17. Halliday
17
HALLIDAY
Sullivan steps into the hospital room, his jaw set as he looks from Sinclair to me and back again.
“The doctor said she’ll be back to speak to you. But because the CAT scan was clear, it looks like you’ll be able to leave soon.”
My shoulders sag in relief where I’m sitting on the hospital bed with Sinclair. We’ve been here for hours.
“About time. I fainted, that’s all.”
Sinclair squeezes my hand. “We needed to get you checked, though. You were out cold. It was super freaky.”
I smile at her gratefully. She hasn’t left my side since I woke up, laid out on the sidewalk, surrounded by a sea of cameras clicking.
“I’m fine.”
I reach up to touch the bandage wrapped around my head, covering the cut and lump. My head aches, but it’s not too bad. I know the medical staff are doing their job, but I just want to get out of here now.
“Thank you for coming to get Monty,” Sinclair says to Sullivan as he stands at the foot of the bed, his dark brows flat over his eyes as he watches us both.
“It’s fine. Molly was pushing him around the apartment in her stroller when I left.”
“I’m sorry we ruined your day,” I add.
He huffs. “Talking business with Mal all day while he flaps, or dealing with head injuries? Tough choice.”
“Who knew shopping for baby gifts would cause so much drama?” I say.
Sinclair snorts. “We didn’t even make it to half the places I wanted to show you. Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty more days we can go.” She gives me a reassuring smile that makes my stomach knot.
We were having such a nice day shopping for gifts for Sophie before a hoard of photographers swarmed the front of a boutique when we were exiting. All the jostling and shoving as they tried to get Sinclair’s attention, mixed with the fact I skipped breakfast, made me crumple like a tower of cards.
I was planning on telling Sinclair I was leaving today. That I can’t fulfill our contract due to unforeseen circumstances. I want to be honest with her and tell her the real reasons. But I need to talk to Sterling first, ask him how he wants to broach the subject. If he does.
Maybe he’d rather keep it quiet and forget everything that’s happened once I leave.
Sinclair’s face lights up. “Ooh, I know exactly where we need to go next time?—”
The door flings open and a blur of suited silver storms in.
“Dad!”
His jacket flies out behind him as he crosses the room in long, determined strides. Sinclair throws her arms around him in a hug. His blazing eyes meet mine over her shoulder, and my stomach erupts into flutters.
He pulls back to look at her. “Sweetheart, are you okay?”
She nods. “I am. It’s Halliday who got hurt.”
Sterling tips his chin at Sullivan, then his eyes are back on mine. He steps around Sinclair and leans over the bed and cups my face.
“Hallie? I got here as fast as I could.”
I’m surrounded by his rich, intoxicating scent as he looks so deeply into my eyes that my cheeks heat.
“Thank you, but honestly, I’m fine,” I force out as he scans over me before zeroing in on the bandage around my skull.
“Jesus,” he utters. “You’re hurt, Baby girl.”
His thumbs track over my cheeks before the stubble on his jaw brushes my forehead and he kisses me there.
“Sterling,” I murmur, stiffening.
My eyes dart behind him to where Sullivan’s face is devoid of any reaction. Denver’s come into the room and has placed himself one step behind Sinclair.
She gasps and reaches out, grabbing his bicep to steady herself.
“Baby girl?” she splutters.
I swallow and look back at Sterling in panic. I swear everything we’ve done together is written all over my face.
“Dad? You can’t be serious? You and Halliday?” she shrieks, her eyes bouncing between the two of us.
Sterling straightens, but the lingering look he gives me tells her everything.
“Did you know about this?” She glares at Sullivan.
“I suspected.”
“Oh my god.” Her eyes widen, and she looks at Denver. “What about you? Did you know?”
Denver’s jaw tightens, and she yanks her hand away as if she’s only just realized she was touching it.
“Seriously? Even he knew before me?”
Denver’s steely gaze remains straight ahead as Sinclair scowls at him.
“How long has this been going on?” she snaps.
“Not long,” I say at the same time Sterling rasps, “I knew the moment I met her.”
He looks at me and reaches out to link his fingers with mine.
“I’m the one who pursued Hallie,” he tells Sinclair. “Not the other way around. Neither of us expected this. But it’s happened. And I’m not about to apologize for it. I don’t regret it for a second.”
Sinclair studies him, her expression shifting from shock into something else.
“Do you love my father?” Her attention zones in on me, and she folds her arms. “Or is this just sex? Because he needs more than that. He deserves more than that. You can’t come here and then?—”
“Sinclair!” Sterling growls.
“No, Dad!” she counters. “You know I’m talking sense. I hired her to find you love. Not to play out some daddy fantasy she might have.”
“Enough!”
His voice cuts through the air, leaving a silence so thick I’m surprised any of us can breathe.
“Enough, Sinclair,” he says in a soft voice. “Hallie and I are both adults. We can do what we like.”
“But—”
“But nothing.” He gives her a look that makes her clamp her lips together. “Sweetheart, you wanted me to be happier. Well, I am. And regardless of what happens next, that happiness will always be because of what you did for me.”
“Because of Halliday,” she says, her eyes meeting mine.
“Yes. Your gift,” he rasps.
She watches me with pursed lips for a minute. “I can’t believe it took baby gear shopping for me to find this out. If those paparazzi hadn’t showed up, we wouldn’t be here, and then you two wouldn’t have just…” She waves a hand at me and Sterling.
“We’d have told you,” Sterling says in a deep voice. “I don’t want secrets in our family.”
Sinclair looks from him to Sullivan and her eyes take on glassy quality. “Agreed. Secrets in families suck,” she whispers.
I know she’s thinking about her mother’s affair.
I meet Sterling’s eyes, praying for someone to say something.
Anything.
Sinclair’s phone chimes, and she huffs as she looks at it. “Really? This is ridiculous! The press is already announcing I’m pregnant.”
Denver stiffens beside her but keeps his eyes ahead as she scrolls her phone with a scowl.
“We were shopping for Halliday’s friend, not me. Someone must have tipped them off. There’s no way they’d have gone wild like that unless they thought there was a story.” She snorts.
“I’m going to get you protection,” Sterling says.
“No! We’ve talked about this before. It’s bad enough that Denver has to pick me up when I go out at night. I don’t want a clone of him following me around during the day as well.”
She stares at the side of Denver’s face, but he keeps his gaze ahead.
“See? Monty has better social skills. Please, Dad. I promise I’ll get my head around…” She gestures to me and Sterling again. “… Just do not subject me to being babysat. Please .”
Sterling looks at Sullivan, who inclines his head with a small shrug.
He sighs, rubbing a hand around his brow. “Fine. But if I even think there’s a chance you need it?—”
“I won’t,” Sinclair replies.
The door opens, and the doctor enters.
“Miss Burton?” She looks up from her clipboard. “I can see you’ll have no problem getting a ride home. Who can I hand over your care to for the next twenty-four hours?”
“Me,” Sterling replies in his deep baritone. “I’ll take care of her.”
The doctor looks at me. “Great. So, no alcohol or exerting yourself. Get plenty of rest, and any worsening headaches, come back in.”
“I’ll bring her straight back if there is, Doctor,” Sterling says.
The impulse to argue that I don’t need babysitting fires inside me. But the authoritative command in his voice as he fixes his eyes on me makes the flames die out.
“You’ll let me look after you, won’t you, Hallie?” he rasps.
I nod reluctantly, but he lifts his brows.
“Yes.” I sigh.
He lowers his voice so only I can hear. “Good girl.”
Then he turns to the doctor.
“Can I take her home now?”