Chapter 34
DALTON
“So, you’re going out of town, or you’re not going out of town?” I ask Brett as he sits on my living room couch.
We watch Toby play with his trains in the next room.
“I’m not sure,” he says. “I don’t really know what I’m doing right now.
I just wanted to see you before I made my final decision.
I wanted you to know, Sage and I went to the police station.
She’s going to press charges against Parker.
We’ve got enough to get him behind bars for at least twenty years.
He’s in police custody, and it’s not looking good for him. ”
“I am glad to hear that,” I say honestly.
“Are you mad at me?” Brett says. “Because I went with Sage behind your back.”
“I understand why you did it. She’s a woman to be reckoned with.”
“She’s still not talking to you?”
“She’s still not talking to me. It’s been two weeks. She won’t even look me in the face,” I say, lowering my voice. “It hurts, but I understand.”
“I’m sorry, man. I know you care for her.”
“It’s okay. You know, I played with fire. I got burned. I should have realized. I should have—” I stop. “Anyway, not to harp on the point any longer. It’s done, I suppose. She’s moved on with her life. I’m no one to her except her boss, and that’s the way it should be, right?”
“I suppose so.” He nods. “So, she and Jimmy, they are getting on better?”
“I think he’s going to take her to lunch this weekend,” I say. “He was asking me for recommendations, and I named a couple of fish places. Should be nice for both of them.”
“That’s cool that they’re bonding,” Brett says. “I never would’ve thought I’d see Jimmy as a dad.”
“Me neither, but then again I guess I never thought I’d see myself as a dad.”
We both watch Toby as he choo-choos up and down the floor and starts laughing.
“You got any updates on his mom?” I ask. “How’s Louisa doing?”
“It’s rough right now,” he says. “But it’s early in her stay. She’s still in rehab, so we can only pray and hope. I was able to find a house for her mom, and we’ve set up a small trust to help pay for the other kids.”
“Good.” I smile. “That’s some good news. Maybe I’ll let Toby meet his brothers and sisters at some point.”
“Yeah,” Brett says. “And do you think you’ll ever have some of your own as well?”
“I can’t even think about that, Brett. The love of my life isn’t even talking to me, let alone offering to have my children.”
“She’s the love of your life, huh?” He’s surprised by my declaration. “Never thought I’d hear you saying those words.”
“I never thought I’d say them myself, but here we are. I fucked up and—”
“Daddy!” Toby looks up and runs over to me. “Daddy, I just hurt myself.”
“What happened, Toby?” I see he’s scratched his knee, and there’s a bit of blood.
“The train hurt me. It hurt me, and now I’m bleeding.”
“It’ll be okay. Let’s go and clean it up, and then we’ll get—”
“I want Sage,” he says, cutting me off. “Where is she?”
Brett looks at me in surprise, and I shrug.
“She’s not here, hon, and you’ve got me, so maybe I can take care of it.”
“I want to go into the restaurant. I want to see Sage. She said she would get me ice cream at the beach, and I want her to babysit me again. Why haven’t I seen her, Daddy? Why doesn’t she stay with us anymore? I liked it when she was here, and she was making pancakes.”
“I know you liked it. I liked it as well, but this isn’t her home. She was only visiting, and now she’s not visiting any longer.”
“Does she love me?” His lower lip trembles. “Because I love her.”
“I’m sure she loves you,” Brett says. “How could she not?”
“Thank you, Uncle Brett. Can we clean up my boo-boo and then go and see Sage?”
“Yeah,” I say, not knowing what I’m thinking.
I should tell Toby no. There’s no way I can go to the restaurant, see her, and try and convince her to talk. She has nothing she wants to say to me. She’s not going to forgive me. She …
“Try,” Brett says. “Right? If you love her, then you’ve got to keep trying until you get through to her.”
“What if I never get through to her?”
“Then at least you know you tried.” He looks thoughtful for a moment. “You know, she told me that she told Rosie to stop flirting with me.” He shakes his head. “And Rosie listened. Can you believe it?”
“Well, why wouldn’t she listen? It wasn’t like you were giving her anything back. I mean, you’re not interested in her or anything, are you?”
“I don’t know. I’m not made for complications, and Rosie seems like a complication that can disrupt my life.”
“Kind of like how Sage disrupted mine. She really disrupted it. Maybe I’m happy for the disruption.
Maybe I’m just happy, knowing I can feel all these different emotions—that I can hurt this badly, that I can want this badly, that I can need this badly.
She’s like a breath of fresh air, Brett.
Even when I see her, even though she doesn’t talk to me, my world feels lighter. I feel happier.” I take a deep breath.
Never in a million years would I have ever thought I would become this sappy idiot, but here I am.
“I’m sure she doesn’t think you’re an idiot.”
“Yes, she does, and she’d be right. I should have told her, but I didn’t, and I fucked up, and maybe she’ll never forgive me.
And that’s okay because at least now I know she’s safe.
Parker has been dealt with, and she has her dad.
I know Jimmy the Fish will not let anything happen to her, so she doesn’t need my protection. ”
“What are you going to do?” he asks me.
“What do you mean?”
“I know the business is struggling. I know your dad’s about to cut you off from the family money now you’ve told him you won’t work with him under any circumstances.”
“I’ll figure something out. I have to. That’s all I have.” I ignore the throbbing in my head. “And you know I haven’t taken anything from him in years. Not since, well, you know.”
“You don’t have to do this alone, Dalton. There are many of us here for you. We can figure this all out. We can figure it all out.”
“No,” I say. “I got this. I’m Dalton Leone. I got this.”
He stares at me like he wants to say something else, and I jump up.
“Anyway, let me go and help Toby before he starts crying again. I’ll be right back.”
“Okay, man.”
I walk to the bathroom in silence. He’s right.
I do need help, but I don’t know how to ask for it.
I can’t be the weak one. It’s just not in my DNA, and yet I know if I don’t figure this shit out, I could lose everything, and that’s something I can’t even contemplate happening right now.
I don’t care if I lose material things. I just can’t lose Sage.
After a few moments, I walk back out and sit there so I can think.
“Hey, Dalton.” Brett knocks on the door and opens it. “I need to speak to you. Can you come out?”
“What’s up?” I run my fingers through my hair and grab my phone. “I need to make a call.”
“I have an idea.” He holds his hands up. “Don’t say no before I finish.”
“What do you have to say?”
“Let me lend you a couple of million. It will—”
“No.” I frown and shake my head vehemently. “No way, Brett.”
“I have it to spare.” He steps forward. “I’ll invest in you and in the business. Just until you figure it all out. I want to do this.”
“I appreciate it, but that’s a no,” I say resolutely.
I hold up my phone and offer him a wry smile. “I’m selling the house. I already have a realtor. It’s going on the market in the next couple of weeks. I sign the contract tomorrow.”
“But you love this place.” He sounds annoyed. “Let me help.”
“I appreciate it, man, but I got this. I’m not losing anything important to me.
This house can go. I don’t care. The most important thing to me is my family and friends.
And I’m not letting money come between us.
You’re my friend and my brother. I love you for the offer, but I’m going to say no.
This is the best thing for Toby and for me.
” I smile as I think of my son. “And at the end of the day, I always have to look out for him first. He is my first priority.”