“I don’t want to. My past is my past. I committed unforgivable sins for this moment.” Her gaze stayed steadily on mine. “Because fucking up as royally as I have taught me what not to do, how not to be the worst.”
“You’re not the worst. You’re a good man.”
“I want to be.”
After tucking myself back in my boxers and fastening my blue jeans, I reached into the pocket and pulled out the lace panties, handing them to her. “I wanted to keep these that first time in the cabin too.”
“Keep them.”
“What?”
Julia closed my fingers around the lace. “Keep them.” She lifted her blue jeans. “I’d walk around commando forever if it means seeing you like this. Your smile. Your eyes. You look like you.”
“As opposed to…?”
Julia shook her head. “I don’t mean that you look like Phillip. I mean with each day, the man I fell in love with is back.” She lifted herself on her tiptoes and kissed my cheek. “We’re back. Madison tried to take this from us. She didn’t.”
“She didn’t,” I agreed.
“Will Lena?”
I shook my head. “No. Lena and I have always wanted what was best for one another. We also have always known that we weren’t that person for the other.”
“I admire your friendship.”
I took a deep breath. “Tell me that after you meet her.”
“Why? Is she going to be a bitch like Olivia?”
“You said she was nice.”
“I was being polite.”
My lips came together as I gave Julia’s question more thought. “Lena is capable, but she won’t. Olivia’s worry is that with you at my side, I’ll try to take Brooklyn.”
Julia’s eyes opened wide. “You didn’t tell me that. Wait…what about Lena? She’s Brooklyn’s aunt too.”
“Lena doesn’t want kids.”
“Does she…Have Phillip and Madison allowed…?”
“Yes, Lena has a relationship with Brooklyn. They aren’t close, but Brooklyn at least knows her.”
Julia took a step away. “This is so…” She exhaled.
“Fucked.”
She shook her head. “I was going to say complicated, but fucked works.”
“I’ll walk away from all of them for you.”
Julia
“Idon’t want that.” I replayed my interaction with Olivia in my thoughts. “I think I’m scared.”
“Don’t be scared to meet Lena,” Van said. Before he could say more, there was a knock on the door to his office.
My eyes opened wide. “I thought you said we had a few hours.”