“What?”
This couldn’t be happening!
I didn’t hear her exact words, but it was all about her leaving. Something about Jade and Zoë and needing space. That much, I did get. Nikki, the only good and real thing in my life, was leaving. I couldn’t deal with it. I wouldn’t.
I got up, left the food on the table, and turned to leave the kitchen.
I heard her calling after me, “Will! Will!”
Chapter 25
Nikki
There was a part of me that had thought Will might think it was a good idea
It was a small part, admittedly.
Miniscule really.
Then I saw how the blood drained from his face, the way his expression froze in a twisted mask of horror, and I knew he didn’t understand what I was trying to do.
He got up and walked away.
I ran after him, pulling his arm to make him stop but he shook me off and went into his office and sat down in his chair, his head in his hands.
I followed him.
“Okay, I won’t resign, okay? I’ll stay.”
He turned to me, dazed.
“What?”
“I thought, maybe, it was a good idea.”
“Why?”
“Because of Jade and Zoë and her coming back into your life… and you needing time to figuring things out.”
“I told you I didn’t need things figured out!”
“But you do!” I said. “Zoë wants her mother to move in and Jade wants you back and you apparently said Jade could not move in because I was there.”
“That’s not true… that’s not what I meant!”
I leaned down and hugged him.
“I love you,” I said. “I’m sorry. I thought if I gave you guys space, you could sort it out. I didn’t want to break up with you, I only wanted to stop being Zoë’s nanny. Maybe live somewhere else for a bit. Give Zoë some time to deal with everything too.”
“Oh.”
I told him how my relationship with Zoë had changed since Jade had come into her life.
“And you thought going away was going to bring us closer?”
He pulled me onto his lap.
“So, you’ll stay?”