Page 88 of Sexting My Ex’s Dad

“Your bunny,” I repeat, and a small laugh slips out before I can stop it. “Yes. Bunny comes.”

The next few hours move in a blur of practical steps. I pack Ivy’s bag first, then mine, then I check travel documents twice, then I set alarms for a time that feels cruel.

I call the number Daniel gave me, and he answers on the second ring.

“This is Athena,” I say, voice tight. “We’re coming.”

“Good,” Daniel replies, and his voice holds a strain that makes my skin prickle. “He asked, and he’s been waiting.”

I swallow. “How bad?”

There’s a pause. “He’s stable. He’s awake on and off. The team is solid. He’s got injuries, but he’s stubborn.”

That sounds like Nathan, and it makes my eyes sting.

I look at Ivy, who’s sitting on the couch hugging her bunny and watching me like she understands more than she should. “We’ll be there,” I tell Daniel.

“Call me when you land,” he replies. “I’ll meet you.”

The flight is a string of bright lights and tight seats and Ivy falling asleep against my shoulder with her mouth slightly open. I don’t sleep. I stare at nothing, then I rehearse what I’ll say, then I lose the thread and start over. When she’s awake, I tell her what I can about my past, why I lost my previous job, and who was responsible.

By the time we land, my skin feels too tight and my nerves feel raw.

Daniel meets us near baggage claim. He’s tall, mid-thirties, tired eyes, and a posture that says he’s used to fixing systems when people are falling apart. He looks at Ivy first, then at me, then he nods like he’s confirming reality.

“Athena,” he says.

I grip my suitcase handle. “Daniel.”

Ivy steps slightly closer to my side, then lifts her chin. “Hi,” she says, polite and wary.

Daniel’s expression softens. “Hey,” he replies. “You must be Ivy.”

Ivy’s eyes widen. “How do you know my name?”

Daniel glances at me, then back to her. “Your dad talks,” he says gently. “Especially about a bright little girl with big gray eyes.”

Ivy looks pleased by that, then she looks at me. “Can we go now?”

“Yes,” I say. “We can go now.”

We walk toward the parking garage, and Daniel stays close without crowding, moving with purpose. I catch his profile in the harsh airport lighting and realize I still don’t know who he is beyond a voice on the phone.

“Daniel,” I say, keeping my tone soft. “Who are you to him?”

His eyes flick to me then back to the lane. “I’m Dr. Daniel Brooks,” he replies. “ER and trauma, same circles as Nathan for years, and close enough that he calls me when he’s trying not to admit he needs help.”

He taps his badge against his jacket pocket like it’s proof he’s not a random man with a story. “I got the call that night,” he adds, voice tight. “I found him, I got him into a hospital that isn’t Hawthorne. He was in no position to talk, but whatever had happened felt connected to that place. I told him he needed to step out ever since Meredith got into HR.”

I frown at him. “Why?”

He cocks his head my way. “Man, she’s too tight with Nathan’s ex.”

The words suddenly make so much sense that the floor shifts from under my feet and I have to stand still for a moment. “Oh.”

Ivy stops a few steps ahead of me. “Mom?”

“I’m coming,” I automatically reply. “Let’s go.”