32. Valuable Ammunition
Chapter Thirty-Two
Valuable Ammunition
Neve
The sky is barely awake, just a watercolor wash over the street, and I’m camped in Grant’s kitchen, fully aware we’re about to begin the next two weeks of low-contact time because Grant will have Sera with him.
I don’t resent him for it, and I don’t resent her.
I’m just ready to move forward so that I can be a part of his life all the time—part of her life, too—not just a secret shadow at the edges.
But I know I have to let him go at his own pace. I know he needs to feel safe in all of this. So, I resolve to make the most of being here for the next few hours, then I’ll leave, and I’ll miss him for the next two weeks, living on only texts, voice notes, and glances of him at the university.
I’m wearing his biggest sweater, sleeves past my hands, hair sleep mussed as I drink my coffee.
He’s in the shower, so I’m waiting to make pancakes until he’s out.
I’ve never been the type of person to assume the worst, so when there’s a knock at the door, I don’t even think about opening it until it’s too late to close it again.
There she is—Marie, airbrushed and perfect, hair sleek, lips glossed like glass.
She’s holding Sera’s hand, but her eyes are all over me, scanning, dissecting, slotting me into whatever folder she has for “problems that shouldn’t exist but do.
” Sera is beaming, sipping on her dino juice box, completely oblivious to the emotional bloodbath about to commence.
“Oh,” Marie says, all faux surprise. “I didn’t realize Grant had company.”
I flash a smile, trying not to make it sharp. “Hey. Hi, Sera. I love your shoes.”
Sera lifts her knee to show off her sparkly sneakers, delighted. “They light up when I stomp!” She does just that, the sound echoing in the hall like a gunshot.
Marie doesn’t blink when I turn my attention back to her. “Grant said you were meeting later for him to pick up Sera.”
She sniffs, averting her eyes when she realizes she’s been caught. “We had an appointment in the area. I assumed it wouldn’t be a problem.”
You assumed. Of course, you did.
Behind me, the shower cuts off.
I open my mouth to speak, but she beats me to it. “You know, I didn’t know Grant was seeing anybody.”
I swallow, staying quiet.
Marie leans on the doorframe, letting go of Sera’s hand so she can cross her arms. I usher Sera carefully into the apartment and gesture for Marie to follow, but she stays where she is.
“He’s supposed to disclose new relationships,” she points out.
“I know,” I say quickly. “We just… wanted to disclose to the university first. They require a dated letter for staff-student relationships.”
The air shoots from my lungs when I realize what I’ve said. I hate myself instantly. As soon as Marie’s eyes widen, I realize she didn’t know I’m one of Grant’s students, and that I’ve just handed her valuable ammunition that’s about to blow a hole in my chest.
“You’re his student?” she asks evenly.
“I’m a student in the psychology department,” I grit out. “Where my sister works. And her fiancé.”
Marie studies my face, calculating. “I thought you looked familiar,” she says quietly. There’s a clatter and a jingle behind us as Sera drags her xylophone out from under the coffee table. “You’re Fia Hart’s sister.”
“Neve.” I hold out a hand, but she doesn’t shake. She doesn’t even move. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
Her mouth ticks up. “You’re a terrible liar.”
“You’re a terrible actress,” I fire back, unable to help myself. “You really think I’m buying that you were just ‘in the area’? Bull—” I choke off the curse. “Bullcrap. That wasn’t true last time, and it’s not true this time, either.”
Marie quirks a brow. “You were here the last time?”
Fuck. “It’s none of your business.”
“It’s my business when it concerns my child,” she says sharply.
“It doesn’t,” I say, equally barbed. “I left as soon as you dropped Sera off last time, because I’m committed to making sure this relationship is safe for her.
No, we haven’t disclosed the relationship to you yet, but we have to Ellie.
” Double fuck. “We’re just…” I wave a hand in the air, vague. “Getting our ducks in a row.”
Marie barks a laugh, shaking her head as she barges past me into the apartment. I sigh, shutting the door.
“How old are you?” she asks when she rounds on me.
“What does it matter?”
“Aren’t you worried he’ll manipulate you?” she asks. “You’re young, you—”
“Funny, he asked me the same thing,” I hiss. “I wonder who put that idea into his head?”
“Look, you little—”
I step into her space, cutting her off. The soft tinkle of Sera playing something out of tune on her xylophone filters through the room. “Don’t do this now,” I say quietly. “Not with Sera here. If you want to protect your child, protect her from this.”
Marie tilts her head, mouth quirked in a knowing smile. “Sera’s seen worse. Trust me.”
