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He nods his head. “I don’t need distance to do that. I just need you.”
“Hold me,” I whisper, shaking as I realize how close we came to losing it all, and he pulls me close, like he gets it, too.
“It’s gonna be okay, baby. I’ve got you.”
I’m getting kinda stiff down here, so I dread to think how Tanner must feel, sitting on the floor beneath me. Even so, I don’t feel like moving. Not yet.
“I know you said it’ll be okay,” I murmur. “But I don’t have a job anymore. How am I gonna pay rent, or eat, or run my car?”
“Hey…” He leans back, as far as the wall behind him will allow, and holds me away from him, looking into my eyes. “I’m here. My love for you isn’t going anywhere.” He smiles and dips his head, kissing my lips just briefly. “You’ve got nothing to fear.”
“Other than being homeless, you mean?”
“You won’t be homeless… not if you move in with me.”
I pull away, catching him unawares, so he lets me. “Move in with you? What about Sabrina? What about Nash?”
“I don’t care about Sabrina,” he says, grabbing me and pulling me close again. “And Nash is my son too, not just hers. She can’t call the shots just because she doesn’t like the fact that I’ve fallen in love with you.”
“How does she know you’re in love with me?”
“Because I told her… right before I said I’d be telling Nash about us, whether she liked it or not.”
“I’m sorry,” I say. “I feel like I’m the cause of all your problems.”
“But you’re not.”
“How can you say that? If we weren’t seeing each other, none of this would have happened.”
“No… none of this would have happened if Sabrina hadn’t made it happen. This isn’t your fault, Zara,” he says, gazing into my eyes.
“Maybe not. But do you really think it’s a good idea for us to move in together?”
“I think it’s a perfect idea. I was gonna talk it through with you tonight anyway, but the fact is, thanks to my ex-wife, you’re now unemployed, and you’re scared. It’s my job to make you feel safe again.”
“And what’s my job?”
He smiles, and glances around. “Well… as you’ve already started packing, I guess we might as well move…”
I deflate, flopping against him. “Please don’t suggest we move my things in to your place tonight. I’m too tired.”
“Okay. I’ll stay here for tonight, like we planned. Then you can finish your packing tomorrow while I call on Ezra.” He tilts his head. “Unless you wanna come see Ezra with me?”
I shake my head. “No. I think it’s best if I stay on the outside. If Sabrina knows I’m involved, it’ll just make her mad.”
“She’s the one who brought you into this, so she couldn’t complain. But if you’re happy for me to go alone…” I nod my head and he smiles, putting his arms around me and somehow getting to his feet. I don’t know how he managed that, but it’s nice to be held, and I look up into his eyes, just as he lowers his lips to mine and carries me through to the living room.
Chapter Eighteen
Tanner
I don’t know whether it’s the stress of yesterday, or worrying about what’s going to happen with Nash, or that I came so close to losing Zara, but I’ve struggled to sleep. As a result, I’ve been lying awake for ages, just staring at her, grateful that Ezra’s email arrived when it did, and I got here before she had the chance to finish packing and get out of town.
I’d have tracked her down if she had, and I’d have brought her home again. But I don’t have to, because she’s here… and so am I. Even if I am exhausted.
That’s Sabrina’s fault, really. Just like the rest of this whole sorry mess.
I know her appeal to the court can’t possibly work, but I’ve gone up against her before. I’m well aware of how ruthless she can be, and how she’s not averse to playing with the truth to get what she wants. Hell… she’s shown that already in the story she concocted about Zara.
