Chapter 44
PAIGE
“Mommy’s home,” I yell with a smile on my face, happy to be home.
It’s only been two days since I moved into my new office space inside Cat’s office building, but I’ve had a great day.
I even signed another client today and, on the drive home, I wondered why the hell I didn’t set up my own firm years ago.
Dropping my workbag on the floor, I pull my arms out of my dress jacket and hang it on the coat hook at the bottom of the stairs. It’s almost impossible to find an empty hook, and I really must sort our jackets out soon.
“Hey, Emma’s out for a walk with Alfie.”
A male’s voice, the one I have come to know so well, makes me jump, and I spin around on the balls of my feet faster than the crack of a whip.
All my happy feelings turn into… well, they’re still happy because Max is here, in my house, standing in the kitchen doorway, but the tightness in my chest is a mix of annoyance and confusion… attraction? Whatever it is, it’s dizzying.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, flabbergasted by his magical appearance like he’s Houdini.
The scary thing is he looks right at home here in my house.
Comfortable, even though he’s nervously running his hands through his wavy locks, something I’ve witnessed him doing often and done myself dozens of times.
“How did you get in?” I ask, puzzled by his magician’s act.
“Emma.”
When I called Emma to tell her my plans she was here the very next day to take care of Alfie while I set up my new office. She missed our little munchkin as much as he missed her.
I’m glad Emma let him in. In hindsight, changing the code on my gate after I told Max not to come back seems like such a childish thing to do now. “Where’s your car?”
“I parked it down the street. I didn’t want to scare you off.”
“You didn’t need to do that.” I would have opened the door to him. I’ve been desperate to see him and thought about him every day.
Painfully handsome, he’s all tan skin and thick biceps stretching the short sleeves of his white T-shirt, the threads looking close to tearing. I can tell he’s been working out—a lot.
“How have you been?” I ask, because I’m desperate to know.
“Good.”
I’m teetering on the edge of throwing myself into his arms or throwing something heavy at him for doing what he did. For risking it all. His career, mine. For me. For Alfie.
He tried and failed, and I should thank him. Really, I should, but I can’t bring myself to admit I was wrong.
Hurt clouded my judgment, and I acted rashly, refusing to hear him out. At the end of the day, he was just trying to help. How can I be mad at him for that? Cat was right; I should be mad at Griffin. He’s the one to blame.
“You cut your hair,” he says, more of a statement than a question.
I reach up and touch the ends of my shorter hair. “I needed a change.”
“It suits you. You look beautiful.” There’s so much melancholy in his tone when he says, “You haven’t answered my calls.”
“I didn’t know what to say.” That’s the truth. I was too embarrassed.
He nods, looking everywhere but at me. “My brothers suspended me.”
“I’m so sorry, Max.” He’ll be devastated by this; he’s as wedded to his work as I am, more than our clients are to each other.
“I have a week of suspension left.” He looks downward and scuffs the toe of his sneaker against my caramel-stained wooden flooring.
It’s a fair punishment, and his brothers were right to suspend him. I think Dalton firing me was a bit harsh, although I have no idea what Griffin threatened him with if he didn’t.
“Cole and Eli went through the court documents that were filed for the Youngs’ divorce and didn’t find anything unethical or any favoritism to either party with the settlement.”
There was nothing to find, but I understand why they did it.
“That’s great news.” And a relief. I knew there was nothing to worry about but still, I was.
There’s a long pause between us, both awkward and soothing. Time seems to stretch, as if we don’t want the moment to end.
Eventually, he lifts his head. “I have something for you,” he says, passing me a large envelope that’s thick and official looking that I didn’t notice he was holding. I was too busy looking at his face.
I move forward and examine it intently. “What is it?”
“Alfie’s adoption papers. The court finalized it this morning.”
“What?” My hands start to shake as I reach for the envelope. This can’t be real. I look up at Max, then down at the envelope, and back to his face again to make sure this isn’t some sick joke.
He gives a small cough to clear his throat.
“Inside you’ll find details of Alfie’s trust fund.
You will act as trustee of the fund until Alfie becomes eligible to receive it.
And you will also receive monthly child support from Griffin Holmes until he finishes college.
” I’m about to refuse his financial help when Max interjects.
“You don’t have to use it. Put it away, save it, for Alfie, for whatever he needs. It’s done, Paige, so don’t argue.”
I heed Cat’s advice and keep my mouth shut, listening to him rather than arguing, eager to catch every detail. This is the best day of my life. Of Alfie’s life.
“He’s mine?” I ask in disbelief, my eyes turning watery and blurring my vision.
“He’s yours, Paige.”
“You did this for me?” I whisper, my emotion about to bubble over. I shouldn’t be surprised he did this for me. He’s a good man, steady, dependable, and he’s shown me over and over that he wants nothing but the best for me and Alfie.
“I fixed what I broke, Paige. Well, my brothers did. I couldn’t sleep at night knowing how much I fucked everything up.”
“You didn’t.”
“I did.” He shoves his hands into the pockets of his jeans, nibbling on his bottom lip, the ones I’ve kissed numerous times.
He seems to think for a second before saying, “My brothers spoke to your sister and she agreed to go to rehab, but since they spoke to her, her roommates said she left for Vegas.”
“She’s not one to be tied down.” Emotion rises in my throat as the enormity of everything he just told me sinks into my mind. It’s almost too much all at once. My legs feel like Jell-O.
“And that’s what I came here to tell you. So, I’ll be off now.”
“Okay.” I nod, following him to my front door. Every cell in my body wants to pull him back, keep him here, and more than anything, I want to throw myself around him and thank him, but something stops me.
I hurled so many cruel words at him the last time he was here, words I can never take back. I told him I’d never forgive him, but the truth is, I do. I forgive him.
He changed everything for me and made the adoption happen, made it effortless, all for my sake.
How could I ever repay him for that?
The truth is, I can’t. What he’s done is beyond measure.
“See you around.” He does an awkward salute-type gesture and smiles shyly as he opens the door.
“Max,” I shout after him.
“Yeah?” His face lights up, hope flickering in his eyes.
“Thank you. For this.” I lift the envelope packed with documents that hold Alfie’s future inside, my heart hammering with relief and gratitude. I’m eager to call Mom and Dad to share the good news.
He hesitates, then meets my gaze. Keeping his voice low and steady, he blows me away when he says, “For what it’s worth, what started out between us turned into something I didn’t see coming.
I’ll admit I liked the secrecy too. But most of all I liked spending time with you.
Getting to know the real you was the best part of my day.
” There’s a small pause before he adds, “You were everything to me.” A faint smile pulls at his lips. “Bye, Paige.”
Completely stunned, I can’t move or speak. I can barely breathe as I watch him walk down my driveway and through the gate at the same moment Emma comes back inside, pushing Alfie in his stroller after their walk.
Max stops to speak to Alfie, bending down and saying something funny that makes Alfie giggle, waving goodbye to him before he leaves.
And with one final wave, without looking back at me, he’s gone.
Please, don’t go.
And yet, I let him walk out of my life once more.
There’s no chance he will ever forgive me after all the things I said.
And he used the past tense when he said, You were everything to me.
He moved on.