Page 246 of A Song for You

“I love you too, husband.”

Later that night, wearing matching smiles, Cat and I sneak into a tattoo shop and meet with the artist I’ve known for years.

Dinner was fun. And celebrating our birthdays with Chloe, watching her interact with my brothers and hearing her call me Daddy throughout dinner made this the best birthday of my life.

As Cat sits in the chair, she holds out her hand to me. I bring it to my mouth and lick my lips, then suck her finger into my mouth and drag her engagement ring off by my teeth for safe keeping.

“Could you get any hotter?” she purrs.

Then we both watch as the tattoo artist stains her skin with my name.

Sixty-One

Cat

Unconditionally by Katy Perry

Between preparing for the Christmas List for Jolie and dealing with the merger of the whiskey companies, November flies by. Cash and I still aren’t in a great place, but we’re on speaking terms again. It still hurts that my brothers didn’t reach out on my birthday. But I don’t let myself dwell. Because while one part of my life may be falling apart, the other parts are so full. We’ve officially moved into the house across the street from the park. My workdays are long as editor in chief, but every night, I come home to find Chloe and Jay hanging in the living room. Sometimes they’re watching television, and other times they’re listening to music. I’ve even found them cuddled up on the couch sleeping a few times. I snuck a picture, and when I shared it with Jay, I’m pretty sure he swiped a tear or two, even if he tried to play it off like he had something in his eye.

The way Jay has fallen into fatherhood with such grace has been the silver lining of my life. There’s no doubt he was meant to be a father. And when the time comes for the doctor’s appointment Jay scheduled, we’ll hopefully find out if that’s a possibility.

Or, like Jay said, I’ll prepare for the biggest fight of my life.

Either way, we’ll do it together.

To top it all off, I have an engagement party to plan. Jay got it into his head that we should make a big show of it and somehow convinced my grandmother to allow us to use the house in Bristol.

I have an inkling that he’s using the celebration to bring my brothers and me back together. But his motives aren’t completely altruistic. Because my husband is a diva and probably wants to show us off as well.

And secretly, I love that about him.

I’m approving photos for the January issue when the door to my office swings open and Carter appears, looking disheveled. His hair is a mess, and his suit is rumpled. “You married him.”

I jump up from my chair and usher him into the room. “Shh,” I hiss, shutting the door. “Keep your voice down.”

Carter glares at me. “You married Hanson.”

Searching the ceiling for patience, I count to ten. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen my brother, and he’s yet to apologize for the way he spoke to me last time. “It’s really none of your business. Is that all you came for?”

“Fuck, Cat.” Carter slumps in his chair and drops his head in his hands. “Chloe’s your daughter, isn’t she?”

My heart drops to the floor, and I sway. In all the years my brothers have known Chloe, they’ve never asked. Honestly, they’d have to be blind not to realize. She looks more and more like our mother every day.

Jaw tight, I nod.

“And Hanson’s her father.”

“You can’t tell anyone,” I plead.

“Why? Why all the secrets? And why did you marry him? Is he blackmailing you? Has he threatened to take Chloe away? Because we’ll fight him, Cat. We’ll protect you both.” Carter pulls at his hair.

The look of desperation on his face has my walls crumbling around my feet. I settle in the seat next to him and pull on his knee, forcing him to face me. “No. I love Jay, and he loves me. And Chloe. We’re happy, Carter. Happier than I ever thought possible.”

Carter’s face pinches like he’s in pain. “But how? He’s…fuck, Cat, you don’t know what he did back then.”

I settle back in my chair. “I do. I know everything.”

“So then you know he used you. That he got Mia pregnant and threatened to⁠—.”