Emma got up from the couch and collected her stuff.
“I’ll let you two talk this out,” she said grabbing her purse and keys. “She'll be okay once she calms down a bit.”
“I’ll see you at the show okay,” she added giving me a hug.
“Shit, the recital. I hope I just didn’t ruin this day for her.”
“It will be okay. I promise no matter what we’ll find a way to work it all out.” Em reassured me before leaving.
I sunk back into the couch. I had no idea how working anything out was even possible now. Barrett had a future wife that he had purposely left out.
Now that Aria knew her father was alive and would surely want to meet him. There was no way in hell after what happened this morning that she was ever going to be able to face Barrett again.
r />
Twenty-Three
Barrett
“Why are you here?” I asked in a low tone to Sophia while Mom was taking a phone call.
They had all shuffled into the house, sat down at the dining room table for an impromptu breakfast and coffee.
“Your parents invited me,” Sophia said with a shrug of her shoulders. She brushed her brunette hair back from her shoulder. “I missed you too. I know you wanted to settle down in Chicago, make a name for yourself away from your dad’s practice, but that doesn’t mean we need to stay apart.”
“Yeah, Sophia it does. You and me, we talked about that. It didn’t work. Why the hell are you telling my parents we are engaged now?”
“I didn’t tell them,” she said batting her eyes at me. “It is just something that we always knew would happen. I mean your mom knows it's not official or anything yet.”
“Not Ever, Soph.”
“I don’t believe that,” she said reaching across the table to take my hand.
I pulled back.
“I’m in love with someone else,” I said simply. I didn’t want to hurt her, but it was time she got it clear in her head.
“What did you say?” Mom said cheerfully coming back into the room.
“He says he is in love with someone else,” Sophia repeated.
“What?” Dad added in accusatory tone.
“How could you do that to Sophia?!” my mother shrieked coming to sit down next to her.
“I didn’t do it to her. I’m sorry,” I said turning back to Sophia. “We were over a long time ago. I met someone. We have a child together.”
“What the hell,” my father shouted. “You’ve only been home for six months, how the hell is that even possible?”
“Look," I said rubbing my hand along the stubble on my chin. “I know this is all confusing. I didn’t know about Aria till recently too.”
“Who the hell is Aria?” Dad shouted.
“My daughter,” I said exasperated. “It doesn’t matter, I am in love with her mother.”
“Then you shouldn’t have lead Sophia on all these years,” Mom accused putting a hand on Sophia.
She was already pooling tears in her eyes. With a burst of sobs she stood and excused herself. I heard the elevator close on her.