32. Michael
“By ‘talk’ I legitimately meant ‘talk,’” I clarify once we’re face-to-face and alone.
His face droops slightly in disappointment, which shocks me.
If I’m honest, despite knowing everything I know about Rodrigo, I wouldn’t have really pegged him for someone violent.
Especially not in this case, when I feel like I’m more justified in my anger than he is.
He mistreated the woman I love and neglected their children, whom I also care deeply about.
Rodrigo, on the other hand, is only angry because I exist. Because by me being there for Diana and his daughters, he’s no longer needed.
And narcissists don’t like to feel irrelevant.
“Talk? That’s all you want to do?” He scoffs. “I should’ve known Diana’s next pick would be a beta.”
I grit my teeth, not letting him bait me even though there’s nothing I would love more than to show him just how bad this beta could fuck him up.
I cross my arms in front of my chest in an effort to restrain myself. “I’m not going to fight you.”
“Why the hell not?”
“First of all, because it would upset Emi and Cami, and they’ve been through enough trauma. Second, it would upset Diana, and I really don’t want to hurt her. And third… well, honestly, I don’t think it’s worth the effort.”
He snorts. “So Diana isn’t worth the effort?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. Diana is worth everything. But beating your ass—and make no mistake, I could very easily beat your ass—is not worth sore knuckles, or upsetting the girls.”
Rodrigo rolls his eyes. “Yeah, okay, sure.”
But I’m not going to argue about this. It’s dumb and a waste of my time and completely irrelevant.
“I want to talk about what you’re really doing here.”
“What I’m doing here?” He raises a brow. “I’m here to see my daughters at camp. To visit my wife.”
“Ex-wife. And based on your performance this summer, it doesn’t seem like you give two shits about your daughters. Or Diana, for that matter.”
“Oh, and you do give a shit about my daughters?”
“Abso-fucking-lutely I do.” And I mean it.
Over the last two and a half months, I’ve gotten to see how amazing Diana’s daughters are.
How smart Emi is, how passionate Cami can be.
Both of them so strong, both overcoming their own set of challenges at such a young age.
And while I know Cami must’ve felt conflicted about whatever role she thought I was playing in their lives, I know she didn’t mean to harm me or her mom by telling her dad about us.
I know she didn’t intend for drama to follow.
She’s just a kid, struggling to manage a mess created by adults. And I won’t fault her for that.
“Please,” he scoffs. “This isn’t serious. Diana’s only with you because she’s upset I’ve moved on—”
“Several times over, apparently.”
“—and she can’t deal. So she just picked the first guy who showed some interest in her.
And you—you were probably just looking for a summer fling and a baby sitter for your kid.
Because that’s what she did, right? Helped you with your daughter all summer?
” He snickers. “This whole thing is temporary and a joke.”
“It’s not a fucking joke. And we’re going to make it last. I’m going to be part of Diana and Cami and Emi’s lives, which means you need to get used to me. It’s why I’m trying to have a civilized conversation here, but you’re making it increasingly difficult.”
“What? You’re gonna try long-distance with Diana? Please.” He scoffs.
“This is real,” I say through gritted teeth.
“Oh, sure,” he says sardonically. “I’m positive it will all work out, despite the thousands of miles between you two.
And the time difference. And the fact that both of you have children and are therefore not a flexible schedule.
Please. This is ridiculous and all you’re going to end up doing is hurting my daughters. You two won’t last more than a month.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I love her,” I tell him, feeling it in every inch of my body, every atom that makes up my being and soul.
Rodrigo’s expression shifts into one of fury, his hands fisting at his sides. But it isn’t the murderous look on his face that makes my stomach drop. It’s the sharp gasp I hear behind me.
“Michael,” Diana whispers.
I curse under my breath and squeeze my eyes shut before turning to face her.
“Michael,” she says again. “You love me?”
This is definitely not how I wanted things to go down.
“I do.” My heart races in my chest, beating so loudly I can hear it in my ears, but I don’t hesitate to make it clear. What’s the point? I love her and there’s no going back. I wouldn’t even want to.
A goofy grin spreads across Diana’s face, eyes widening as she takes a step toward me.
Suddenly, the distance between us grows intolerable, so I pull her to me and wind my arms around her waist. “I love you, Diana. I’ve loved you for a really long time, I think.
It kinda started off real slow? But it’s built into something I can barely parse into words. ”
I think I hear Rodrigo mock-gagging in the background, but it’s hard to pay attention to anything else when I’m holding her like this, and she’s looking up at me like she feels the same way.
Except she doesn’t say it back. Why isn’t she saying it back?
My smile falls when hers does, Diana’s expression morphing from one of happiness and joy, to one of… dismay?
“I… Thank you so much, Michael,” she says, with a forced smile.
The pain is insurmountable—I’ve never known anything like it. All of a sudden, I struggle to breathe. To string a set of words together well enough to form a sentence.
Rodrigo bursts out laughing. “What a priceless moment. God, I’m so happy I was here for this.”
I ignore him. I’d like to say it’s by choice, but most of my energy right now is going into not showing Diana just how hurt I am by what she said—or didn’t say.
“Michael, I—”
“Shh, it’s okay,” I whisper, before pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. Because it is. There’s still a chance she feels the same way and doesn’t want to discuss this in front of this idiot. “We can talk later. When we’re alone.” I cup her cheek and smile down at her.
Diana swallows once—hard. “Thank you,” she whispers.
“Who did you leave the girls with?” I ask.
“Lexi. She stopped by, saw I was a little distressed, and told me I should stop you guys from getting into a dumb fight,” she whispers.
I smile. She’s so adorable. “Baby, it was never going to get to that point. I would never have let it,” I whisper.
“Now that we’ve cleared up she doesn’t care about you that way, can we wrap things up?
” Rodrigo cuts in. “What the hell are you doing out here, Diana? Michael and I came outside to settle this like men. Or I guess that’s what I thought, before he backed out of a fight,” Rodrigo says, crossing his arms in front of his chest.
“It was never going to be a fucking fight. I just wanted to talk,” I remind him, reluctantly letting go of Diana to face him.
He rolls his eyes.
“Well, I came out to make sure it wouldn’t evolve into a stupid fight. And also to let you know that your daughters are inside asking why their father, whom they haven’t seen or spoken to in months, is suddenly looking very angry with Michael.”
“As if they give a shit about Michael.”
“They do, actually. Very much,” Diana says, straightening her spine. Pride and love fills my chest. Knowing the feeling is mutual—at least with the girls—really is incredible.
“Please. He’s nothing to them. Just your fucking boyfriend.”
“He’s been there for them, too, this entire summer—not just for me.”
“I don’t feel comfortable with the fact that you’ve let a man be this close to my daughters without asking me. Without me having met him first. That’s fucked, Diana. And I expected better from you.”
I take a step toward him, suddenly rethinking not kicking his ass, but Diana pulls me back.
“I need to talk to him alone,” she tells me. “Would you mind going back inside? Plus, I’m sure Lexi can’t afford to babysit our kids while we argue like children in the restaurant parking lot.”
I glare at Rodrigo, then stare back at her before nodding. I take a deep breath and tell her, “Okay. But let me know if you need anything whatsoever. From a snide comeback, to an ass-kicking, I’m your guy.”
A hint of a smile begins to form on her lips. “Noted.”
I go in to place a peck on her lips, but decide to really go for it last minute.
Diana and I are not ones for PDA, but this feels different.
The caveman side of my brain needs to claim her—especially in front of this asshole—and this seems like the easiest way to make sure everyone knows she’s mine. At least in this moment.
“Good luck,” I whisper against her lips before walking away, leaving her breathless.