Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
Samantha
“Hey, you two. Wait. Why are you and Zoe together? Why are you home early?” I held Charlotte over my shoulder, patting her back.
Zoey tore up the stairs.
“Wes, what’s going on?”
He ran his hand down his face as he kicked off his shoes, walked over to the bar, and poured himself a drink.
“Wes?”
“I don’t know where to start,” he sighed.
“Okay. You’re freaking me out.”
“Sam, there’s nothing to be freaked out about. Shit. Fuck.” I tipped the glass to my lips. “I have no choice but to tell you.”
“Tell me what?” I narrowed my eyes.
“Zoey had Ben drive her to my office. She told me about the dress and how upset you were. Sit down on the couch, please.”
“Okay.” She sat down with the baby.
“I was pissed because nobody upsets my fiancée like that. Anyway, I called a friend of mine. His name is Robert. He owns the building where Kleinfeld’s is.
Before I could ask him for a favor, he told me he was putting the building up for sale, along with the other buildings he owns.
He asked if I was interested. I was, so I agreed to buy them.
Then Zoey and I went to Kleinfeld’s, and I had a chat with the owner, who graciously agreed to let you buy the dress. ”
“You bought a building so I could have my dress?” I cocked my head.
“I did. And yes, I know. Rich people’s problems. No need to remind me.” I finished off my drink.
“I don’t understand. Why did Zoey look like she’d been crying and run up the stairs?”
“We were walking down the street to the ice cream shop, and a man stopped us. He asked Zoey if she was related to you.”
My heart started beating out of my chest. “What man, Wes? Who was he?”
“Zoey’s biological father, Scott Louis.”
“What?” I shouted, and Charlotte began to cry. “Shh. It’s okay.” I stood up, put her in her swing, and turned it on.
“She had figured out who he was before he could introduce himself.”
“I can’t believe this.” I paced around the room. “What the hell is he doing in New York? Did he move back here?”
“He gave me his number and told me that he was here for a month for work.”
“He gave you his number?” My eye narrowed.
“Unfortunately, yes.”
“I need to go talk to Zoey.” I walked over and pressed the elevator button.
When I reached her bedroom, I pushed the door open slowly.
Zoey was sitting cross-legged on her bed in oversized sweatpants and one of Weston’s hoodies, staring out the window.
Her phone was lying face down beside her, and not in her hand.
Seeing that told me how upset she was, and it broke my heart.
I sat on the edge of the bed and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Are you okay?”
“Great, Mom. I’m really great.” She brought her hand up and wiped a tear with her finger.
“So, you saw Scott,” I said.
“Yep. He saw me and knew right away. He said I looked exactly like you.”
“I know.” I softly rubbed her back.
“I walked away from him. I told him to keep on walking to wherever it was he was going and forget he ever saw me, because I would.”
“That’s okay. You have every right to be angry with him.”
“I hate him,” she said.
“That’s okay too.” I hooked my arm around her, and she lay her head on my shoulder.
“He doesn’t get points showing up seventeen years later,” she said.
“No, he doesn’t. He gave Wes his number.”
“What?” She lifted her head.
“He told him that he would be in New York for a month for work.”
“Do you think he wants to get to know me? Because I don’t want to get to know him.”
“I don’t know, Zoe. But that’s your choice. You’re the one in control here, not him.”
The door slowly opened, and Wes walked in holding Charlotte up, away from him.
“She exploded, Sam.”
Zoey and I laughed. I got up from the bed and took her from him.
“Let’s give you a bath and clean you up. Zoey, do you want to help?”
“Not really.” She lowered her head.
I looked at Wes. “Talk to her,” I whispered.
Weston
I took in a breath, walked over, and climbed on the bed next to Zoey.
“I had to tell your mother about Kleinfeld’s.”
“What?” She looked at me. “But you—”
“I know,” I sighed. “But I didn’t have a choice.”
“How did she take the news?”
“I’m not sure yet. She’s too focused on you right now. But trust me, I’ll hear about it later,” I smirked.
She breathed out a laugh. “Yeah, you definitely will.”
“Listen, sweetheart. I know seeing him today was tough, and there’s no right way to feel about it.”
“That’s what Mom said.”
“It’s the truth.”
“Mom said he gave you his number.”
“He did.” I nodded.
“Why do you think he did that?”
“I don’t know. Perhaps he wanted me to have it in case you wanted to get in touch with him.”
“I don’t. I really don’t. But I feel like he has to answer for leaving us. I have questions. I’ve always had questions.”
“And you have every right to have questions, sweetheart.”
“I want to know why he took off when my mom told him she was pregnant.”
“I can probably take a guess,” I said. “He was young, scared, and didn’t know what to do.
So, he took the coward’s way out and disappeared.
After my parents died, people told me how lucky I was to have my grandparents.
How lucky I was that my grandfather would teach me the business one day and prepare me to take over when he retired.
But none of that changed the fact that my parents were gone.
I spent years wondering why they left me. ”
“But they didn’t leave voluntarily,” she said.
“No. They didn’t. But grief doesn’t care about the actual facts. The one thing I’ve learned in life is that the people who leave aren’t a reflection of the people they leave behind. Scott made his choice the day he left and never looked back. And you know what?”
“What?”
“You are who you are because of it. You’re a strong, independent woman who stands her ground.
You know what you want out of life and aren’t afraid to go after it.
You can choose to never see him again or get answers to the questions you’ve had your whole life.
Answers your mother could never give you because she didn’t know herself.
You get to decide what happens next. Not him, not me, not your mom.
You and only you. You don’t owe him anything. Not your time. Not your forgiveness.”
“And if I decide I want those answers?”
“Then I’ll be right by your side. You don’t have to go through this alone. I won’t allow it.”
“Really?” Her eyes filled with tears.
“Zoey, when I asked your mom to marry me, I wasn’t just choosing her. I was choosing you too. And, if I’m being honest, I got a little emotional when you told Scott I was your dad.”
“You are my dad. Because blood doesn’t automatically mean family.”
“No, it doesn’t.” My arm tightened around her. “Being your stepdad—”
“Dad. I don’t consider you my stepdad.”
I softly smiled. “Being your dad isn’t something I tolerate or manage to fit into my schedule. It’s one of the greatest privileges of my life.”
“Thanks, Dad.” She lay her head on my shoulder. “And just so you know, I’ve got your back when things settle, and mom has time to really think about what you did. You’re going to need backup.”
I chuckled. “Thanks, kid.” I kissed the side of her head. “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving. I’ll order a pizza for dinner.”
“Don’t forget the breadsticks.”
“I won’t. How about you come downstairs and be with your family?”
“I’ll be down in a while. I need to call Maya. She’s been blowing up my phone.”
“Okay.” I climbed off the bed and walked out of the room.