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My heart bashes wildly against my rib cage as if wishing to leap out of me and into her hands—to show Wren I’m all hers.
“Yeah, about that. Kendall says we need to file a court order for DNA paternity testing.”
“You’d do that?” There’s a slight upbeat lilt to her tone, almost surprised, and it rocks me to think she still has doubts. Surely, she shouldn’t, not if I’m willing to go to these lengths to prove to her and others that I’m not the father? “I’d do anything for you. For all of this to go away. For you to believe me. I only want to be with you.”
“I do believe you.” She slides closer and takes my hand. “I’m sorry if I made you think I didn’t. I just don’t know how we can prove she’s lying.”
“It’s hard to have to wait, but in the end, the truth will come out. Wren, I’m so sorry this is happening. And I hate to have to say this, but Kendall thinks it would be best for us to keep our relationship on the down low for now. Or even…”
I don’t want to say it. When my lawyer spelled out a strategy to combat all things concerning Dot, what I’m about to say was what I disliked the most. I fought her for another option, yet she couldn’t see any.
“What is it?”
“If we hit pause. She thinks it might help with getting Dot to back off. We play to her ego a bit and let her think she’s won. That we aren’t together.”
“What are you saying? We hide our relationship or break up?”
“No. Well, sort of.” I rub my suddenly clammy hands down my jeans-clad thighs. “We go back to seeing each other in secret. This way people will think we’ve broken up. But just so I’m clear.” I tighten my grip on her. “We’re not breaking up.”
Her lips mash together and she frowns. “No. It would just be another lie. I understand why Kendall thinks it’s a good play and it may even work, but I’m not sneaking around. It felt like we were a dirty little secret, and now, with what Dot’s saying about us, it feels like it’s true. This is getting to be too much.”
She gets off the couch, and the dog follows her to the window overlooking the backyard. “I love you and want to be with you, but Dot shouldn’t even get a second to think she has won. I hate that this sounds like a damn game or competition. This is our lives.”
“Wren—” I struggle with the right thing to say.
She cuts me off. “Don’t get me wrong; sometimes sacrifice is necessary, and we’ve made difficult decisions. There’s a lot at stake and we’ve both paid a huge price. But our love deserves to be out in the open and should be. I can’t do this the way you want.”
The wayIwant? I don’t want any of this.
All I want is us.
Her anguish and resolution are enough to bring me to my knees in pure reverence. As much as it pains me to think she might break things off—God, I hope not—I’m not going to give her a chance.
Now more than ever, I see things clearly.
She shakes and I leap to my feet, rushing to her side. Tears fall silently down her cheeks and I cup them both, pressing my forehead to hers. “I’m in utter admiration of you for being true to yourself, and I couldn’t agree with you more. We will do things our way. No hiding.”
My lips lightly touch hers and I hold my breath, worried she might pull away, reject what I have to say before I get it out. “Wren, I won’t lose you, not when I finally have all of you. When we were kids, best friends, I always believed in forever with you and knew in my bones there was more to come for us. I always wanted more, but I was too young and not ready for what that meant. Then when I was ready… our timing was off.”
I release an irritated huff and chuckle, shaking off any regrets or missteps. We got here even if we had long and hard detours. She’s nodding and smiling like she knows exactly what I mean, like she felt it too.
The sweetest sensation unfurls in my chest. There’s something lighter, freer about her too, and this feeds my soul, inspires me to keep going. “I don’t care how many obstacles are put in our way; I’m not walking away from us. Not from you. Not ever.”
Chapter27
Wren
The sun shines bright the next day, denying the unrelenting storm Oliver and I will face now that we’ve decided not to hide. We will face Dot and her lies head-on. We don’t have any more to lose, and I’m sick and tired of Dot getting away with her monstrous behavior.
We are out in the open for all the town to see, having breakfast at the Grill. Oliver places his empty coffee cup on the table and stands. “I’ll call you or come by the library when I’m done.”
His lawyer is meeting with him this morning to proceed with the paternity test and full ownership of the Nest.
Palms pressing on the table, he leans in and lowers his head to mine, lightly kissing me on the mouth.
While some patrons stare or downright gawk like they’re at the drive-in and we are the movie, no one has said anything or given us nasty looks. I suppose, after all, this is my family restaurant. If you choose to eat here, you’ve chosen to support me, if only to get in on the entertainment. So what? Let them stare.
His head dips farther to plant his warm lips on my neck before pulling away, and I shiver at the delicious touch of his mouth on me.
