“Do you think Apollo would have wanted this for you?” His arm does a full sweep in the air. “If your baby brother were here, he would kick your ass all the way to Manhattan. He’d tell you to be happy. He’d want you to drop to your knees and beg Emma to forgive you.”
“He’ll never get the chance to love,” I point out. “Do you know how that makes me feel inside?”
“Guilty.” He raises a hand to punctuate the word. “You feel guilty because he died, and you didn’t.”
I drop my head. “Why did he have to die?”
“Why did I get to live?” His voice quivers. “Do you think I didn’t take on some of that guilt too?”
I look up at him with tears clouding my vision. “You weren’t there.”
“I should have been.” His hand slams the top of the island. “I should have been there to hold him when he took his last breath. Your mother looked to me to take care of you both, and I failed.”
I’m on my feet and in front of him in an instant. “Fuck no, you didn’t. You took care of us. Your daughter ran for the hills, and you took on her two boys. Don’t ever doubt what that meant to Apollo and me.”
He takes me into his arms in a shaky embrace. “I want to tell that girl that I’m sorry that she lost Pol.”
I step back and cup his cheek in my hand. “She believes Pol loved her.”
“He did.” He nods. “In his own way, he loved her. She doesn’t need to know about the others.”
Silence is a weapon in itself, but sometimes it’s a gift.
Delaney needs to heal, and we have to help in any way we can.
“Does Emma know you love her?” He taps my bare chest.
Shaking my head, I hold back a rush of emotion. “You should have seen her face. I swear I could see her heart breaking in two in front of me.”
“You’re going to fix that.”
I stare at him. Wisdom has always shone from my grandfather’s eyes. It’s there now.
“What if it’s too late?” I ask on a whisper.
“Then you get your ass in gear and show her that you’re the man for her.” He pats my cheek. “Go pack. We’re leaving in two hours.”
“Two hours.” I huff out a laugh. “You were sure you’d get me to say yes to this trip.”
“I’m sure you love Emma,” he says matter-of-factly. “If you want her back, you get on the plane. It’s as simple as that.”
CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR
Emma
“That’s my newest creation.”Delaney slides a plate with two cupcakes into the middle of the table. “The cupcake is lavender, and it’s a honey cream frosting.”
Bella eyes the plate. “Unless you get your hand on one of those now, Emma, I’m eating them both.”
I tilt my head back in laughter. “I want one.”
“There’s more.” Delaney motions to one of the display cases. “It’s our flavor of the day.”
Bella takes a hearty bite. Her head nods as she chews. “I need to take two to go. Barrett is going to love this.”
Delaney looks to me, so I pick up mine and take a bite. My eyes almost roll back in my head because it’s that good.
“My brother and his wife are coming back tonight.” I point at the cupcake. “I’ll take two as well for them.”
