“Gorgeous,” the personal shopper said. “It looks like it was made for you.”
Jagger stayed quiet, but he didn’t really have to say anything for me to know what he was thinking. His eyes swept over my body and darkened. “We’ll take it.”
***
“I think Amelia is already snoring.”
Jagger came back into the living room and sat next to me on the couch after putting the girls to bed.
I smiled. “They had a great day. So did I. You spoiled all three of us. Thank you.”
He put his hand on my knee and rubbed his thumb back and forth. “It’s my pleasure.”
“How did things go with your sister?” It was the first time we’d had a chance to speak alone.
“Better than expected. She agreed to stay in the hospital for the length of time the doctors recommended, a month. They’re adjusting some of her meds. She claims she stopped taking them because they made her tired all the time. We’re going to see how things go before I bring the girls to visit, but hopefully she’ll be well enough for me to take them for a few hours soon.”
“What about after she’s out? Will you bring her to New York?”
He nodded. “I want to protect the girls and make sure they’re safe, not keep them from their mother.”
“You’re a really good uncle, you know that?”
“They’re great kids. I hate that they’re going through shit that’s a lot like what I had to deal with growing up. But my mother was an only child, so there wasn’t anyone else. I’m glad I can be there for them.”
“Do you want children of your own?”
Jagger’s eyes jumped to meet mine. I’d gotten good at reading what was on his mind. And now he was giving me a warning.
I held up my hands. “I’m not asking you to have them with me. Just wondering since you’re so close with Amelia and Olivia.”
He looked away. “If you’d asked me a few months ago, I would’ve said no.”
“And now?”
He pushed up from the couch. “And now…I need a drink. Would you like one?”
I shook my head. I was disappointed at the abrupt end to our conversation, but tried to look on the positive side. He hadn’t saidno, and it seemed he was allowing himself to think about possibilities he might not have considered previously. So I didn’t push.
I stood and walked over to stand on the other side of the kitchen island while he fixed his drink.
A text flashed on my phone.
Miles: Honey, I’m home! Just landed.
I smiled.
Sutton: See you soon.
“Miles just got to JFK,” I said. “I should get going.”
Jagger rattled the ice cubes in his glass as he stirred, then sipped. “When will I see you? I know you have dinner plans with your parents because I spoke to Edmund earlier. He and I are getting together for a few hours tomorrow afternoon to go over a strategy we’ve come up with that we think might satisfy the DOJ.”
I nodded. “Mom pushed dinner to eight, but I didn’t realize it was because Edmund would be with you.”
Jagger came around the island and cupped my cheek. “I’d like to celebrate your birthday with you. Is there room for one more at dinner? I can see if Louise can babysit the girls. They’ll be in bed by eight anyway.”
I blinked. “You want to go to dinner with my mother and Miles and Edmund?”
