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“Aww, that’s no good. Let’s get you home.” Bex hated when her daughter was ill and there was nothing she could do about it. “Gather your things. We’re leaving.”
Izzy didn’t protest, and that said enough for Bex to feel justified in her fury.
“Rebecca,” Imogen said, rising like a queen who expected a servant to bow before her. “I thought we had an understanding.”
Bex ignored her. The blood rushed to her head, drowning out whatever Imogen said next. Probably just as well. Izzy returned with her belongings clutched to her chest and Bex ushered her out the door. Wesley’s hand landed on her arm and she shook him off. She and Izzy were halfway down the path when Michael skidded to a halt at the end of the drive and dismounted from his bike. Bex grabbed Izzy’s hand to keep her from running to him. They needed to speak, but it wouldn’t be in front of her daughter.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Michael’s heartputtered to a stop. He’d rushed home from his meeting to make sure Izzy was all right, and that Bex had got his message about him taking her, but the moment he’d spotted his parents’ car, he knew a confrontation was on the horizon. He’d just hoped it would be with them rather than Bex. But she powered out of the house like the hounds of hell were on her tail, dragging Izzy with her. Now, she bent to murmur something in Izzy’s ear. Izzy ducked her head and ran past him without so much as a smile or a wave.
Shit, this was bad. Things had gone so far sideways it wasn’t funny. Bex crossed her arms, her lips in a firm line, and glared at him. It was the first time he’d gotten a decent look at her in days, and he drank up the sight of her, but when the car door crashed shut, she rained hell on him.
“You had no right to take Izzy from school without my permission,” she hissed, her eyes two slits of fury. “Especially not if you planned to leave her with those people. What were you thinking?”
He held his palms out, hoping to placate her. She was incensed, that much was clear, and he prayed that Wesley hadn’t let their parents say anything awful to her. “I tried to call, but you must have been busy. I didn’t know they’d be here, and I sent you a message to let you know I was leaving her with Wesley. Didn’t you get it?”
“You didn’t send one.” She grabbed her phone and showed him. “See. Nothing from you.”
“No, I did. I swear.” He slipped off his cycle bag and found his phone, but when he swiped the screen, the message popped up, typed and unsent. “Fuck.” He showed it to her. “I thought I’d hit send, but I must have gotten distracted when they dragged me into an urgent meeting. I’m so sorry.”
She shook her head, and he could tell she wasn’t hearing him. “I thought I could trust you.”
His entire body tensed. “You can. I screwed up, but it was just once. Don’t push me away because of that.”
Bex’s hands went to her hips, and her eyes flashed. “You’re the one who’s been pushing me away.” Her lips twisted. “You’ve been so distant lately, and you haven’t even explained why. All I have is snippets of information from Wesley that don’t paint a full picture.”
He stepped forward. “I’m sorry for pulling back and not being open with you. I never meant to hurt you.” God, he hated the thought he had. “I care for you, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know. I was going to tonight, anyway.”
Her nostrils flared and she wrapped her arms around her waist. “What happened with Penelope?”
He flinched, but steeled himself. “She was my girlfriend, but then she broke up with me for Wesley.”
“He stole her from you?”
“Yes.” There was so much more he could say, but he didn’t want to overwhelm her with information.
“Am I…” She hesitated, uncertainty flickering over her features. “Is dating me some kind of way for you to get payback?”
“No!” Time to come clean. “I was never as angry at him as I should have been because I was in love with you while you were still with him.”
Her lips parted on an intake of breath. “What?”
He grabbed her hands. “That day you told me you were pregnant, I was planning to let you know how I felt. That’s why I pulled back from you when you were trying to figure out what to do about the baby. I couldn’t be involved. It hurt too much, and I felt like such a fool.”
“You… I don’t understand.” She shook her head. “We always got on so well, but I had no idea.”
“Of course you didn’t. I kept it to myself. I was so ashamed.” He hated admitting this. He desperately wanted to take her in his arms and hug her, but she was holding herself stiff and apart from him, and probably wouldn’t appreciate it.
“I wish I’d known.” She hesitated, then continued, “When you never returned my calls, I thought you agreed with them about the abortion.”
“Of course not.”
She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “This is such a mess.” She glanced back at the house. “It’s a lot to process.”
He swallowed, the urge to physically comfort her growing stronger. “Take whatever time you need. I’ll be here when you’re done processing.” He wasn’t going to hurry her into anything.
She met his eyes, and her own were clouded with confusion. “You promise?”
