I straightened. McCormick looked like I’d set off a blasting cap on the desk right in front of him.
“I’m sure you’ll let Mary know we’ve spoken.” I rapped my fingers on the desk, making sure his eyes contacted mine before I went to let myself out.
“Max!” he called, and I stopped at the door, watching a man who I’d never seen falter, who I’d never seen unsure, bluster unsteadily, “You can’t?—”
“I just did,” I said and walked out.
I told Daisy I was going to fix this, that I was going to protect her. Now, I was sure that I had.
My blood was buzzingby the time I climbed into the seat of my truck. The first thing I did was reach for my phone. I wanted to let Daisy know I was on my way back. I wanted to tell her it was finished, that she’d never have to worry about the McCormicks again.
In an instant, my heart, previously thundering with excitement, plummeted to the pit of my stomach, wrapped in a cold shroud. A message from Todd sat like a bright red warningflare on the screen. After all these weeks, what were the chances he’d message me today? Within minutes of my visit to his dad?
Maybe he had been in contact with them. Maybe as soon as I’d walked out of that room, Mr. McCormick had called Todd and leveled all his fury on his son. To me, it made no difference that there was no biological relation between the two of them, but to them, the image was all the difference.
I wished I could’ve talked to him before going to speak to his father. I wished I could’ve talked to him weeks ago when he left Daisy at the altar. Or when I offered to marry her. Or when we moved into my house. Not because I needed his approval, but because I wished I could know he was okay.
Now, we were here. I was married to his ex-fiancée, and I’d just threatened to expose his family’s darkest secrets if they didn’t leave us alone.
I didn’t leave myself time to wonder whose side in all this Todd would be on. I simply swiped open the text and pushed through the tornado of emotions whipping through me. Anger. Concern. Frustration. Pity. My eyes collided with the message inside, and all those riotous emotions shattered like glass.
Daisy’s water broke. We’re at Stonebar Hospital.
Nausea followed the whiplash as I read and reread the text. Like I’d stepped into a boxing ring with a heavyweight champion, each pass a harder hit than the last.
Daisy was in labor.
And Todd was with her.
Why—how?I should be there. I should be with her. My wife.My baby, not his.
I’d stood on the sidelines for years, ignoring how I felt because of how it could hurt others. I couldn’t do that anymore.I wouldn’t. Daisy was my wife. My future.My heart.And I was going to do whatever it took to make him understand that, even if it cost me our friendship.
I cursed myself every minute of the hour it took to get back to Stonebar. And I broke every speed limit on the way back to her.
Chapter 31
Daisy
This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen.
Pain seared through my lower body, and I squeezed Todd’s hand until his fingertips turned white. He didn’t complain. I could’ve squeezed his hand straight off his wrist, and he’d have had no right to complain. Not after what he’d done.
The crest of the contraction dipped, and my thoughts collected into coherence again.
“Where is he?” I choked out, blinking back the tears that wanted to fall.
“He’ll be here, Daisy. You know he will,” Todd assured me, and for the first time in our entire relationship, I actually believed what he promised, and it had nothing to do with him and everything to do with the man we were talking about.
This wasn’t how this was supposed to happen.I kept thinking it ironically because a few months ago, this was almost exactly what was supposed to happen. Me, giving birth, with Todd by my side. How could I have ever thought that was right?
From the second I opened the door and saw him standing on the stoop like an apologetic schoolboy, all I could think was,howcould I have ever chosen him?I knew how. Because I’d grown up believing I couldn’t be too close to anyone
So many times I’d thought it didn’t matter if I never spoke to Todd again. I had nothing to say…and there was nothing I needed to hear.Why would I want an apology for a decision that had been the right one?
“He has to be here, Todd.” I pushed out a breath and then sucked in another sharp one, feeling the clamp of another contraction starting. “Max has to be here.”
“I texted him, Daisy. If he was in Boston…” Todd glanced over at the clock and frowned. “Do you want me to call him?”
