Chapter 44
Victor
Icheck my hair in my rearview mirror for the fifth time since I pulled into Sully’s driveway. Who am I kidding? My blond hair looks the same since I was in university, but I have nothing else to distract myself with.
My heart pounds as I reach for the door handle. I can do this. I’m a grown-ass man, and I can apologize. And I mean, in person—those texts don’t count. Serenity deserves action, not panicked messages in the middle of the night.
The fact that Paul destroyed her trust in the opposite sex and I didn’t tell Serenity I was looking into the both of them … It did me no favors. Mix that with my temporary insanity when I believed she could’ve told the world my secret, and I understand why she’s mad.
“You can do this, Vic,” Isabella says from the passenger seat, pulling me from my depressing thoughts. “And stop checking your hair. It hasn’t moved an inch. You’re still the handsome, rich man every woman wants.” She makes a gagging sound.
I glare at my sister. “You’re here for moral support, not to criticize me.”
She shrugs. “I said you can do this. What else do you expect from me?”
I rub my forehead. My sister isn’t malicious, but she’s not one for comforting.
She has built a thick, fortress-like wall around her heart, and it almost makes her …
unfeeling? She wears her designer clothes like armor, and her manicured nails are her weapons.
But she’s here with me, and this is the most support she has shown me in the last decade.
“Are you sure you’re okay to stay with Harmony and Lana?”
She nods and flicks her hair behind her shoulder. “Are you going to go knock on the front door, or will you continue to stall?”
I shoot her another glare. “Is that how this works?”
“Well, you’re here to get her back, aren’t you? So, go get her.”
Even though Isabella could brush up on her “moral support” etiquette, she’s right. I’ve prepared. I’ve planned. Now, all I can do is go grovel.
I open my door and unfold my body from the vehicle. Dark clouds gather above us, but my gaze is intent on the home in front of me. To where my family is. Where my heart lives.
Hopefully when I’m done, they’ll come back to our house. Maybe that’s wishful thinking.
A car door opens and closes behind me, and I’m grateful Isabella decided to join me. She links her thin arm through mine as I take one step after another. I can do this. And if Serenity says no, I’ll accept it. I’ll take care of my family from afar.
We reach the steps, and I pause.
Isabella turns to me. “You can do this. You’ve run Barlowe Tech for a decade. You’ve made hundreds of business deals go right simply because you’re the best.”
I can’t stop the smile that turns up my lips. During my time away from Serenity and Summer, I haven’t smiled, grinned, or even smirked, and the last person I expected is the one who made me do it.
“Thank you.”
Together, we step up the stairs, and I knock on the front door. My heart pounds wildly inside my chest as if a stampede of animals were set loose. A squeal on the other side of the door makes me giddy to see the ball of sunshine I’ve missed so much.
The front door opens, and Sully stands there with Summer. She barrels out the front door and grabs onto my legs. “You’re back, Bubba. Mommy said we weren’t going to see you anymore.”
Her innocent green eyes blink up at me while still dangling from my legs. My heart squeezes so hard I’m not sure I’ll ever recover.
I pick up Summer, and she gives me a big grin. “I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” she replies without hesitation. The miracle of children, always loving us even if we don’t deserve it. But I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to be deserving of her affection.
Sully shifts, glancing between my sister—who remains silent—and me. “Hello, Mr. Barlowe. Is Serenity expecting you?”
Back to Mr. Barlowe, I see. Serenity must’ve told him everything already.
“She should be, yes.”
He crosses his arms over his chest. “She should?”
Before I can reply, a car engine rumbles down the driveway.
I turn around, and a bright pink Chevrolet truck pulls to a stop beside my vehicle.
I place Summer back on her feet, unable to tear my eyes off our new arrivals.
Four women climb out, but my eyes narrow in on Serenity.
Her red hair is pulled back into a half up, half down hairstyle with wisps around her face.
I ache to push my fingers through her curly locks, to pull her to me.
My gaze makes it down her torso and to her jeans, which hug all her curves the right way. The. Most. Beautiful. Woman. Ever. No one will ever change my mind about that, even if she decides to stick to her decision.
Isabella leans toward me. “I can see the drool. Act cool.”
Ignoring her, I start toward Serenity. My feet move on their own as if they’re being pulled toward her. Everyone around us disappears as she gravitates to me, too. She bites on her lower lip, and I wish so much I was the one doing it—that she’d let me pull her close and wrap my arms around her.
“Why did you want to see me?” Serenity’s voice is so soft I almost don’t hear her.
I clear my throat. Serenity keeps her composure, not surprised that the man she kicked out a week ago is now here. Harmony must have already told her about me coming and forgot to tell me. “All I want is one evening with you.”
She sighs. “I’m not flying off to some fancy restaurant. Can’t you see that’s not the kind of life I want?”
“No planes. No fancy restaurants.” I take a step closer. “Just us and regular food.”
She hesitates for a few moments, and I can practically see the gears running in her brain. Harmony whispers something into Serenity’s ear before heading to the house. Everyone disappears inside except for my sister who stays by the stairs, giving us privacy but also being here for me.
As if Serenity has made up her mind, she nods and follows me to my car. I open her door for her, and she glares at me as she slides inside. We make our way toward downtown. Neither one of us says a word as we drive closer to our destination.
My stomach is in knots as I park the car outside the first location I have planned. This is it. My one shot to win back my family once and for all. No pressure or anything.