“Dr. B suggested that too.”
Good ol’ Dr. Bunz.
“I have several friends who are on dating sites.” Sherri sits next to my mom.
I’m not sure if it’s the best or the worst timing, but my phone rings and it’s the professor.
“I’ll be right back.” I smile and retreat to the bedroom, bringing the phone to my ear. “Hey.”
“It would seem that in spite of my orthotic shoes, the women you’ve invited into my house find me attractive.”
How did I forget about the stupid spy cameras?
“Cocky isn’t becoming of you, Professor. Besides, we’re talking about my boyfriends’ seventeen-year-old sister who is still in high school and two middle-age women—one is my mom and the other is Griffin’s mom. I’m not sure you can puff your chest out too far just from that.”
“You sound hostile.”
I take a deep breath and chew my thumbnail. Do I really sound hostile? “Why would I be hostile?”
“Maybe it’s just you being protective of me. You’re right. I don’t have time to date or the emotional strength to even think about letting another woman into my life. Between my mother, Morgan, and you, I’m at my limit.”
“Me?” I cough a laugh.
He sighs. “I don’t want to dance around this anymore. Denying it won’t make it go away.”
“Nate—”
“I’m not asking you to do anything more than acknowledge it’s the only logical explanation.”
“Stop, just—” I shake my head and close my eyes, gripping my phone like I hate it, and I need it to shut up.
“You have my best friend trapped inside of you!”
And there it is, out in the open, hanging like smoke, blurring everything, and suffocating me.
“I’m not her,” I whisper.
“You are. I’m sorry you can’t see it. Your memories—”
“I have to go. Stop drinking. It’s messing with your mind.”
“I’m not drink—”
I end the call and fight for air. Where did it go? Who sucked all the oxygen from the room?
Nate did. He’s trying to take things that are not his to take. He can’t have Daisy because she’s dead. He can’t have the air in this room because he’s not here to use it. And he can’t steal my sanity no matter how tiny the thread is that I have left of it.
Laughter crawls toward me. I wipe the emotion from my eyes and turn.
“She filled her pants. We’ll change her diaper.” Hayley, with her sisters in tow, looks from doorway to doorway for the nursery.
I nod toward Morgan’s room. “You’re stealing my job. I may have to share my wages with you.”
“Really?” Sophie asks.
“Sure. I haven’t taken my favorite girls shopping. I think we should plan an outing.”
Sophie claps her hands. “Yes!”
Hayley rolls her eyes at her sister while Chloe tries to act cool, but I don’t miss the excitement pulling at the corners of her lips.
“Everything’s at the changing table. Let me know if you need help.”
“I’ve changed a gazillion diapers. We’ve got this,” Hayley says while laying Morgan on the changing table.
“Make sure one of you is watching her at all times. She could roll off.”
“We’ve got it. Really.”
I nod. I had it too when I was Hayley’s age. But now I have the protectiveness of a mother with Morgan, so I feel compelled to say everything, even the words I shouldn’t have to say.
“What’s for dinner? Are we ordering in?” I ask Mom and Sherri, avoiding the camera in the corner. I refuse to look at it—at him.
“Pizza?” Sherri suggests.
“Works for me.” I glance at my phone.
Professor: Have a good evening. Thank you again for staying.
Why does he make it so hard to be angry with him? I slide my phone in my pocket.
“Sherri said you’re moving.”
Making eye contact with my mom, I grimace, as does Sherri. If Griffin told her, of course she’d assume I told my mom.
Sherri holds up her hands. “In all fairness, I just found out this morning when Griffin called. He asked us to check in with you and to see if you needed help moving anything to his place before he gets back home.”
“I was going to tell you tonight.”
My mom waves me off. “It’s fine. I’m sure you were.” She folds her hands in her lap. “Moving in together. Things must be serious.”
I give Sherri a tight grin. She’s never hidden her love for me. I know there’s nothing she would love more than for Griffin to ask me to marry him. It’s my dream too.
But my mom is more reserved. That’s fair. I’m her only child. She should feel protective of me. The fact that I realize this makes me pretty damn proud of myself.
“I think we’re serious. Most of the time he’s at my apartment or I’m at his house, so it makes sense to just live together and save on rent.”
“So you’re having premarital sex?”
What?
The evil women before me do a stupendous job of keeping serious expressions as I disappear into the chair under their scrutiny.
“Are you serious? You bought me condoms and lubricant for my nineteenth birthday.” I remain unblinking for a few seconds until my mom cracks a smile.
“She did?” Hayley startles me.
I glance back. This conversation is not appropriate for young ears.
“Wow, Mom, and you won’t even let me get a tattoo.”
Sherri rolls her eyes at Hayley. “Letting you get a tattoo won’t prevent you from getting pregnant.”
“So …” I stand. “What kind of pizza does everyone want?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
It’s been an unforgettable weekend. What started out as me mourning my vacation with Griffin has turned into lovable baby time with Morgan and a night of laughter with my family. I don’t have to marry Griffin to call his family mine. I love them. I love him for making last night happen when he could have been pissed that I didn’t go.
He’s always thinking of me.
However, all the fun and laughter is about to end as the back door opens. My boss is home.
Hand over the baby and get out.
“Hey …” Nate sets his suitcase on the floor and goes straight to the sink to wash his hands, depositing a bouquet of flowers on the counter.
I bounce Morgan in my arms. She has a few drunk-on-milk smiles for her daddy. It calms my nerves, but just a little.
Hand over the baby and get out.
“Trade.” He holds out the flowers to me.
I take them as he takes Morgan. “These are for me?” I don’t mean to sound so breathless, but once again he’s taken all the oxygen from the room.
“For staying.”
I shake my head. “I thought the five grand was for staying.”
“The money is business. The flowers are personal. I know you didn’t stay just for the money. You stayed because you care for Morgan.”
I shrug, but I don’t look at him. I can’t. “I stayed for the money.”
I stayed for Morgan. Who am I kidding? I stayed for Nate because he needed me.
Fuck.
I shouldn’t have stayed. My mom is my family. Griffin is my family. His parents and sisters are my family. Nate and Morgan are not my family. I need to remember this.
“Well…” he clears his throat “…you’re good at what you do.”
I nod, keeping my gaze on the flowers. My feet won’t move. They’re rooted to the floor. Nate holds me captive without touching me. The force of his past is greater than my strength to walk away. It won’t let go.
“She’s out,” he whispers.
I glance up. Morgan’s asleep on his shoulder. I knew she was getting close.
“Don’t go yet.” His gaze locks with mine for a few moments before he carries Morgan to her room.
This is my chance to run. I should. Nothing good can come from the two of us alone. But my legs won’t work.
His shadowy figure ghosts toward me. I will never let this be more than an unspoken thought, but I love looking at Nate—the one in my head, the one in the picture, and the one before me. And it breaks. My. Heart.
I love Griffin so completely. He’s everything. What’s left when you have everything?
Nothing.
That’s the logical answer. That should be the only answer. But the rules of reason don’t apply to me because I see things I shouldn’t see, I know things I shouldn’t know, and the answer to what’s left when I have everything is … Nate Hunt.
He walks with this swagger that’s unintentional. That’s just him. He’s quietly confident. When he stops in front of me, once again invading my space, I suck in a silent breath. He doesn’t speak. It’s as if his proximity says it all—he thinks I’m her. He would stand this close to her. She would let him.
“I think you miss your wife,” I whisper, staring at our bare feet an inch from touching.
“Terribly.”
His response grips my heart.
“I think you miss Daisy.”
“More than words.”
The hair on the back of my neck shoots up.