“Eventually. I’ll let you know before I do.”
He nodded with gratitude.
Mark’s jaw ticked at the hinges, but when he spoke, his anger had morphed into concern. “And what if you fuck this up? Where does that leave her?”
Now that I could respect.
Honestly, the idea of failing her again haunted me on a minute-to-minute basis. But what were my choices? When she hadn’t been a part of my life, I’d believed wholeheartedly that I was doing the right thing by staying away from her. Allowing her an opportunity for the fresh start she’d so desperately needed—and deserved.
But then she’d come back to me, more hell-bent than ever. And that made two of us, because the second I’d shown up at her office with the cactus, I’d made a commitment to her all over again whether she knew it or not.
“With me,” I answered, leaving no room for argument. “It leaves her with me. Where she belongs. If everything falls apart again and we end up right back where we were before the crash, I’ll still be here for her every single day. For as long as she’ll have me.”
He let out a string of expletives under his breath and pinched the bridge of his nose. “This is so fucked.”
It always had been. I believed I was the one who had originally pointed it out though. Nobody had listened then, and I wasn’t about to let it get in my way now.
I jerked my chin toward the door. “At least we can agree on that.”
Aaron walked past me, stress carving lines across his forehead. He might have had my back, but he wasn’t exactly enthusiastic about things either. I couldn’t blame him. Lying to a woman you loved wasn’t anyone’s idea of a good time. Necessary as it might have been.
Mark stopped at the door and leveled me with a glare. “This isn’t over.”
I squared my shoulders and looked him dead in the eyes. “You’re right. For me and Remi, it’s just the beginning—again.”
He groaned, shaking his head. But he didn’t insist on standing there until Remi arrived and that alone gave me new confidence that our secret was safe for a while longer.
At least from her.
If I knew Mark at all, his very first stop on the way home would be at Jack Grey’s restaurant.
Closing the door behind them with one hand, I used the other to slide my phone from my back pocket then tapped out a number I’d long since memorized.
“Is everything okay, son?” Jack answered, not even bothering with a hello.
I sighed, not looking forward to the possible pushback I was likely to receive. “I guess it depends on your definition of okay.”
“Shit,” he rumbled, and somewhere in the distance, I heard a door click.
“Is Remi with you?”
“No. I’m moving to the office so I can hear you better. What’s going on, Bowen? My heart stops every time your name shows up on my phone.”
“I’m sorry, and I hate to be doing this over the phone, but Mark and Aaron were just here. It didn’t go so well.”
“What happened?”
I paced the room, hoping to expel even a little of the anxiety coursing through my body. “Long story short, Remi and I are back together. Mark thinks it’s a shit idea, but she came to me, Jack. I won’t fucking walk away from her again.”
There was a long pause. I respected the hell out of Jack, but my relationship with Remi wasn’t up for discussion and I wasn’t looking for anyone’s opinion or blessing. But I wasn’t a coward, either, so I felt it necessary to lay my cards on the table.
When he finally spoke, his voice was raw. “Does she…”
“No. She doesn’t remember anything.”
“Good,” he replied with a relief I knew all too well. “Then what the hell do you mean you’re back together?”
“She came back to me. I didn’t seek her out, and when she did, I tried to shut it down, but you know Remi. She wouldn’t take no for an answer. So I’m being careful and cautious, but she loves me, Jack, and I’m done pretending I don’t love her too. Look, I’m not asking for permission here, but I wanted to tell you myself before Mark or Aaron have the chance to.”
Jack was a wildcard in a lot of ways. He loved his daughter something fierce, and watching her fall apart after she’d been kidnapped had nearly destroyed him. I understood why Mark was pissed off. And why Aaron had been willing to keep our secret after we’d “met” over coffee. But I had no idea what Jack’s reaction would be.
There was another pause, and I waited for whatever hellfire he wanted to rain down over me. He was her father, so I’d take it without objection. It wouldn’t change a thing though.
“Oh, thank God,” he rushed out. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it. “I’ve been worried sick about this move to Miami, the idea of leaving her behind all alone. Even though Mark and Aaron assured me ten times over that they’d take care of her, there’s only so much they can do. I worry about her, Bowen. She’s been through so damn much, and you were always the best at being strong for her. Solid as a rock even when you should have crumbled. I pushed for this, and I have plenty of regrets, but knowing you’re back in her life—there for her for whatever she needs… Well, it’ll make closing my eyes at night a hell of a lot easier.”
Fuck, hearing it felt good. There were so many ways I’d failed her, but Remi and I belonged together, and her father’s trust in me was huge.
I hated all the secrets and lies. The minute she’d walked back into my life, I’d wanted to scream confessions for every last one of them from the rooftops. But I hadn’t found the courage to tell my own family, much less hers. And for him to have this reaction, one of happiness and relief, it healed my tattered soul in unimaginable ways.
“She’s the one, Jack. It doesn’t matter what comes our way. I’ll always protect her.”
“I know, son. Trust me. It’s the one thing I’ve never doubted with you. You’ve sacrificed a lot for my girl. I’ll never be able to repay you for it.”
I swallowed the lump rising in my neck, planting a hand on my hip as I stared blankly at the floor. “That is not a debt you owe me. Though, if you’re in a giving mood, maybe have a chat with Mark. I get it. He’s worried about her too, but I won’t let this go south. I’m marching into this with my eyes wide open and ready for the challenge.”
“That’s enough for me,” he said. More pride flooded my veins. “I’ll see what I can do about the boys.”
“I’d appreciate it.”
He cleared his throat. “Not to change the subject, but aside from Remi, how have you been?”
I smiled. “Better than your taxes. That’s for sure.”
“Aha! So you’re the accountant who’s trying to give the IRS all my money?”
“Yep, and after looking at your finances, I’m pretty pissed you didn’t reach out to me sooner.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah. You had enough on your plate. Uncle Sam could wait.”
I chuckled. “I’m pretty sure that’s not how it works.”
“All right, good chat. If you don’t mind, I’m gonna get back to work and skip the lecture. Can’t wait to meet you again, Bowen.”