Chapter 26
Chapter Twenty-Six
DEREK
“ I ’m sorry we couldn’t do this yesterday,” I tell Sutton.
“Having to hang out with you is such a chore.”
“Aren’t you funny?” I laugh, wrapping an arm around Sutton’s shoulders and pulling her close.
A warm breeze blows across the beach. Water laps against the shore as seagulls fly overhead. It’s the perfect spring day. It’s one of the reasons I love living in San Diego. Days like this.
“Did you have fun at the zoo?” Sutton asks.
I reach over and snag a fry from the small cone she’s holding and munch down on it. “We did. Buying him the membership for his birthday was perfect. Troy loves the giraffes.”
“So does Lydia. She loves their purple tongues.”
I laugh. “That’s Troy’s favorite too. Thinks they’re funny.”
“We should take them before your schedule gets too busy.”
“Missy got a membership for Troy yesterday, so maybe we can use that.”
“Missy was with you?” Sutton questions.
“Didn’t I tell you?”
She shakes her head. “No. But that’s fun. ”
“Would you consider going with her?”
Sutton stops short. She sinks into the sand, almost a full head shorter than me. “What, just us going to the zoo together?”
“All of us. I want you to get to know her.”
“Why?”
“If she’s going to be around, I want you to meet her. Maybe it’ll make things easier?”
“Is she going to be around?” she asks.
“I have something I need to tell you.”
“Is everything okay?” I don’t miss the note of panic in her voice. The way she shoves her sunglasses up into her hair to look directly at me.
“Yeah. It is. I’ve just been trying to find the best way to tell you this. Because it’s even hard for me to wrap my head around.”
“What is it?”
“We have a court date with Missy.”
“And?”
“They’re filing for her to have joint custody of Troy.”
“Wow.”
“Yeah. That’s basically where I’m at too.”
It’s taken a few days to wrap my head around it. When my lawyer called to discuss what Missy wanted, it wasn’t as hard as when she first showed up on Christmas.
Seeing that it’s been five months and Missy has done a lot for Troy, it’s an easier pill to swallow.
Sutton grabs my hand and walks me down to the surf, letting the water wash over our feet. “And you’re okay with this?”
“Why wouldn’t I be? Troy gets to have his mom in his life.”
“Then I’m happy for you.”
Except…she doesn’t sound happy. Sutton is always so open with me. It’s one of the many things I love about her. Th at big heart of hers is so loving and caring, and it still boggles my mind that she chose me.
“Are you okay?” I whisper into her hair, my lips on the crown of her head. It’s blowing all around with the ocean breeze.
“I’m fine, why?”
Fine. The dreaded word no one ever wants to hear.
“Look, I know I’ve had a lot going on lately with Missy and Troy. But I promise, things will go back to normal soon.”
Sutton wraps her arms around me and rests her head on my chest. “I’m going to ask you something and I want you to be honest with me.”
“Okay.”
How can the air be so thick around us on such a beautiful day?
“Am I getting in the way?”
I reel back from her in shock. “In the way? How are you in the way?”
Sutton combs her fingers through her hair, holding it behind her head. Now that I’m looking at her—really looking at her—I see it.
What’s bothering her.
Fuck. How could I have not seen this before?
“Sutton. Damn it, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s—”
I press a finger to her lips. “Don’t you dare say it’s okay.”
A smile moves her mouth under my finger. “I wasn’t.”
“Or fine.” I cock a brow at her. “And don’t lie to me.”
“Hey.” She grabs my wrist and moves my hand away, but doesn’t let go. “I wasn’t going to say either. I was going to say it’s hard for you to be in this position. Being with me and having Missy around.”
Cupping her cheeks, I turn her focus to me. Her blue eyes are swimming with emotion. But they’re on me. So I know she’s listening.
“Sutton. There is no question about who I want to be with. It’s you. I love you more than anything in this world. And if I’ve done a poor job of showing you that lately, I’m sorry.”
Sutton’s eyelids flutter shut. I press a kiss to each eye. To her forehead. Each cheek before capturing her lips with mine.
“There is no other woman for me, Sutton. Only you. Missy is Troy’s mother. I know I fought her being in his life, but if she’s here, I have to be okay with it. And he’s happy. That’s all that matters. But my happiness? She doesn’t make me happy.”
“Who does?” Sutton’s eyes open.
“You, Sutton. You.”