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I’m closer to tears than I have been since she was an infant. But this time, they’re the happy kind. My daughter is finally back in the United States. And it’s because she’s coming to live with me.
Work has been insanely busy. My brothers are driving me nuts over the merger with Landry. Jay is holding up his end of the deal, gallivanting around town on fake dates with Grace, hopefully driving my brother crazy enough to ditch her once and for all. And I’ve been avoiding the office because I told Jay I was out of town, when in reality, I was preparing my apartment for Chloe’s arrival.
My world may be unraveling, but right now, with this little girl in my arms, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.
Kissing her forehead, I look up and spot Cynthia sauntering toward us, wearing a bright smile. “Missed you,” I whisper to my daughter, then ease her to the floor.
Once we’ve collected all their luggage, we step out into the warm air and make our way to where Frank is waiting to take us home.
“Can I come to work with you tomorrow?” Chloe asks, turning from me to Cynthia and back again.
I suck in a breath. The idea of Chloe and Jay being in the same place terrifies me. Eventually, Jay and I will have to discuss the past. Even if the conversation is short and one-sided. He probably needs to know that Chloe will be living with me so he can stay away.
I’ve mulled over his words a dozen times since we lay in bed together the other night, and each time, I’m more sure that what happened all those years ago that kept him away is more complicated than I realized. I wasn’t lying when I said I forgave him. Harboring that resentment, that animosity, did me no good. However, no matter his reasons, he turned his back on his daughter, and despite all our recent interactions, he hasn’t once asked what happened to her. That alone is all I need to know that we can never truly be more. Because she’s the most important person in the world to me. She will always come first, and I’ll never allow him to hurt her the way he hurt me.
“Not tomorrow, Bug,” I say over her head, giving Cynthia a look. “Why don’t we go to the beach instead?”
She bounces in her seat. “Really?”
I run my fingers through her hair and drop a kiss to the crown of her head. “Yeah, really. I’m sure your mom has stuff to do in the office, but I’m all yours.”
The smile my girl graces me with is worth every bit of stress that’s weighed me down since Jay returned to my life.
* * *
For the next week,I spend every day with my girl. After our beach day, we spend the weekend decorating her room. Not surprisingly, she opts for a yellow wall to match the necklace I gave her years ago. The same one her father gave me. It’s the only thing she has of Jay—other than his eyes.
While my focus has returned to its proper place, my brother’s focus has, unfortunately, turned solely to Grace Kensington. The idea of them together makes my skin crawl. The woman isn’t even divorced, but it’s obvious my brother’s mind is spinning. And if something doesn’t change soon, I’ll have to endure a future of holidays with her.
I’m not sure how I’ll ever stomach that.
When I walk into the coffee shop on Thursday morning, an alternative option is finally presented to me. One last ditch effort to make my brother see that Grace Kensington isn’t the one for him.
Vanessa Simpson stands in front of me, perusing the chalkboard behind the barista.
Here goes nothing. Taking a deep breath, I tap her shoulder. When she spins around, her eyes light up. “Cat, it’s good to see you.”
“You too. My brother and I werejusttalking about you,” I lie.
It’s wrong to meddle in Cash’s life, but I truly believe my brother will be happier with Vanessa. In the end, he’ll forgive me.
Her eyes gleam in surprise. “Really? I haven’t heard from him since that night at the club. I figured he met someone else.”
“Can I buy you a coffee? I have a proposition for you.”
Then, over the next forty-five minutes, we sit in the corner of the busy coffee shop while I sell her on my plan.
30
LET IT ALL GO BY RHODES AND BIRDY
Jay
Isuppose this is the point in my life where it’s time to come to terms with the idea that there is no going back.
The script of my life was written long before I met Cat. Our destinies were intertwined in a tragic way, and it’s time I accept that our story will never pan out the way I want. I’m not the author, and neither is she. All we can do is play the parts we were born into.
In my heart, I believe Cat wants to move past what I did to her. She may not say the words, but her body always speaks the truth. She’s drawn to me in the same way I’m drawn to her. But I realize now that she’ll never give up her heart again.
