“And for taking care of Charlotte.”
“She’s my wife,” I repeated. “Even if it’s only been a few weeks, that’s still not something I’d ever take for granted.”
We sat there for a moment before I looked at him again. “You need to fix things between her and Douglas. That’s the one thing I can’t do anything about.”
“I know.” Alex nodded, his fingers drumming lightly against the side of the glass. “I just thought taking over would be different, you know? I thought, I don’t know, I thought I’d handle it better and that he’d let me.”
“You’re doing fine.”
He scoffed. “Sterling made it look easy.”
“Sterling was married when he took over the west coast operations.”
Alex’s gaze cut to me. “So?”
“So, it wasn’t as easy for him as you seem to think,” I said. “Harlan refused to hand over the reins until Sterling was marriedwitha baby on the way, no less.”
Alex stared at me like I’d just grown a dick out of my forehead. “Harlan demanded the baby too?”
I nodded. “He wanted proof of stability and said a man thinking about his family makes better decisions.”
“That’s archaic.”
“That’s Harlan.”
Alex shook his head, muttering a curse.
“What?” I said with a shrug. “Wives do make life easier.”
“Based on your, what, two weeks of experience on the matter?” he deadpanned.
I grinned. “She’s exceptional. That helps.”
He rolled his eyes, but there was a softness there I hadn’t seen in a while. Something relieved. I lifted my glass toward him. “You Westwoods have always been something else.”
Alex huffed out a breath. “I’m not sure if that’s an insult or a compliment, but it doesn’t matter, I guess. I’ll talk to my dad, okay? I just can’t promise anything. He’s handed over the reins to the company, for now, but not to the family. At this point, I’m not sure there’s anything I can do. Well, not anything more than anyone else can, at least. The man is stubborn as shit and he’s not about to just admit he was wrong.”
I let out a long, loud breath, then signaled the bartender for another drink. Charlotte had already lost her mom and I didn’t even want to think about how much it would hurt her if she as good as lost her dad now too. I planned on being her family from now on, but her dad owed her at least an apology—and one way or another, I would make sure she got it.
CHAPTER 47
CHARLOTTE
Iwoke up warm, feeling as safe as if I was in a fortress despite everything that had happened just yesterday. Part of me had wondered if I would ever really feel this way again, completely safe.
Especially after I’d learned that my dad had known who Gregory really was, but right now, wrapped in Trent’s arms with his breathing slow and steady against the back of my neck, nothing could touch me. For a minute, I just lay there, soaking in the sensation and trying to believe that it was permanent.
Not only that Gregory was gone, but also that Trent was staying. Deep down, I hadn’t known what he’d do the day there was no more threat from the Van Allens, yet he’d made it pretty clear yesterday that between us, nothing had changed.
Except that we would have peace now. Hopefully.
I cuddled into him, inhaling deeply and smiling when I realized that this was a first, me being awake while he was still fast asleep. A faint tinge of bourbon in the air clued me in as to why, and I chuckled, but I was nice enough to do it without making a sound.
Before I’d fallen asleep last night, Trent had mentioned that Alex had asked him to meet up for a drink. I was glad they’d doneit. They’d had a lot to talk about, what with them being business partners and all, but there had probably been some personal stuff too.
Alex had taken it mostly in stride when he’d realized that Trent and Ishared a bed,but I was sure they’d had a few things to clear up. I just hoped Trent knew that nothing would keep me from dragging his gorgeous ass to that jet later this afternoon.
Come hell or high hangovers, I was getting us back to Texas right on schedule.
