my grip on Chloe and take a step back as he eyes me, but she’s literally attached to my hip. “Come on, Chlo.” I go for lighthearted as I hand off the coffees I brought to Cynthia. But she doesn’t budge. I have to fight back a grin as I waddle farther into their apartment. “Let’s have breakfast.”
“How was your flight?” Peter asks as we settle at the round table in their kitchen. Apartments in Paris, especially in this area, aren’t cheap, and so it isn’t nearly as spacious as Cynthia’s place in Boston.
“It was quick,” I say, squeezing Chloe’s hand.
She’s watching me with big doe eyes, like she senses the tension, and I hate that for her. I want her to be comfortable with Peter. I want her to be happy. That’s all I’ve ever wanted.
Cynthia tilts her head and shoots him a look. It’s a warning shot. Thankfully, she’s on the same page as me. Chloe’s page. That’s all that matters.
“I’ll let you girls catch up,” he says, scooting away from the table. Without looking at any of us again, he takes one of the croissants I brought with him and disappears down the hall.
The second he’s out of the room, the tension in the air dissipates, and for the next hour, Chloe talks a mile a minute about everything she wants to do this weekend. Once she’s stopped long enough to take a breath, I send her off to get changed, and when she’s finally out of earshot, I turn my attention to Cynthia and wait for her to open up about what’s clearly weighing on her.
Her shoulders are tight, and worry is etched in every line of her face. She’s been like this since I walked in. If I’m honest, she’s been tense during my last few visits. But this feels different. The other instances could have been chalked up to work or other stressors. But the way she’s been studying me makes it clear that this time, whatever she’s got on her mind is something she wants to tell me. Something sheneedsto tell me. I don’t do well living in the dark, so I fold my arms over my chest and stare her down. “Hit me.”
She laughs, but there isn’t a hint of humor in it. She pulls out a cigarette from the pack beside her and lights it. She takes a long drag and holds it for several seconds before she lets it out and looks at me. “Peter wants me to retire.”
“Excuse me?”I practically choke on the information.
