I held Zoe close to my heart and took a breath. “She’s fine with me. I’d rather, Mak, is it?”
Mak—apparently—inclined his head.
“Nice to meet you, Mak. If you’re on your own, Briar, I’d like you to have someone with you. Even here on set. I don’t trust anyone.”
“You’ve made that abundantly clear,” Briar muttered before turning on her heel and walking off in the opposite direction from craft services. Her hand came up and wiped at her face. I didn’t know if it was possible to feel lower than I did at that moment.
After one more stoic and critical survey of me, Mak turned and followed her—this time walking a few feet behind Briar.
I’d lashed out at her for no reason other than my own stupidity not to mention my jealousy, and now Briar was crying. I was an ass.
“Dada? Play?” Zoe asked with a frown.
“Yeah, Zo-Zo. Let’s go play.” I faked a smile as I carried her up the stairs and into my trailer. Regardless of the asshole I’d been to Briar, I only got a slim window with my daughter. I had to soak up every minute.
I’d apologize later.
Only two hours later, when I was due back to set, Briar waited until the last possible minute to show up at my trailer for Zoe. Adam was literally pushing me toward the door when Briar appeared.
“Did you get lost?” The words fell out of my mouth before I even thought them. Then I closed my eyes with a wince. That wasn’t exactly the best way to start my apology.
“I thought since I was late bringing her to you, I’d give you every possible second to be with your daughter. Was that not what you wanted?” Briar tilted her head like it was an honest question, but I heard the sarcasm.
My lips quirked into a half smile. Damn, I kinda had to respect her moxie. “No, you’re right. I did want—”
“King, you gotta get to set. You were due three minutes ago.” Adam barked behind me his phone held to his ear. “Yes, he’s coming now. No, you don’t need to send someone. He’s walking out the door now. I’m watching him do it.”
I sighed and headed for the door Briar still stood in front of. She took a step back but stopped as she banged into the doorjamb.
“Sorry,” she murmured.
I passed through the door and our bodies brushed. She sucked in a quick breath and kept her gaze firmly fixed over my shoulder. I couldn’t look away from her face and the pink hue darkening her cheeks. “That’s my line,” I whispered as I passed her. “To be continued.”
Briar blinked up at me, confusion wrinkling her forehead.
But I didn’t have time for an explanation as Adam continued to push me out the door.
“Come on, King. You gotta get to set.”
But Briar had already turned away from me. “Zo-zo! What animal do you have there? Is that a cow? What’s a cow say?”
The door closed behind Adam, muffling my daughter’s moo.
And stabbing me in the heart.
Damn, this was so much harder than I thought it would be.
And I still owed Briar an apology.
* * *
That night, when I got home, the house was quiet and dark like always. But unlike earlier today, I knew exactly why I had an unsettled feeling—I still owed Briar a huge apology. And—awkwardly—I had the hots for her.
Scenes from my marriage played in my mind as I climbed the stairs. I’d never been one to hide from conflict, but after being married to Ariel, I had PTSD when it came to disagreements. That woman could take the smallest thing and turn it into World War III. The dramatics, the fake tears, the screaming. It’d all been so ugly. And she’d loved it when I apologized—not that she’d ever accepted them. Not when it was her opportunity to hold all my failings over my head. She’d rage at me and bring up everything I’d ever done wrong. It was exhausting.
Not that Briar was anything like Ariel. From what I’d seen so far, they were night and day—in that Briar was sweetness and light, and Ariel had been… I had to stop thinking about her.
But I’d never been in this position with any of my previous nannies before. When they’d come onto me, I’d had no problem being the asshole. And I didn’t ever feel apologetic about how I’d behaved then.