“What?”
“I’m going to go.” I pull the card with Vinny’s number that he gave me last year from my purse and slide it onto the desktop. “Will you call this number if you need anything?” I hate to think of him on his own.
He looks at it, then shakes his head, working on the image again. As if I’m not here. My eyes blur with tears and I quickly lean down and wrap my arms around his body, resting my head on his. This doesn’t feel right. But I don’t say anything more. Standing straight and wiping my eyes, I leave his apartment, knowing I won’t be back for a while.
Vinny arrives shortly after seven to pick me and Ellis up. When I got back from Joey’s, Maggie was waiting at mine and I ended up telling her everything. She thinks I’ve made the right decision, which coming from Maggie means a lot to me. She agrees that Scarlet should go and check in with him in a couple days with Jasper’s death being so raw. It will makeme feel better and I really do think it’ll be good for him to get proper support right now.
“Hello, love,” Vinny says, rounding the bonnet and taking the two bags I had packed for me and Ellis. “You’re both staying at the penthouse tonight?” he observes.
I nod, taking a deep breath in. I need to try and push my emotions aside regarding Joey. I have my own life to fix. “Yeah, I’m going to stay in the spare room. But I think it’s a good step.” I bounce on the balls of my feet. “This is progress, Vin.”
He chuckles, placing a hand on my back and guiding me towards the car. “The spare room.” He shakes his head.
“Yes, the spare room.”
He gives me an amused look. Is it so hard to believe that we can stay away from each other? We did it for over a year.
“Come on, Mason will be waiting for you.”
We are in the car and on the way to the penthouse when a thought comes to me. “Vinny, you must have my father’s name, right?”
I watch as his hands tighten on the steering wheel. “Yes.”
“I would like it if possible, and his address if you have it?” I know he does.
He pauses for a second and I narrow my gaze on him. “I think you should speak to Mason?—”
“No,” I tell him. “I’m asking you for a reason. I want you to come with me.”
His brows shoot up as he turns to look at me. “Come with you?”
“To meet him. Mason won’t have me go alone, andI don’t want him to come. I’ll tell him that I’m going and that you’ll take me.”
“What’s brought this on, love?” he asks.
I look at my hands and contemplate lying before thinking better of it. “Everything with Jasmine...”
Vinny nods his head. “She doesn’t know him.”
I flick my eyes to him. That surprises me.
“She doesn’t have contact with her mother either. Hasn’t since she left school. She doesn’t even know who her father is.”
Why did I think it would’ve been different for her? “What is she like?”
“A lot like you.”
My eyes lift to his face, a wide smile stretched across it. “You have a new favourite now?” I say, messing with him.
“That’s impossible.” He winks.
I rest my head back on the seat. My eyes close momentarily, giving myself a minute to think about what I want. “Do you think I should meet him?”
“Your father?”
“Hmm,” I mumble.
When he doesn’t answer right away, I open my eyes and search his face. It’s hard and I get a feeling that he knows a lot more than necessary about the man.
