He barked out a humorless laugh. “You make it sound so easy.”
“It is.” Sometimes, he knew, compromise wasn’t about sacrificing wants or needs, but your own pride. “Aria is going to need you these coming months.” I’m going to need you. I miss my friend.
Grim understanding twisted Braden’s expression. “You’re going to war.”
“Yes.” There was no point in trying to soften the blow as war, he knew, was anything but soft.
Braden, to his credit, didn’t flinch away from it. “This isn’t what I wanted for her.”
The guilt he carried with him always grew heavier yet in his stomach. “I know. I want to tell you that I wish it was different, that I wish Aria weren’t involved. But the truth is, I can’t imagine facing this without her by my side.”
Of all the things they’d discussed so far, it was that simple confession that had Braden’s eyes going round with surprise. “You love her.”
“Aye.” Another truth he saw no point in trying to soften.
“Fucking hell.” Raking a hand through his hair, Braden let out a shaky breath. “That complicates things.”
“I happen to think it makes them rather simple. I love her, she loves me, and so we’re going to spend the rest of our lives together.” Leaning forward, he kept his gaze locked on Braden’s eyes, the blue shimmering with too many emotions for him to name. “And I promise you that I will do everything in my very considerable power to ensure those are very long, very happy lives.”
Silence stretched between them, more strained than in the past. But he could be patient when it mattered, and he couldn’t think of anything that mattered more than ensuring Aria had her father back in her life.
“All right.” Though they were tinged with weariness, the words were strong, full of conviction. “What do you need from me?”
Relief washed through him, would have made his knees weak if he’d been standing. “What I’ve always needed.”
“And what’s that?”
“Your friendship.”
Another silence, though shorter this time before Braden gave a slow nod. “All right. On one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“I’d like to walk my daughter down the aisle. I don’t care what the state of South Carolina says, I want her to have a real wedding with the poofy dress and the flowers and the cake. All of it.”
“If that’s what Aria wants, I’ll make it happen.” The weight he’d been carrying since he first realized the truth of Aria’s pregnancy lightened as he rose to his feet. “I’ll go see if she’s awake.”
“Thank you.”
He didn’t have to go far. She was already halfway down the stairs when he stepped out into the entryway. They both froze, their gazes locking, and even with the distance between them he could see the way her eyes lit with happiness at the sight of him.
And he vowed then and there that he would die before he allowed anyone to dim that light.
Moving to the bottom of the stairs, he held out a hand, waiting as she descended, regal as any member of the royal family to settle her hand in his. “Good morning, husband.”
“Good morning, wife.” Unable to resist the siren call of her smile, he dipped his head, capturing those curved lips in a brief kiss. “Your father’s here.”
Like flipping a switch, happiness turned to fury. “Seriously? He’s got some fucking nerve after everything he pulled. He didn’t even have the decency to call and check on me yesterday. Bastard.”
“Ah… that last is my fault, I’m afraid.” At her confused frown, he ran the pad of his thumb over her knuckles, hoping to soothe her a bit before telling her the truth. “I was worried he would upset you if he called, so I may have blocked his number from your phone.”
Her eyes went wide, then narrowed. “Okay, we’re going to have a long talk about that later. Where’s my father?”
“In my office.”
To his surprise, she didn’t jerk her hand free, but instead wound her fingers through his as they made their way back to his office. And in yet another surprise move, she didn’t go running straight for her father, choosing instead to stand behind the desk with him. A silent, but powerful message.
We stand together. Always.
