“There’s nothing left to say.”
“Yes. There is. But it would be easier if you let me talk to you face-to-face.”
I roll my forehead on the door, contemplating my next move. I hate that he put me in this position. I hate that he said what he said. And I hate that I’m about to open the door.
I unlock and open it, coming face-to-face with the beautiful man next door. He’s wearing gray sweatpants and a black T-shirt and looks too fucking hot for his own good.
Asshole.
“What do you want?” I ask, crossing my arms over my body protectively.
“To apologize,” he says back.
“I saw your messages. You apologized. It’s done.”
He shakes his head. “No. I need you to know that I didn’t mean what I said.” I quirk an eyebrow at him, calling out his bullshit. “Okay, I might have meant what I said, but–”
I put up my hand. “You can stop right there. I’m sorry, Declan, but there’s nothing you can say that will justify your words.”
“Mommy?” The small, groggy voice of my daughter sounds from behind me.
Shit.
I turn towards her. “Go back to bed, baby girl.”
She rubs her eyes and then they go wide with recognition. “Declan!” she yells and runs toward the hulk of a man standing in my doorway.
I try to stop her, but she moves out of my grasp. And in a surprise move I wasn’t expecting, Declan crouches down and opens his arms for her.
My daughter wraps her arms around Declan’s neck, and he wraps his arms around her tiny body. His eyes meet mine, but he closes them a moment later to soak in Autumn’s hug.
My eyes start to sting. I want to be mad at him. Iammad at him. But the devil’s advocate says he’s genuinely sorry. I just don’t know what sorry entails. Will he want to be around her? Or is he going to keep giving her the cold shoulder?
I clear my throat. “Declan has to go to bed, Autumn,” I lie to her. I can’t watch my daughter fall in love with a man who isn’t going to give her the time of day.
Autumn pulls away just enough to look at Declan face-to-face. She places her little hands on his cheeks and says, “You look tired. You need to go to sleep.” And then wraps her arms around his neck for one last squeeze before coming to my side.
“Go pick out a book. I’ll read you another one,” I tell her.
She turns to leave but stops to look back at Declan. “Does the unicorn give you magical dreams?”
His brows furrow, and he looks to me for help. I nod my head to let him know to say yes, and he does. That seems to make Autumn happy, and she leaves to go to her room.
“What did she mean by that?”
I lick my lips, contemplating whether I should tell him or not, but I do. “The drawing you did for her… she asks the unicorn to give you magical dreams every night.”
He rubs the scruff on his face and blows out a breath. He feels bad. It’s written all over his face.
“Good night, Declan,” I tell him, trying to get him out of my presence so I can think straight. Everything about him has my body wanting things it shouldn’t want, and it doesn’t help that there’s alcohol running through my veins right now.
He gives me a sad smile and nods. “Good night.” He turns to go into his apartment, but before I close the door on his form, he turns his face towards mine. “Penny…”
I pause to hear what he has to say.
“I’ll see you later. Because this,” he waves his hand between us, “this isn’t over yet.”
~ ~ ~
