“Don’t think too long. We need November’s cover article ready for press by the end of next week, and the readers need at least a little information about what our New Romantics girl is up to.”
I swallow. Dammit. I’m in too deep to stop it.
This plan of mine better not blow up in my face. I don’t have a great track record in that department, though, when it comes to JJ.
FORTY-TWO
JJ
When Vivi’sname flashes on my phone’s screen, my stomach drops.
Avery was not thrilled when she found out both Adeline and I would be gone for another week. She cried herself to sleep last night, her tears breaking my damn heart. This morning we took her to breakfast, and I told Adeline to head to the airport without me so we weren’t both leaving at the same time.
Unfortunately Avery fell asleep while watching a movie, and I thought maybe it would be better not to wake her when I had to leave. I second-guessed that thought the entire way to the airport, and I have a feeling this call is going to confirm I made the wrong choice.
“Hello,” I say as I check the console to confirm I’m not leaving anything important in the car.
“Daddy, where are you?” The sadness in Avery’s voice pierces my heart.
“I have to go to work, Aves. We went over this. Vivi has all sorts of fun things planned for you and your cousins. You won’t even miss me.”
“I already miss you,” she says through broken little tears.
Fuck, I don’t know if I can do this. I force myself to climb out andpop the trunk. Then I stare at the suitcase and consider turning around. I can’t keep doing this to my kid. It’s not fair.
“Aves.” I blow out a breath. What the hell do I do now? How do I make this okay?
“JJ, I got this,” Vivi says in the background. “Avery, what do you say we go check on the raccoons? I think Uncle Beckett left some treats for them.”
“I don’t want the raccoons. I want Daddy,” Avery sobs.
Jaw clenched, I close my eyes and run through my options. “What if I called Mimi?”
“Do you think…she’d want to…hang out with me?” Her soft voice breaks every few seconds as she tries to suck in little breaths, but there’s a hint of hope in her tone.
“Let me call her. If she’s around, I’m sure there’s nothing she would want to do more.”
“Do you think she’ll want me to stay the night?” Avery hedges, my little negotiator.
I chuckle. “I’ll see what I can do. But Aves, I gotta get off the phone to call her, okay?”
“Okay. I love you, Daddy. I’m sorry I’m not so brave.”
My gut clenches, nearly making me double over. “You are the bravest girl I know.”
“So I can still be on your team?”
The fissure in my heart, the one that showed up this morning when I left her, opens up. “There is not a thing in the world you could do that would keep you from being on my team. You don’t have to be brave for me. Okay?”
She sniffles. “Okay, Daddy.”
“I love you and I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Love you too.”
As I pull the phone away from my ear, Vivi tells Avery that she found the raccoon treats. When my little girl squeals, apparently changing her opinion on visiting the raccoons, my muscles relax a little. I grab my suitcase, shut the trunk, and lock the car. Then I dial my mother.
She quickly agrees to pick up Avery, offering to keep her for theentire week if that’s what Avery wants. It’s not a permanent solution, but I don’t have any other choice. I really don’t think bringing Avery on these road trips is the right way to go either, but maybe that would be better than constantly breaking her heart. Maybe I should just hire a full-time nanny to travel with us.
