“Now that you might have to move in?” Olivia perceptively asked.
Until she’d realized they weren’t just having hot sex, they were making love. She’d panicked and run, but now she had to face those fears to keep herself safe.
“Girls!” a familiar, booming voice said.
Olivia flinched, and Avery stiffened as her father put his hand on the back of her chair.
“Hi, Dad,” Sienna said, sounding more subdued. For all her youth, Sienna was a smart, perceptive woman, and she knew exactly what her father’s choices had done to his other family.
“Hi,” Olivia and Avery said.
He wore a suit as usual, a power play for a man who enjoyed power.
As for his children, their relationship had nothing to do with him and everything to do with the bond formed between Sienna and Avery after she’d donated bone marrow. It had started off slowly, but as they’d gotten older, Sienna had kept reaching out, Avery had kept responding, and somehow the girls had all formed a tight bond. The men? Not so much and not as easily, but Riley and Alex had been best friends. When she’d ended up with Ian, the men were forced to form a truce. Slowly but surely, everyone had or was coming around.
Ironically, though Robert Dare’s blood bound them, his presence caused rifts and old resentments to resurface … as evidenced by the sudden headache pulsing behind Avery’s eyes. She hadn’t heard from her father since her name had been publicly linked with Grey’s … she couldn’t imagine he hadn’t heard about the paparazzi swarming her apartment. All her siblings, half and full, were aware. And the man did read the newspaper.
“So what brings you all together?” he asked, still not checking on her well-being. Or Olivia’s pregnancy, Avery noted.
Avery didn’t believe he was deliberately cruel; he was just selfish and absorbed with his life with Savannah, Sienna’s mother, and his family with her.
“We’re working on a fundraiser that Avery is putting together for children at Miami Children’s Hospital. For kids with serious illnesses,” Sienna said. “I’m helping out.”
He braced a hand on the back of her chair. “Are you sure that’s wise? Won’t it bring back painful memories?”
At the compassionate tone in her father’s voice, for his other child, a lump filled Avery’s throat. As if sensing her sorrow—or feeling some of it herself—Olivia reached for Avery’s hand under the table and squeezed tight. She had her family, the ones who loved her unconditionally, and that’s what mattered, she reminded herself. Even if looking into the face of the man who was supposed to lead that family caused her nothing but pain.
“Just the opposite, Dad. I was one of the lucky ones, thanks to Avery,” Sienna said, her grateful gaze landing on Avery’s.
Avery smiled at the young girl she thought of as her real sister. Sienna’s sweet personality and generous nature had to come from somewhere, and more often than not, Avery attributed them to her mom. She hadn’t known Robert Dare was married until long after they’d become involved. By then things were complicated. Avery didn’t agree with Savannah’s actions, but the blame for everything that had happened lay with Robert Dare.
“Well, I’m proud of you,” he said … to Sienna. “Have fun, girls,” he said, then walked away, his head no doubt already back on business.
Things grew quieter and more strained after his departure, and since they’d covered a lot about the prom already, they agreed to meet again in a week and see what remained for them to line up. Then Avery could take their plans, including a chosen date, back to Dr. McCann for final approval.
The sisters hugged good-bye, and Sienna headed back to the beach to meet up with her friends.
“I’ll walk out with you,” Olivia said.
“Sounds good,” Avery said.
She and her sister strode over to Rick, who was sitting at a neighboring table, discreetly keeping an eye on her.
“All set,” she told him.
He rose from his seat and slid a pair of aviators over his eyes. Even Avery had to admit, the man, with his muscles and good looks, was hot.
“Where to?” he asked her.
Avery sighed. Throughout the meal and other conversations, the reality of her situation had never been far from her mind. And after going over and over her options, she knew what she had to do.
“Can you take me home? I need to pack,” Avery told Rick.
“Are you going to move in across the hall from Grey?” Olivia asked, her tone clearly conveying she still didn’t agree with that choice.
Avery cleared her throat. “No. I’m going to move in with him.”
Olivia blinked, opening and closing her mouth in surprise.