He couldn’t hide the hope in his eyes.
They were begging—pleadingfor his mother to see it.
Despite everything, Theo Sullivan still had hope after all.
Eleanor drew in a deep breath, still struggling to stem the tide of tears streaming down her cheeks, and nodded. “Yes. I did say that. And I meant it. Imeanit.” She wiped some of the tears away from her face. “You were right: I wasn’t around. I never prioritized you enough. I didn’t protect you. And above all else, I didn’t understandyou—and I didn’t try to. I’m so sorry you felt so alone. I want to fix it. I want to fix it now before it’s too late, if I have even half a chance.” Her hands shook as she tried to suppress another sob. “I’ll make the time. I’ll do whatever it takes. I swear it.”
A weak, tentative smile tugged at the corners of Theo’s mouth. “Okay. Good. I’ll see if you follow through—and I hope you do.” He motioned again toward the card. “Turn that over.”
When Eleanor did, her eyes grew wide, and she glanced at Audrey. But it was only a split second before her gaze was back on Theo’s face. When she nodded, he turned in the chair and motioned over to Audrey, who walked up next to him. He stood and wrapped his arm around her waist so he could tuck her firmly into his side.
“Mom, this is my girlfriend, Audrey Adams.” He beamed down at her, true light dancing in his dark eyes. “She’s an electrical engineering student at NYU about to graduate in a few weeks, and she’s working on sustainability, so I hope I see you prosecuting more companies who break environmental law in the future.” His smile widened. “Audrey’s incredibly smart, incredibly kind, really funny, makes a mean ristretto, and I thought I knew what love was until I met her. Turns out I was wrong.” The crinkles around his eyes deepened. “But I know now.”
Audrey smiled back up at him, and pride warmed her chest as her gaze met his. But it was only for a moment. She took a step forward and held out her hand to Eleanor, who stood as well. She was so short, she only came up to just under Audrey’s nose.
“It’s really nice to meet you, Ms.Redmond.”
Eleanor wrapped Audrey’s hand in both of hers, holding it tight. “Oh, my dear. It’s so wonderful to meet you too. But please—just call me Eleanor.” Her mouth bloomed into a wide, relieved smile as she looked between them. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and tapped the screen. “Would you like to stay for a bit and have coffee? I’ll ask Maureen to bring us some.”
Audrey looked up at Theo.
He smiled.
And nodded.
She turned back to Eleanor. “We’d love to stay.”
“Thank you.” Her face relaxed, and she typed out a quick message before pocketing the phone again. Theo let Audrey take his chair so she could chat with his mother while he grabbed a third from the seating area and pulled it nearer to the coffee table, close enough for him to hold her hand. Once he was settled, Eleanor turned back to Audrey and clasped her hands in her lap.
“Now: how long have you two been tog—”
“DON’T YOU DARE GO IN THERE, YOU PRETENTIOUS PRICK.”
“GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME!”
“FUCK YOU, MOTHERFUCKER!”
There was another shout and a sudden commotion out in the hallway, the sound of a short scuffle followed by a dullthud. The floors and walls of the office shook, rattling Eleanor’s framed diplomas against the drywall, but before any of them could react, the door burst open.
A short man with graying, burnished gold hair and light blue eyes stood in the doorway, his suit rumpled and askew, swaying as he struggled to shove away a spitting-mad and swearing Diego.
They both froze as soon as their eyes landed on Theo.
Theo sucked in a breath and gripped Audrey’s hand so hard, she half wondered if he might break it. There was no mistaking his expression as he stared at the man. It could only mean one thing.
This was his uncle Lloyd.
Audrey knew immediately. While he shared few traits with his older sister aside from some resemblance in bone structure and stature, the man’s nose was slightly crooked, with a telltale bump at the bridge—and several new, thin pink scars slashed across his skin, stillhealing a few months after being broken open and stitched back together.
All the blood drained from Lloyd’s face, and his mouth dropped open.
But before he had half a chance to say a single word, Eleanor had already launched herself out of her chair, lunging toward her brother with her teeth bared. He startled as she pressed one perfectly manicured finger deep into his chest.
“Get the fuck out of here, Lloyd,” she growled, a deadly look in her eyes. “I don’t want you near my son. You take one wrong look at him, and I’ll castrate you myself. And I’ll do a lot worse to your balls than what he did to your face. You understand?”
When Lloyd’s gaze darted back over to his nephew, Audrey rose from her chair and stood in front of Theo, meeting his uncle’s look with a dark one of her own.
It didn’t matter what Eleanor threatened.
