T H I R T Y-O N E Epilogue
Will’s POV
I still remember the day I got the phone call that Paloma had been killed in jail.
I didn’t worry about her or the reaction from anyone else, but I was worried about what I would tell my daughter.
I had been in therapy for years at this point, and I was a dedicated father.
Cece had been in therapy with me for the last year or so.
Cece had been asking more and more questions about why she didn’t have a mother.
She came crying from school after the kids in her class did a Mother’s Day project, and she didn’t have anyone to give a gift to.
All her friends had moms; she was the only one who didn’t.
All I could think to tell her when she started sobbing was that her mommy was in heaven.
I knew Paloma probably wasn’t up there, but I didn’t want Cece to think she’d been a bad person.
Not until she was older could I explain things to her properly.
I wasn’t sure what she’d think of me then. How could I do that to one woman I loved and be with someone who destroyed so many lives, or tried to?
Life had been going pretty well for the last five years since the case wrapped up.
Cece was in elementary school, acting like a teen already with her attitude, and Anderson Construction had recovered from my bumble with Paloma.
I’d hired a new PA, a man named Judd. I wasn’t about to put myself in the same position.
I worked hard to rebuild the business. Our reputation had tanked, seemingly overnight, but I knew it was all because of what came to light with my divorce and the scandalous affair.
My father had come back and took over while I couldn’t handle things between child care, therapy, and the court case.
I had seen Sarah and her kids since the case ended.
It got easier the more I had seen her and the kids.
And him . I’d seen how happy she was, thriving, moving on.
And while I was happy for her, I also couldn’t seem to move on.
My therapist said that it was something my subconscious couldn’t seem to let go of.
I just couldn’t see myself with anyone else but her .
And I wouldn’t bring just anyone into my life or Cece’s, not again.
Not after the disaster that was Paloma. I wouldn’t take the chance again.
I’d kept to myself, not dating, not seeing friends.
My life was all about Cece and work. I didn’t need anything else.
Women had tried, but I didn’t give in.
I had my hand. I had my work. I had my home and Cece.
I didn’t need anything other than that. Life would be lonely once she left for college and started her own life, but that was fine.
I didn’t want to chance another bit of crazy coming in and throwing everything into utter chaos again.
Love was beautiful when it was done properly, but I didn’t need that.
I wanted peace.
And I had that now.