“You think that’s the point?” I keep my voice quiet, teeth gritted. “This shouldn’t be the memory she takes away from today.”
Marie huffs, opening her bag and acting like she’s not trying to laser a hole through my forehead with her glare. “If you care so much about Sera, why are you pushing yourself into her life instead of going through the proper channels? Or is that just… how your generation does things?”
I blink at her, once. “Are you serious? You had a designated plan for Grant to pick Sera up, and instead, you ambushed us, again.”
Marie’s lip curls. “I did no such thing. You’re just… confused. You’re a last gasp at him feeling young again.”
There it is again—the jab about my age, my intelligence, my supposed inability to know my own mind. It’s like she’s been waiting for this exact conversation, rehearsing it in her Tesla on the way over.
“I’m not confused. I know exactly what I want,” I say. “I don’t need to justify that to you, or anyone.”
Marie rolls her eyes. “Right, because you’re the exception. I thought I was, too.”
“Yeah, except I didn’t gaslight him into thinking he’s some kind of evil, manipulative bastard. You want to play the ex-wife-victim card, go off—but don’t project it onto me. You’re not mad about Sera, you’re mad Grant might be happy.”
She barks a laugh, but it’s brittle. “You don’t know anything about me.”
I step closer, so our chests almost bump together. “Maybe not. But I know what it feels like to be told, over and over, that I’m too much. I know what it’s like to have someone try to make me feel small so they can feel big.”
Marie’s mouth snaps shut. For a second, I think she might actually back down—then she glances over my shoulder, eyes landing on something behind me. I turn, and there’s Grant—barefoot, hair wet and combed back. He’s trying for neutral, but I can see the strain in his jaw.
“Is everything okay out here?” His voice is calm, but there’s a tiny earthquake under the words.
Sera looks up from her xylophone, beaming. “Papa!”
“Hey, bug. I missed you.” He flashes a smile, and it makes me melt, but when he turns back to me, his expression flattens again.
Marie instantly flips into concerned-coparent mode. “You didn’t tell me you were seeing a student.”
Grant’s lips part, and his eyes fall shut for a moment. I want to cry about how disappointed he looks in that second, because he must know that the only way Marie would know that is because I mentioned it.
I want to take it back. I want to rewind time, stuff the words back into my mouth, and let Grant take the lead.
He’s so careful—not just with me, but with everything.
With his job, and the rules, and Sera, and the universe.
I am not careful. I’m a hand grenade in a room full of glass, and I’ve just yanked the pin.
Grant goes to Sera first. He crouches, matching her height, and the way his face changes when he looks at her should be illegal. His eyes go soft, mouth tipping up. “Hey, there’s my favorite girl.”
She grins, throwing herself into his arms.
Grant lets her bulldoze him, head tucked down by hers, eyes closed as he breathes her in. I can’t imagine how hard it is for him to be without her for two weeks at a time.
I want to just indulge in watching them, but Marie’s eyes are knives. She’s got her game face on, and the instant Sera’s distracted with her xylophone again, Marie returns to the war.
“So, what is this?” she asks, gesturing between me and Grant as he steps up beside me.
His jaw flexes. “We’re dating. We were waiting to file the disclosure with Talan before telling anyone else,” he says. “You’d have known by next week. Ellie already knows.”
Marie’s mouth turns to a sneer, but she shutters it in a microsecond. “You know that’s a violation of the agreement.”
“It’s not, actually,” Grant says evenly. “There’s no clause about timing. Only full disclosure prior to integrating Sera into the home environment. Sera hasn’t met Neve in that context, except for one brief, accidental encounter—outside of this one—because you dropped her off early.”
Marie’s gaze slides to me, then back to Grant. “So, this isn’t just a casual thing?”
I see the way Grant looks at me. It is not casual. If he says otherwise after everything, I know it’ll break me. His lips part, but nothing comes out. I hold my breath.
“It’s not casual.”
Something tectonic shifts behind my ribs.
Marie rolls her eyes. “Are you sure? The last thing Sera needs is instability.”
I can’t stay quiet. “You’re projecting.”
It’s out before I can stop it. Grant shoots me a look—a single, sharp flick of the eyes. I can’t help it, though. I want to defend him. I want to defend Sera. I want to defend myself, too, but that’s a distant third priority.
Marie stares me down, lashes like blades. “You think you know what’s best for my daughter?”
I open my mouth, but Grant intercepts. “No one’s trying to replace you, Marie. Or destabilize anything. I’ve already discussed this with Ellie, but I hadn’t had a chance to discuss it with Neve—that’s why you didn’t know.”