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“For the love of God, we’re going in circles.”
“No, we’re not. It’s pretty simple, Dad.” He takes a step towards me. “Avery is off limits.”I swallow down the immediate reaction to his words which would be to tell him that he doesn’t have a say in anything regarding the woman who’d said she belonged to me just hours before.
I let out a sigh because I am officially exhausted from this back and forth and I don’t know any response that allows for Lucas and I to be okay. “Fine,” I tell him and surprise flashes across his face. I pause as it sinks in what I have to do now. “For what it’s worth, I do love her. But…I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. So, if you’re not okay with this…then fine. I’ll end it.” I don’t wait for him to respond; I just move down the hallway toward Avery’s room as I prepare to rip both of us apart.
My knee is bouncing nonstop as I chew on my thumbnail nervously when I hear a knock on the door. I rush to it, not knowing who it is when I fling it open without looking. I breathe a sigh of relief when it’s Theo and he pushes his way inside. “Hey, what happened?” I ask immediately as I take in his defeated expression. He drops to the bed and his head falls into his hands and I immediately fear the worst. Though I’m not exactly sure what the worst-case scenario is here. He shakes his head and looks up at me with sad eyes and I already know what he’s going to say. “I’ll talk to him.”
He shakes his head. “Come here, baby.”
“No,” I tell him as I turn towards the door, prepared to find Lucas and make him understand my side of this as well. I feel Theo’s hand on my elbow and he pulls me towards his chest. He wraps his arms around me as I succumb to the tears I’d been avoiding every time I thought about this outcome.
He lifts my chin to meet his eyes. “Please don’t cry. I hate seeing you upset.”
“What did he say?”
“It’s just too hard or weird or painful for him. I think maybe a combination of the three.” He rubs my back and it just spurs more tears. I’m lifted off my feet and carried to the same couch where we had a very different interaction just hours earlier and he sits with me in his arms. I wrap my arms around his neck.
“So, that’s it for us?” I ask him as I pull back to look at him.
“He’s my son, Ave.”
“I know.”
“I can’t…I don’t want him to spend the rest of his life hating me.”
I don’t know what to say because I can’t even argue with that. I can’t be mad. If anything, a part of me actually admires Theo for sacrificing his own feelings for the sake of his son.“Maybe he just needs some time?”
“Maybe.” He shrugs as he runs his finger over my cheek. “But then I need to give him time.” He rubs his nose gently against mine and I take a second to breathe him in if I’ll never be this close to him again. “And I can’t have you while I wait.”
“So, we can’t see each other at all anymore?” The tears haven’t stopped sliding down my face, even as he tries to wipe them away.
“No,” he says sadly and the pain on his face is so evident it makes my heart hurt more.
“Theo… I…” The words stop before they come out because what difference would it make to say it now? “I just…I want you to know…” I look at him and he nods.
“Me too.”
I press my lips to his gently. I stroke his jaw, feeling the light stubble under my fingertips and I drag my tongue along the seam, wanting access to his mouth and he opens finally. I move to straddle him as I kiss him for the last time even as the tears continue to slide down my face. He doesn’t let this go on for long before he stops us and holds my face in his hands. “I don’t want to get carried away. I should get back downstairs.”
I lick my lips and nod. “I’m just going to go to bed if that’s okay?” I offer weakly. I’m not sure if Lucas or Rae would want to see me and it’s late. I’m emotional and I really don’t want to see anyone. “Fuck.” I sigh. “I forgot my parents are here.”
He rubs his forehead and lets out an exasperated sigh. “So did I. I don’t know that this news has made it to them though.”
“No, my mom would have called me. I’ll let her know I’m going to bed.” I get off of his lap. “This really isn’t fair.”
“No, it’s not.” He tucks a curl behind my ear and presses a final kiss to my lips as he makes his way towards the door.
“Theo,” I call after him and he turns to meet my gaze, “if there’s ever a time that he is okay with it…will you come find me?”
“Wherever you are.”
I make it back to the party and it seems like nothing is out of the ordinary. It’s nearing midnight so the festivities are winding down but people are sitting around talking and a few people feeling their drinks are still on the dance floor. I am grateful that I don’t see Avery’s parents so that’s two less people I have to deal with right now. I don’t see Raegan or Lucas either for that matter, so I’m sure they are somewhere together. I go out onto the patio where I see Bryan and Wes each holding a drink while my brother smokes a cigar. I make my way over to them and Bryan gives me a look.
“You got caught?”
“Lucas came down and…he’s with Rae,” Wes adds as he gives me a sad look that isn’t judgmental or with any hint ofI told you this would happen.
“I’m sorry this happened tonight. We were trying to wait until after the wedding to tell anyone,” I tell him because I’m sure this is not what Wes wants to be dealing with on the night of their engagement party.
