“No.” She shook her head. “I’m not in the mood to see Deena, sorry.”
“No, of course. I understand.”
“I … I should leave. Michael won’t understand why I’m here.”
“No!” I said louder than I meant. Kenna raised an eyebrow. I smiled apologetically. “Please, stay. I’ll tell Michael I invited you over for Boxing Day.”
“Oh. Won’t … will that not confuse him?”
Studying her, I realized she was asking more than just that question. She was asking me what we were and where we went from here.
Did I trust Kenna to know what she wanted when she was still grieving her family?
When she was in my arms … the way she looked at me … I didn’t want to doubt that. But I had more than myself to think of. “We’ll, uh … we’ll talk about that after, yeah.”
Her expression dimmed, and I hated that I had to leave her. I pressed a hard kiss to her mouth. “I’ll be back soon.”
Kenna nodded, but I saw insecurity flicker in her gaze.
Damn it.
I’d need to make a decision and make it soon. I wouldn’t be one more person who hurt this woman. It was difficult when I had my son to think of.
* * *
Michael ranstraight into the house, calling Kenna’s name.
Hearing the crack in his shout, I closed my eyes in a tight press, curling my hands around the steering wheel. I had to get a handle on my anger. I couldn’t let my son see it.
Two hours ago, he had his mum back in his life and he was sweet and forgiving and excited about it.
Now …
The conversation I’d had with Deena just a little over an hour ago played around and around in my mind.
“We need to talk,” my ex had said as soon as I stepped into her townhome. It was in a nice area of Inverness and while the house was narrow, it had three floors and was luxuriously appointed.
“Where’s Michael?” I was already agitated that I’d had to leave Kenna when Deena was supposed to be driving my son home to me, and now this.
“Upstairs. In here.”
I followed Deena into an office. “What’s going on? Did something happen to Michael?”
“No.” She leaned against the desk, nibbling nervously on her lower lip. She wouldn’t meet my eyes. “Jim got offered a new job, and we can’t turn it down.”
“Okay?” I frowned.
“It’s in London.”
Fear scored through me. If she thought for one second I’d agree to Michael living with her that far away … I imagined a horrible custody battle ahead and what that would do to my son. “Deena?—”
“Look.” She held up a hand, still not meeting my gaze. “Before you worry about me trying to take Michael with me, that’s not happening.”
Why did that make me feel even fucking worse? “So … you’re just going to leave him?”
Her cheeks reddened, and she finally looked at me before glancing away in shame. “This is a big opportunity for Jim, and we’ve talked about it and we know we won’t have time to give Michael the attention he needs.”
I hated this woman. At that moment, I truly hated her. “So, to be clear, after begging to have Michael back in your life, you’re walking right back out again?”
