When they were gone, Daphne frowned. "I don't appreciate you turning my child against me," she huffed.
I looked at her like she was stupid. "Turn her against you? I never say a bad word about you to Annie. She's a smart girl who's drawn her own conclusions and knows what you're about."
Daphne crossed her arms over her silicone chest. "What I'm about? What is that supposed to mean?"
"When was the last time you saw her?"
"Easter!" She scoffed. "You know that."
"You mean you showed up for five minutes, was annoyed with a house full of children and left after feigning a headache. She hardly even saw you."
"I did have a headache." She pouted. "All that noise didn't help. Stop being so hard on me."
I pinched the bridge of my nose. I knew there was no point in talking to Daphne. To be honest, I was sick of talking to her. I wiped a hand down my face and gave her a wary look. "What did you want to talk to me about, Daphne?"
She perked up as if she'd forgotten why she was there in the first place. Her pale delicate fingers slipped through her red locks. She flicked them this way and that before she smiled at me. "I know things haven't been easy between us—"
"Understatement of the century," I muttered.
"But I think that can change," she continued as if she hadn't heard me. "I made a mistake. I’m leaving Gabriel."
I blinked with surprise. What the…?
“Gabriel means nothing to me,” she said softly.
"You left us for him," I interrupted. "I would think he meant something to you."
"I was young and impulsive. I didn't know what he was about. I was just swept up in it all. You know as well as I do that he went after me, Christian."
I laughed. Strange, I didn’t feel any bitterness. If anything, I was glad she showed her true colors. "So what? A faithful wife would have said no way and told me about it. Not jumped into bed with him."
"Christian, come on."
“Come on what? What exactly are you asking for?”
“I’m asking for a second chance. You and Me. We owe it to Annie.”
"No," I stated immediately. Disgust filled my body. I’d rather stay in a cage with a poisonous snake then lie with her again. "There is nothing left between us and I don't want there to be. We're not getting back together and I wouldn't with you if you were the last woman on Earth."
Daphne narrowed her eyes. "You can either get back with me the way we both know you're going to do, or I'm going to make your life hell. I know where all your buttons are. I can press them one by one."
I stared at her incredulously. What on earth did I ever see in her? Other than her beauty, she was a vain, selfish, greedy, self-obsessed, narcissistic soulless creature. "Do you think that makes me want to be with you? If anything, that makes saying no feel so good."
"Feel how you want. You'll change your mind by the time I'm through," she snapped.
“You’ve had your say, now get out.”
She turned on her heels and stormed away.
The sound of the front door slammed and I cringed. I was heading up the stairs when I stopped. Hannah was reading to Annie and doing one of the silly animal voices perfectly.
Annie chuckled.
I stood stock-still.
Suddenly, I gripped my shirt in shock. Was I? Was I actually falling for Hannah Gray?
Chapter Twenty-Four
Christian
"Annie, please put your shoes on," I said as she ran through the house barefoot.
"They pinch my toes!" she complained.
"They do not pinch your toes. I just brought them for you. Please, for the love of God finish getting dressed, so we can let our guests in."
Annie blew out a breath and I saw the impending tantrum coming. She hated having to wear the fancy blue dress and the shiny blue shoes with the white frilly socks. She and Hannah had picked them all out a few days ago, but for some reason, right now she wanted no part of any of it.
Hannah came around the corner, picked Annie up, and sat her on a free space on the counter. She unbuckled one shoe and slid Annie's foot into it without an ounce of resistance. Then she did the other. That done, she finger combed the curls she'd done for Annie and re-arranged her bangs until she looked like a little porcelain doll. “There. You look beautiful now.”
“But I want to wear my PJs.”
“You can’t wear PJs to a party. Parties are special, so you have to dress up for them. All your friends will be dressed in their best. They’ll be photographers and everything. Don’t you want to look beautiful?”
Annie nodded. “I guess so.”
“Good. Now, why don't you go into the media room and put on some cartoons? The party is starting soon and your friends will want to watch something cool. And don't take your shoes off because someone might step on your pretty toes."