Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 121887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 121887 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 609(@200wpm)___ 488(@250wpm)___ 406(@300wpm)
Well, Javi would jump all over that.
Mace was done with our conversation, clearly, because he jutted his strong chin at the door.
And then he said one word, “Go.”
It was now or never.
I turned and was about to hit the doorbell, but since we’d all huddled on the street, then semi-huddled under the portico, it wasn’t surprising the door opened before my finger connected with the button.
And Austin Atherton was there, Julia clinging to his arm.
She looked terrified to see me.
He looked braced.
They both looked wrecked.
What happened that morning had visibly affected them, just as much, if not more, than it had Javi. And in the ensuing time, it hadn’t let go.
Austin’s eyes flicked beyond me, and yeah, okay, my ambush was a bit more in-your-face than his (right, more than a bit, thanks to the Hottie Squad), but whatever.
I decided it was time to get this done, even for Austin and Julia.
“I’d like to introduce you to Javi’s family,” I said.
Austin flinched and Julia’s lip quivered.
“Now,” I went on softly, “I don’t want to be cruel. We’ll make this quick.” I looked to Julia. “He’s going to contact you.”
She brightened immediately.
Austin grunted in surprise.
“And when you agree to meet him,” I continued, “and as your relationship grows with your brother, no matter how much you’ll want to coax him to let your dad in, you are going to tamp down that instinct.”
Julia went pale(r).
“If you can’t do that,” I carried on, “you will find reasons not to see him. The same goes for Cath.”
“I—” she began.
“I’ll warn you now, this isn’t a negotiation,” I stated.
Oh my God!
Look at me!
I could be a bad-A!
She shut her mouth.
See?
Bad-A!
“She’ll do it,” Austin said.
Julia looked up at him. “Dad.”
He peered down at her. “You’ll do it, honey.”
I did not want to witness how much love he openly shared with his daughter, this mingled with how determined he was to give her—and Javi—something he’d denied them both for decades.
Unfortunately, I witnessed it.
I tucked that somewhere safe so I could share it with Javi if some future him ever considered letting his dad in. For now, though, it would remain where it was and stay there if my guy never got to that place.
“As for you—” I began, my attention on Austin.
“I’ll leave him alone,” Austin promised.
Julia turned her head and pressed her forehead against her dad’s arm, which she was still clutching.
“However, I would like to see that he’s…financially secure,” Austin said hoarsely.
“Continue to pay his mom’s hospital bills,” I replied.
“I will, but if something happens to me—” Austin started, making Julia’s head jerk back.
“Nothing’s going to happen to you, Dad,” she said quickly.
Wait.
Was there something we didn’t know?
“You, Patrick and Catherine have trusts,” Austin told his daughter. “You have since you were born. I rest easy knowing, if something happens to me, at least you won’t suffer in that manner.”
I tried not to get pissed that Javi had none of that.
On the flipside, it was good there wasn’t some dread news underlying Austin’s desire to get to know his son.
Austin turned back to me, his gaze moving behind me for a moment before coming back to mine. “I understand he’s got a good job with excellent pay, but even so, it would cripple him to take on his mother’s care if I wasn’t around to pay for it. He’d have to move her to a facility that is not nearly as good, it would cause her confusion, and that would cause Javier distress. I want to ensure her care, and that he can rest in the knowledge he can provide it.” Heavy pause. “At least.”
Mace spoke up. “You can do that without dragging Javi into it. He’s a proud man, but he isn’t a stupid one. He also loves his mother. If you set that up and something happened to you, he’d take what was given so she wouldn’t suffer.”
In other words, don’t use this as your in with our boy. Do what you gotta do and leave him alone.
Austin got the unspoken message and nodded to Mace.
“So,” I began to sum it up. “The girls will wait for Javi to make his approach. Neither of them will attempt to push him into a relationship with his father. And you’ll back off. Do we have a deal?”
“We have a deal,” Austin said, sounding like he was choking on his words.
Dang it all, that cost him. A lot. Maybe too much. I saw the pain in his eyes.
But this wasn’t my call.
I did what I came to do.
“Thank you,” I said.
Austin swallowed and drew his daughter back, starting to close the door.
We were to the driveway, Willow holding my hand, Jessie at my other side, whispering I done good, when Ally grunted, “Hup.”
At this strange noise, I turned to see the men were (unnecessarily, this was a super good neighborhood) escorting us back to our cars, and Julia was dashing toward me.