Chapter 25
Victor
After back-to-back virtual meetings with my marketing team, the development team, and Mr. Lexington, I push up from my temporary desk in one of Sully’s spare rooms. When I had insisted on staying at a hotel, he convinced me it would be best for everyone if I stay with them while there’s still an active threat roaming around.
How can I argue with that?
I pull out my phone and check my messages. Two emails and a text message. One email is from Rose and has the XT Phone in the subject line. No matter how much I want to ignore her, I can’t if she has something for me about the launch.
Serenity’s name pops up, and my heart does a little tap dance inside my chest.
Matt’s name appears in my email. He could have information about the intruder at Serenity’s. And before I can allow myself to get lost in Serenity, I need to find out what he has for me.
I open the email. My eyes scan the whole message, which only contains three sentences, and my heart plummets.
Mr. Barlowe,
I traced the mark on that guy’s wrist to a gang in Boston. I’m not sure of his identity yet, but I have a man I trust to send in to infiltrate the Wilted Rose. So, with your permission, I will send him in so we may find out more.
Matt
I email back immediately and tell him to have his guy go as he planned and I’ll give them each a fifty-thousand-dollar bonus if they get me the information I need. With that handled, I pull up Serenity’s text.
Serenity
Summer and I are going to Lana’s Boutique. When you’re done, you can come meet us. I mean, if you want.
She sent it about ten minutes ago so they should still be there. Despite finding out about the gang, I’m smiling like a goof ball, but I don’t care. She invited me to spend time with them. She wants me with her. This has to mean something.
I grab my jacket before heading downstairs. Sully is sitting at the kitchen table with a laptop in front of him. He stares at it intently, and if I don’t say anything, he probably won’t even notice—
“Why don’t you come sit with me?” Sully says without looking up from his computer.
I hesitate for a moment. If I linger too long, Serenity might leave. But since Sully is the closest to a father figure to her, I comply. Even though he’s Harmony’s father, he acts like Serenity’s, too.
Silence stretches between us as he chicken pecks on his computer. I resist the urge to squirm. “Is everything okay?”
Sully types a little more and closes his laptop. Taking off his glasses, he levels a glare at me. Even though his hair is graying, he still has an intimidating way about him. And that means a lot coming from me who deals with corporate sharks all day long.
“I like you, Mr. Barlowe, I really do.” When I open my mouth to ask him to call me Victor, he plows forward. “But I want to know what your intentions are for the future.”
I can’t help but smile. This grumpy man has a heart of gold.
“I understand what you’re saying, but I’ve already told Serenity I want us to stay together past the contract date.”
I fill him in on what I proposed to Serenity, and his eyes widen.
“Do you plan to stay married to her after the year?”
I bristle. “I want to, but ultimately, it’s up to Serenity.”
“I-I,” Sully starts, blinking rapidly. “Mr. Barlowe—” He cuts off his own words, confusion still on his face.
“Please, call me Victor.”
He nods once, “All right, Victor. Welcome to the family.”
Warmth spreads through me. A family … Like one I’ve never had. Maybe now, I can help my own family heal, and we can all be together.
***
Jay drops me off at Lana’s Boutique, and I wipe my sweaty palms on my slacks as discreetly as possible. I would’ve been here sooner, but I couldn’t ignore Sully’s request to talk.
I glance up at the two-floor stone building in front of me. Lana’s Boutique is squeezed between a smoothie shop and an ice cream store. The windows are plastered with bright pink words that read, Anniversary Sale. Up to fifty percent off.
Maybe Serenity will let me buy her a few outfits from Lana. She can’t say no when it’s also helping her friend’s business.
I head toward Lana’s entrance, and before I can enter, I spot Serenity through the window, sitting in a chair with Summer on her lap. Lana is walking toward them with two cups and a smile. Serenity laughs at something her friend says, and I can’t help but grin along with her.
Then my smile drops. I’m keeping Serenity away from her sister and friends. Summer is growing up in a foreign area. My stomach twists. Even though I want to keep them in my life, I can’t move them out of Granite Falls permanently. Can I?
Serenity’s gaze turns and meets mine. She bites her lip, and I’m immediately thrown back to the hotel. She was so reactive to my touch. Our every move was in sync as if we were made to find each other. Not to mention, whenever she screamed out my name, I was so lost to her.
I’ve tried and failed to not think about the hotel. It occupies my mind anytime I’m not working or following leads—actually, even then. My feet move on their own, and I enter the small shop. A bell rings overhead, and Summer leaps off Serenity’s lap, charging at me.
