“No! Brady, stop.”
Tori pulls my arm. I release Davey and sit back down next to her.
“I don’t blame you, Davey. I want you to know that.” She looks at me for a minute, like she wants me to know, too. Her eyes travel back to Davey. “We all made mistakes. I do understand what you’re going through, and I want to help you.”
My mouth is agape as I listen to her. Fuck helping him. He’s long past help.
“Why would you help me?”
“You helped Brady.” She smiles and grabs my hand. “You could have let him take the fall with you, but you didn’t. If it weren’t for you, Brady and I might have never found each other.”
“I said some horrible things.” I hear remorse in his voice.
“Yes, and so did I,” she admits. “I get why you felt the way you did.”
“I’m sorry.” He’s looking right at me. “I was jealous of what you had.”
Tori nods at him. “Gibson Capital has some resources that I think can help find your child.”
His surprised expression moves between the two of us. “You’d do that for me?”
I don’t say anything.
“I would, but you have to get some help first,” Tori tells him confidently. “No father deserves to be separated from his child, but you need to be straight if you’re going to be in your child’s life.”
He looks like he might cry. “I’ll do anything.”
“Good.” She smiles kindly at him before turning to me. My heart soars with emotions. “I need to do this to heal.” I nod, reaching up to stroke her face with the back of my fingers. “Will you help him?”
I don’t know why I never thought of it before. The P.I.s at Gibson can find anyone. “Of course.”
I turn my head to look at Davey. He looks hopeful. “I’ll find your kid if you get help and a steady job. You have to work.”
He nods solemnly. “Thanks.” He stands and looks down at Tori. “I don’t deserve your help.”
She stands and offers him a hug. “Yes, you do.”
He shakes my hand and leaves. I spin to face my beautiful girl. “You are one amazing woman.”
She shakes her head furiously. “No, I just feel awful for him. To go through what he did and then lose his child is so unfair.”
I don’t even know what to say to her. I’m filled with admiration for her and renewed hope for us.
Chapter 16
Tori
At four we leave for the airport to pick up my parents. We drive Liv’s car, as there’s not enough space in Brady’s truck or my Jeep. Brady’s been quiet since getting in the car. We both have, our thoughts adrift with what tomorrow will bring. I squeeze his knee reassuringly. He glances at me briefly with a small smile. Then his eyes return to the road as he takes my hand and holds it.
We pull up to arrivals and spot my parents on the curb. My mom searches my eyes through the window. Her face is solemn as her shoulders sag. Once the car stops, I jump out and engulf her in a hug. She cries against my shoulder.
“Please don’t cry, Mom,” I say, trying to soothe her as best I can while Brady shakes hands with my father before putting their things in the trunk of Liv’s car.
My mom finally leans back, wiping her tears with her palms.
“I’m fine,” I reassure her as I open the front door for her to slip in.
“I’m sorry,” she says with a tender smile as she drops into the front seat. I join my dad in the back. He reaches over and puts his arm around me. I rest my head on his shoulder as Brady drives away from the curb.