I blink. “Penny?”
“Penelope,” she clarifies.
My chest tightens just slightly.
Penelope was the name I’d always said I’d give a daughter. After River was born, I’d laughed and told Simone she could steal it if she ever had a girl.
“Don’t be flattered,” Simone says quickly, holding her hands out for the baby. “I just liked the name.”
I carefully pass Penny back to her, trying to ignore the strange, tender ache in my chest.
“Sure you did,” I murmur.
Simone narrows her eyes at me, but there’s warmth there now.
“How are we doing in here?” Darren asks carefully as he rolls back into the room.
“She just called me a bitch,” Simone says calmly.
I open my mouth to protest, but she lifts a brow to silence me. The corner of her mouth twitches, and I realize she’s baiting him.
Catching on, I shrug and play along. “Well,” I say lightly, “you are.”
Darren looks between us carefully. “In a good way?” he asks, hopeful.
Simone rolls her eyes giving up. “Thanks for butting in. I guess I did miss her.”
Darren shifts his attention to me. “So does this mean I can go interrogate my brother now?”
“It’s fine,” Simone answers for me before I can speak.
I bite my lip, tempted to ask him to tell Logan to go back to Dr. Brett. The urge sits on my tongue, but I swallow it. It feels like overstepping. Logan chose me. I can’t start managing him now.
So, I stay quiet and watch Darren leave.
“He really forgave you?” Simone asks once his car pulls away.
“He says he did.” I drop down onto the sectional, suddenly tired.
“You don’t believe him?”
“It’s not that,” I say slowly. “It just feels fragile. Like one wrong move and it’ll shatter. I mean…” I glance at her. “You’re still pissed at me. How could he not be?”
Simone adjusts Penny against her shoulder and begins gently patting her back. “I’m not pissed about what happened,” she says. “I’m pissed that you lied to me. I was worried about you. And the whole time you were looking me in the eye and letting me believe something that wasn’t true.”
Guilt tightens in my chest.
“Once I calmed down,” she continues, “I didn’t know how to apologize. I didn’t want to admit I’d made it about me.”
“You still haven’t,” I point out quietly.
She gives me a look just as Penny lets out a loud, impressive burp.
I can’t help it, I laugh.
“How about this,” I say gently, reaching for the baby. “I’ll forgive you if you forgive me.”
Simone hesitates for a beat, then carefully transfers Penny into my arms.
