Page 63 of Billionaire Retreat

“Being like what?” I asked coldly.

“You know what I’m talking about... so cold and unfeeling. The other night you were writhing in my arms and now you want nothing to do with me? What’s going on?”

“I’m tired. I’m tired of getting tossed aside by you and your family as if I’m not important, as if my feelings don’t matter. I matter, Griffin, and until you realize that, there will be no us.” I stood up then and said, “Take me home.”

We rode back in silence. Griffin gripped the steering wheel tightly. You could tell that he was angry, but he didn’t say a word. I’d surprised not only Griffin but myself earlier. I think what happened to my father had served to make me stronger. Just like having to raise Sadie alone had made me stronger, dealing with the aftermath of my dad’s stroke had further developed my inner fortitude. No matter how much it hurt to tell Griffin that he wasn’t welcome in my life, it had been necessary. I had to demand more if I wanted more. And what Griffin offered me wasn’t enough. I was tired of hearing, “I’m sorry.”

I know many women said they liked a guy who could admit when he was wrong. But I wanted more than that; I wanted someone who didn’t have so many wrongs to apologize for. Griffin’s apologies were like band-aids, but he and his family were the ones inflicting the pain. What good was covering a wound when one didn’t have to be inflicted at all? That’s how I felt about my relationship with Griffin. At least Griffin apologized for the harm his mother caused, but that wasn’t enough. He needed to do better and I deserved better. I was done being hurt.

When he pulled up to my house, I said succinctly, “Meet us tomorrow at noon at the mall. Same spot.”

He nodded, and then as an afterthought said, “Thank you.”

I felt my resolve weakening, but I controlled it and resisted the urge to say something to ease the awkwardness between us. This was just how it had to be, I told myself as I walked away from his car and prepared myself for a conversation with my daughter about her father.

* * *

At exactly noon the next day, I waited for Griffin. He showed up with a bouquet made of candy and a giant teddy bear. He’d combed his hair straight back and was wearing a suit. He looked equal parts handsome and ridiculous.

“Did you really dress up to meet a four-year-old?”

He nodded and swallowed thickly, “I wanted to make a good impression.”

“She’s your daughter, not a potential business partner.”

He looked down at his suit and then frowned. “You’re right... I don’t know what the hell I was thinking.”

“Watch your language around her.”

“You’re right. I’m just nervous.” And I could tell he was. I peered at his forehead.

“Are you sweating, Griffin? She’s a four-year-old, not a firing squad, it’ll be fine.”

He sat down heavily next to me and said, “Where is she?”

“She’s skating with Kenny.” I gestured to the ice skating rink that was open year round. It was conveniently located at the back of the mall near the lawn. “They should be on their way now.”

I know I sounded calm and collected, but I was nervous too. I’d known this moment would come eventually, but I hadn’t expected it to come now. It was too soon, wasn’t it? Or maybe it was way overdue, depending on how you looked at it.

“Do you think she’ll be afraid of me?” Griffin asked, breaking me away from my reverie. He was nervously picking at the imaginary lint on his pants. I tried to ignore how good he looked in his suit. And I ignored the fact that I was highly amused by his decision to wear a suit. He really was trying.

“I don’t think so. She’s pretty stranger-friendly. We’re still working on that.”

“Good. Not that being stranger-friendly is good, but it’s good that she won’t be afraid of me. Do you think we should get her a bodyguard?”

“What?” I asked, my brows raised.

He shook his head, “Nothing.” He switched gears, asking, “Does she know who I am?”

“She knows about you. I didn’t keep you a secret. I’ve always mentioned you.”

“Oh, thank you for that.” He sounded surprised, but it was the truth. I answered any questions she had about her dad, but given that she was so young, luckily there hadn’t been too many questions and my answers seemed to satisfy her.

I looked at him and saw the sincerity in his eyes. It made me uncomfortable. I was building a wall in my heart to protect myself from being hurt by him again, but those eyes of his were wreaking havoc on that plan.

I shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant. “I’m not a complete monster. I didn’t lie to her and tell her that storks had dropped her off on my doorstep. I told her that she had a father out there who really loved her and one day she’d meet him. I just didn’t think that day would be today.”

“You really told her that?”