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I stilled, but said nothing.What the hell had Oakley said to Sarah?I should be angry.Pissed the fuck off.We weren’t going to upset Sarah anymore.No rocking her world and upsetting the balance of things.
“Not one time when Mom accused Oaky of loving you did she deny it.She always just listened.Let her rant.Oaky doesn’t like to lie.That’s how I know.I’ve known it for a long time now.I hate it when you’re mean to her.She’s been sad for long enough.”
I had to speak.I had to say something.
“Don’t you think she’s pretty?”
I swallowed and nodded.“Yeah, she’s pretty.”
Sarah leaned back and smiled up at me.“And she can cook, and she’s funny, and she’s smart.She can paint real good too.”
Was my kid trying to convince me to like Oakley or love her?
“Uh, yeah, I’m aware,” I replied slowly, being very careful in the strange, uncharted waters I was suddenly in.
Sarah held up her hands.“Well?Why can’t you love her?I love her.She’s really easy to love.”
I had to stop this—and possibly go take a few shots of tequila.
“Sarah, Oakley is your aunt.She’s here for you.Just like I am.We love you, and we want you to be safe and happy.”
Sarah tilted her head to the side, and she narrowed her eyes.In that moment, she reminded me of my mother.“I love both of you, and I want you both to be happy.So, love her already.Stop scowling at her.Treat her nice, like you’ve been doing since y’all came back the other day.”
Yep, I needed a fucking drink.
Thirty-Six
Oakley
Closing Sarah’s door quietly, I made my way to the stairs leading to the third floor.
Wilder had gotten a call right when it was time to put Sarah to bed.It had seemed serious, and I knew that meant there was word on the issue with Carda.I had fought the mix of emotions going through me as I tucked Sarah in and said her prayers with her.This could be it.I might be going home tomorrow.Wilder had said weeks, but it hadn’t been a full week yet, and I didn’t want this to end.
I had been preparing for this.What to say.How to convince Wilder not to end this.I wasn’t ready yet with my speech, but I had a basic plan.I just needed more time to work out the kinks.To make it sound smoother.More appealing.
When I reached the top step, I walked into his office.I could see through the doorway that he was in there at his desk.His back was to me, and he was standing there with a drink in his hand, looking down at something.
“Is everything okay?”I asked, stepping into the room.
He looked over his shoulder at me.“Yeah.For now.Carda has agreed to back out of things with the Fotilas in exchange for Maxon and our protection.They own them a good bit of money but for their loyalty the Hughes are helping them with that issue.Maxon has been given orders by his father not to go anywhere near you.The Fotilas are a fight we will have to face, but you’re not involved in that.”
So, he was sending me home.All the things I had planned on saying to change his mind about us seemed to vanish.I was panicking.I couldn’t leave him.Did it mean we were done?That we’d go back to the way we had been before?
“I don’t want Sarah back at school yet.She’s going to stay home and return after the holidays.I need to be sure she’s safe.”
I agreed.That was a good plan.Now, where did that leave me?
He turned fully around then and leaned against his desk, crossing his ankles as he studied me, taking a drink from his whiskey glass.
I should talk now.Plead my case.Beg him not to stop whatever it was we had been doing.Sure, I wanted it to mean something to him, but when we were together, it felt as if I did—at least for that moment.It was more than I’d had for the past nine years, and I wanted it more than I did my next breath.
“I don’t want you to leave,” he said.
As the words registered, I almost sank to my knees and wept with relief.
“Okay,” I replied, my heart racing in my chest.
“Stay through Christmas.Sarah would love it.I need your help with her classwork, and someone needs to be here with her when I have to step out to handle things.”
