Page 128 of Reveal

“It’s just too much. This is all too much.” I can’t tell if she’s crying, and I’m pretty sure if she is, she’ll just deny it if I ask.

“I just wanted to give you something no one has ever given you before.”

“Money?” The word is two drawn-out syllables.

“Yes, but it’s so much more than that. It’s me telling you I believe in you. It’s me telling you that you’re worth it. It’s me wanting you to know that I think you’re going to be an incredible mother to Lucy. It’s me wanting you to look in the mirror every day and instead of trying to figure out if you’re Vee or Vaughn or a server at Apropos or a madam, you know that you’re you—a little bit of all those people mixed together to make up one incredible woman.” Her hiccupped sob fills the line. “Oh baby, please don’t cry.”

“I don’t deserve this.”

“But you do. I’m sick of watching you work yourself to death. Sick of seeing you worry over what will come of it. Wonder what it will be like after you get it all paid off. Well, now it’s the after. Now it’s your turn to do and be and live for yourself.”

“Ryker.”

“There’s nothing to say.”

“I’ll pay you back.”

“I won’t accept it.”

“I’ll find a way.”

“I want—no, need—you to know something. I pulled the trigger on this way before whatever happened the past week or two happened.” Spit it out, Lockhart. “Yes, I was worried that you were going to break up with me, but I don’t want you to think that I did this to buy you into staying.”

There’s silence on the line, and I immediately feel like a dumbass for making the comment.

“You have no idea how much I needed to hear that.” She laughs. “Did you hear that, everyone?” she shouts out and laughs again. “He did it a while ago.”

“Um . . . am I missing something?” I ask, thoroughly confused.

“Nothing and everything.” A giggle that sounds part hysterical. “Ryker Lockhart?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.” Her voice is barely a whisper, but those three words hit me as if they were spoken through a megaphone. Loud. Unapologetic. Genuine.

And after the events, her actions, and everything that I don’t understand, I sure as hell didn’t expect to hear that.

I clear my throat. It’s all I can do, because it feels like something is stuck there momentarily. “Vaughn.” Her name is a murmur on my lips. “You surprise me at every turn. Please don’t ever change that.”

“I promise. And I didn’t tell you that because you paid off my bills, because I have every intention of paying you back.”

“If you believing that is the only way you’ll accept the funds, then yeah, sure. Whatever you say, dear.” I laugh, and fuck if it doesn’t feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders I didn’t even know was there.

“Don’t mock me, Lockhart.”

“Yes, madam.”

“Ah, so very clever.”

“I try.” I glance up to the house in front of me. “Was this what you wanted to talk to me about when I get home?”

“Yes and no. There’s just . . . we’ll talk when you get here.”

“Sounds good.”

“Oh, hey. Tell me something,” she says.

“What?”