“I’m glad,” she murmured. “Really. I’m glad you’re okay.”
“Thanks, Avery.” I smiled at her.
“No problem,” she replied.
“Yo, Capt,” Adrian suddenly called out. “You want to hold your niece?”
Avery shook her head immediately. “Nah. Maybe when she’s a little bigger.”
I laughed at that, and Avery walked over to Judy, leaning in to admire Haille.
“Oh my God, she’s adorable,” Avery breathed. “People say babies’ faces change a lot, but honestly? I hope she looks like you.”
She winked at me, then turned to Adrian with a dagger-sharp look.
“You’re lucky she turned out cute, or I would’ve actually killed you.”
“Avery!” Judy gasped, clutching Haille a little closer. “There is an actual baby in the room, dear God.”
Avery lifted her hands in innocent surrender. “What? I’m just stating facts.”
Adrian groaned. “Can you not threaten murder while Mom is holding my newborn?”
Avery rolled her eyes. “Fine. I’ll do it later.”
Judy hissed her name, lowering her voice. “Avery.”
—?—
Adrian
I knew exactly why Avery still looked at me like she was ready to throw something at my head. Elena had told her about the affair, and Avery had absolutely lost it on the phone after she found out.
Her voice still echoed in my head.
“You’re lucky Elena didn’t let me stay over. If she had, I swear to God, you’d be done.”
“I’m disappointed, Adrian. Disappointed doesn’t even cover it.”
“If Mom ever hears about this? God... I don’t even want to imagine it. Elena spared your ass. She didn’t want to hurt Mom, so she came to me.”
“You had a wife like Elena and still went after some pathetic homewrecker.”
“Phoebe? The girl from college? Jesus Christ, you’re not eighteen.”
I didn’t argue. There was nothing to argue.
“I know,”I said.“I messed up. I was stupid.”
She gave me a cold, humorless laugh, one I’d only ever heard when she was truly angry.
“Stupid? Adrian, you detonated your entire marriage. You don’t get to summarize that with stupid.”
She didn’t let up.
“If Dad were still alive, he’d be devastated. He raised you better than this.”
That one hit harder than anything else. My throat tightened instantly. She didn’t need to spell it out, I already felt that shame every damn day.
