We both spin around at the sound of Emmett’s voice.
With Blake in his arms, he points toward the exit, eyes briefly flashing to Dad’s. “I’m going to take Blake back to the car and wait for you there.”
“Sure,” I confirm, my voice barely able to form a single word without it wobbling.
Emmett rolls his lips together as Dad smiles at his granddaughter. This whole situation is heart-wrenchingly fucked up.
“Hey, Scott.”
Dad doesn’t even look at Emmett, let alone return his greeting.
It’s the final straw—or maybe nail in the coffin—as I jump down from the stool and hook my purse over my shoulder.
Turning back to Dad, I set a single kiss against his cheek.
“I love you with every piece of my heart, so please, don’t let pride and bitterness stand in the way of the truth. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll always be here, and when you want to see Blake, I’ll always bring her over to see you. But for now, I need to step away from our relationship because, clearly, this level of anger isn’t doing either of us any good.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
EMMETT
Stepping into the elevator, we ascend to my penthouse in silence, Billie wearing a fake smile as she tries to hide her pain from the exchange with Scott.
She doesn’t want to give me the details, for fear of making me feel worse when nothing could hurt me more than knowing that my girl is upset.
As Blake happily snores away in her stroller, I reach behind Billie and hit Stop on the elevator.
Her eyes grow wide. “What are you doing?”
Moving into her space, I plant my hands on her hips and brush my nose across hers.
“Even if it’s just you, me, and Blake against the world and for the rest of time, I love you.” I whisper a similar sentiment to the one she gave me in Jack and Kendra’s spare bedroom.
I’m tempted to ask her all about what Scott said, but truthfully, I don’t think she wants to revisit it, and I don’t see how hearing his words of rejection will help to heal the invisible wounds of our friendship. My face might be fully healed, but it’sgoing to take a whole lot more than arnica cream and Steri-Strips to mend the internal traumas we’re all still living with.
Billie’s shoulders drop an inch, and I cover her mouth with mine, taking the kiss deeper in a bid to drive home my love for her.
When we come up for air, we’re both breathless, and I’m desperate to get her in my bed.
“You wanted to talk about financial stuff.”
I kiss her once more. “I do. But I have a surprise for you first.”
Her eyes narrow, as she’s wary about surprises. “Wait. Are we talking a good surprise?”
Nodding my head from side to side, I hit the Stop button again to set the elevator going. “I guess that all depends on whether or not you like what I’ve done with the place.”
Her confused expression doesn’t last long as the doors open to reveal a completely different living and kitchen space from the one Billie saw last time she visited my penthouse.
Hands in front of her mouth, she takes a few steps out of the elevator and slowly turns around in my new living area.
“Oh my God, Emmett!” she squeals. “The contrasting blues and golden accents are just …”
Racing over to the kitchen, she smooths a palm over deep blue cabinets, and happy tears fill her eyes as I release the brake on Blake’s stroller and wheel her into the penthouse.
“I … I don’t even know what to say.”
Wetness glides down her cheeks as she heads into my living room and takes in the pictures of me and Blake on the carousel at Luna Park. There’s three in total, all in huge frames and hanging above a new powder-blue corner couch—something the interior designer said was “so on point right now.”