My heart feels three times bigger as I crouch down and she surges into my arms. How many times had I wished my parents would hug me? Whenever my father was home, he’d shower me with attention, but that was rare. I think I would’ve been happy with an “I love you” once a year from my mother.
Summer snuggles into me, and I wrap my arms around her. Her red ringlets spring into my face, tickling me, and I can’t stop the laugh that bursts free. She giggles, pulling away, and zooms around the front of the store.
“Bubba is here, Mommy!”
My gaze strays over to where Serenity now stands beside the chair she sat in moments ago.
If only she rushed into my arms as her daughter did.
Her green eyes stay on mine as she glides toward me.
I don’t pay any attention to all the obnoxious pink glitter swirled in the epoxy floor as I take a couple of steps forward, trying to get as close to her as possible as if she’s my oxygen and I’d suffocate if I didn’t get close enough.
My pulse quickens as we stop right in front of each other.
“You made it.” Her voice is breathy. “I thought you’d be in meetings until nighttime.”
“I’m finished for the day.” The new information I received about the intruder pops into my mind. “I found out something, but we can talk about it later.” I motion to Summer. No need to upset her.
Serenity nods once. She doesn’t have to say anything else. For once, we’re on the same page, working together.
A little hand grabs mine, and I look down into Summer’s eyes, which mirror her mother’s. “I found some glittery shoes. Do you want to see?”
“Of course. Show me the way.”
She leads me away from her mother and over to a section toward the back with dozens of pairs of shoes—ranging from sneakers to heels—and she doesn’t stop until she reaches the little girl section. One pair of tennis shoes is splattered with pink and purple glitter.
Summer picks one up and slams it down on the floor. “Look, they even light up!”
She looks up at me with a huge smile, a little dimple dipping in her right cheek. The pure joy she gets from showing me curls into my heart, and heat spreads to my chest.
I never thought I’d have a child. Not because I never wanted one but because I don’t know how a father is supposed to be. And since I work so much, I never wanted them to feel the neglect I did when I saw my nanny more than either of my parents.
My mind is made up. Work will never be more important than my family. I’ll move mountains if I have to, but they’re my priority.
“That’s the coolest. I don’t think I’ve ever owned shoes that light up.” It’s sad but true. My parents dressed me in designer clothes since I was a newborn. “Maybe I can find some, and we can match.”
She giggles. “Grown-ups don’t wear light-up shoes.”
I tap my chin. “Really? Well, that’s a bummer. I was really excited.”
“Maybe Mommy can find some online.” Summer looks to Serenity. “Can we find Bubba light-up shoes?”
Something I don’t recognize swims in her eyes. Uncertainty? Shit. I knew being a father wouldn’t be easy, but if I can’t even look at a pair of shoes correctly …
She comes over and twines her fingers with mine. My heart suddenly slows to a regular rhythm. Summer goes back to inspecting the glittery mess that is classified as sneakers, and Serenity turns to me.
“She’s really going to miss you when this is over,” Serenity whispers. Something like a tinge of sadness darkens her words.
My heart plummets. Serenity is already thinking about divorce as if it’s set in stone. Though I haven’t mentioned my proposal from earlier, even after the hotel, I can’t think of a future where Serenity and Summer aren’t part of it.
But I promised I wouldn’t push her, so all I say is, “I’ll miss her, too.”
I fully turn to face Serenity. She looks up at me. Her eyebrows scrunch together in the most beautiful way. If only I could know what’s going on inside her head. But Serenity isn’t one to open up easily, and I’m still trying to gain her trust—not force it.
She laughs softly. “I can’t believe I ever thought badly about you.”
I swear my heart stops for a few seconds as her words wrap around me.
We continue to stare into each other’s eyes as if we aren’t in the middle of her best friend’s boutique.
As if we aren’t two people married because of a contract.
As if we’re just two people who met and are starting to really get to know the other person.
Summer’s happy squeal makes us bounce away from each other as if we were caught doing something unacceptable in public.
Clearing my throat, I say, “I’m sure I’ll do something to upset you, and then your previous assumption will be proven correct.” I bend down to look at the pile of boxes, varying sizes of the glitter shoes waiting to be picked up. “Now, what size is Summer?”
Two hours later, we walk out of the boutique with three bags. And the huge smiles on their faces make my heart soar.
Even though I don’t know where Serenity stands on our relationship, I’m going to do everything I can to keep them. These two are it for me. Even if that means coming clean to Serenity about my family’s secret.