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“Hey.” Her tone is absent of affection, and it's like a dagger to my heart. Whatever closeness we’d regained as sisters in the past year, I destroyed it. Again. She still hasn’t forgiven me for “stealing her life” seven years ago. I’m not her sister anymore, I’m her enemy.
“I have a live show tomorrow,” Tristan says to Julia when I pull away from the stare down with Mimi. “I'm afraid I have to get going for the rehearsal. You, missy—” Tristan hands the crutches back to me. “No heels.”
“Mimi and I will watch Ash don't overdo it.” Julia reassures him. “Won't we Mimi?” Her question is met with silence. “Mimi?”
“Yeah.” Mimi glances at Tristan for a second before her attention comes back to me. “She'll come back in one piece.” Her long hair shakes as she glares in my direction. “Just don't take so long between visits next time, Tristan.”
“I won't.” He kisses Julia and Mimi and turns to me. “I don’t want to hear of any repeats of this morning’s performance.”
“What's he talking about?” Mimi asked.
“Nothing.” I brush it off. I don’t want a fuss. This weekend isn’t about me. It’s about Julia and Darryl.
“She collapsed,” Ryder informs our group and Julia gasps. Her mother-hen instinct kicks in instantly and she begins stressing out. “I knew she wasn't going to tell you.”
“I'm fine!” I scowl at Ryder, it’s a full-on ten-year-old style scowl as Baby Tommy begins to fuss in his grandmother’s arms. “Now look at what you've done, Ryder! You made the baby cry.”
CHAPTER 7
SEAN
Of all the stupid things I’ve done in my life while drunk, and there’s been a lot of them, marrying Ashleigh had to top the list!
I rub my temples and look at my fifteen-years-old daughter gushing over her cousin, who’s being bounced on his grandmother's knee.
I can’t let Stephanie find out about this. She finally agreed to visit me in Los Angeles after I moved out here six years ago. And after I told her I was marrying Ashleigh last year, I’ve had a hard time convincing Stephanie that Ashleigh is out of my life and for good this time.
She’s hated Ashleigh for years. Ever since her mom and I divorced. My teenage princess doesn't blame me for breaking up her home. She blames Ashleigh and our… I don’t know what it was.
It wasn’t an affair, exactly. There was intimacy; we were as close as two people can be. But we weren’t physical. The furthest it ever went was a kiss. After which, Ashleigh told me she couldn’t be my friend anymore. She wanted more and if I couldn’t give her more, then we had to go separate ways.
I’ve no idea how Stephi found out about my promise to leave her mom so Ashleigh and I could be together. What I do know is that it was after that night in LA eight and a half years ago, my daughter stopped looking at me in the same way. I’m not her hero anymore.
My ex-wife thinks there is no way I could have been unfaithful, when Ashleigh’s alter ego, Krystal, was snapped partying all night long by the paparazzi. But somehow Stephi knew, and at only seven years old, Stephi knew how important Ashleigh was in the breakdown of my marriage. For that, Stephi had never forgiven Ashleigh.
The baby giggles and Stephanie’s silver eyes lift to mine with pure, innocent wonder. What am I thinking? Pursuing a story and chasing down the single most hated person in my daughter’s life when she's attempting to reconnect with me. I’ve spent too much time living my life in LA as a bachelor. My little girl is already as tall as her Aunt Julia. I’ve already heeded warnings from my ex-wife about what is acceptable beachwear for an athletic freshman cheerleader and what isn’t. She’s already wearing too much makeup and checking out the much older boys in the lobby. Now is not the time to be a part-time Dad.
I’ll have to tell Ashleigh that my world stopped revolving around her fifteen months ago. She’ll have to wait for me to be ready to talk and that won’t be until after Stephanie goes back to New York in two weeks.
As for the story about her love life, I’m no longer interested in it. If that’s the price I pay for my daughters wellbeing, then so be it. I’d waited long enough for Ashleigh to come to her senses. She can wait for me while I protect Stephi from any further hurt at the hands of our star-crossed relationship.
“I think you should go for the red head,” Darryl whispers beside me. “Jules says she's very adventurous, if you get my drift.”
My attention drifts to the group of bridesmaids talking about fashion at the other end of the function room.
Aw, hell no!
Has Darryl seen them? They weren’t that much older than Stephi!
Ok, they were. But it was less than ten years between my daughter and the bridesmaids. They’re all junior designers working at Julia's company, which means they’re around the same distance past twenty as I am past thirty-five.
Besides, I’ve had enough of talking about fashion. The problem with being in showbiz is that who is wearing whom is a big topic. I know far more about designer clothes than I’m comfortable with.
“I reckon she'd be more into the Best Man and bridesmaid traditional hook up than any of the rest.” Darryl continues with his bridesmaids hook up suggestions.
The red head is very beautiful. But…I’m not interested. What with Candice showing her true colors and waking up with Ashleigh, I need a break. I’m off women for the time being. I’m a single dad focusing on his daughter. That’s it!
“No thanks.”
