Late Nights & Love Lines (Single Dad Hotline #2)

32. He chose me

32

HE CHOSE ME

ROWAN

“ I need you to leave them,” Mya says as though she’s commenting on the weather.

My skin sizzles as if someone’s holding a match to it, and the flame races up my legs to my chest, where the fire grows and rampages through my life.

“Excuse me?” I choke out.

“You love him, which means you probably love my children too.” She says the words my children like a conqueror declaring war. “So I’m asking you to bow out of their lives so I can say goodbye.”

“What will me walking away do?”

She shrugs. “They’re not going to forgive me for what I’ve done.”

I don’t detect a hint of remorse in anything that she says. Maybe she’s a sociopath with no capacity for empathy.

“Again, I’m not sure I understand.”

She lifts her glass, and I focus on how her hand shakes.

“If they’re sad over losing you, they won’t have the energy to hold on to as much anger for me.”

Now it’s my hands that shake, and I tuck them under my thighs.

“That’s not how children work. You’re asking me to traumatize them on purpose so you can seek forgiveness you don’t deserve?”

“That’s exactly what I’m asking.”

I sit back in my chair as if she shot me. “Have you lost your mind? Why would I do that?”

“Because if you don’t, my father will unleash Nick and give him the power to do whatever underhanded thing he needs to do to ensure Sebastian loses Coleman Industries.” She leans forward in her chair, and the evil lurking behind her beautiful blue eyes roars to life. “If that happens, he’ll lose everything. He and the kids will have nothing. Is that what you want hanging over your head?”

“Why are you doing this?”

She lifts one bony shoulder. “I’m dying, Rowan. I want my children wiped from my conscience before I go.” She lifts her frail wrist and spins the watch on it so she can see the face. “My time is limited, as is your time to make a choice. So what will it be?”

“You expect me to leave? Right now? Without saying goodbye?”

My body launches itself into fight-or-flight mode. It’s second nature at this point, but this time, Pappy’s words chant in my head.

“Someday, something will come along that’s worth fighting for, and it will happen in an instant. You’ll have to decide if you can keep running from life or if you’re ready and willing to fight for it.”

My gaze snaps to Mya’s, and it hits me faster than a tsunami.

I’m ready to fight for it.

She’s staring at me and playing with the saltshaker. It tips over. My fingers itch to pinch the salt on the table and toss it over my left shoulder, but I don’t allow myself to do it.

I’m done chasing good luck. It’s time to fight for my destiny. I’m just not sure how I go about doing that.

“Choose, Rowan. If you’re still here when he returns, I’ll give my father the go-ahead.”

As calmly as I can, I stand, toss her a glare I hope will set fire to her wig, and walk away. I’ll give her what she’s asking for, but on my terms. I can’t exit the restaurant without Sebastian seeing me, so instead, I slip into the restroom and peek through the crack I leave in the door. I’ll leave as soon as he does.

He’s going to hate me, but hopefully, only for a blip in time.

A woman enters the restroom, and I step back to let her in without really looking at her.

“Not that it’s any of my business,” she says in a voice that feels vaguely familiar. “But that woman’s a bitch. You’re not seriously going to let her push you away, are you? That man loves you.”

My mouth drops open as I stare at my restroom friend from last night.

“Oh, geez. My name’s Tilly, and I have an eavesdropping problem. You haven’t had an easy couple of days, huh?”

I don’t know what overcomes me, but I open my mouth to say I’m fine and end up spilling my guts to her. Everything. I tell her every single thing.

My phone is buzzing nonstop by the time I’m finished, and what does this stranger do? She plows into me and wraps me in a hug.

“Two things you should know about me,” she says, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. “I really do make the best of friends in restrooms, and I love happily ever afters.”

“I—I need to get out of here to handle some stuff, but I can’t let Seb see me.”

Her kind eyes crinkle at the corners. “Go out there and take what’s yours, girl, and email me when you do.” She places a card in my hands. “It’ll make a great story.” I glance down at the card she gave me to see it’s for a blog about happily ever afters.

I laugh at the absurdity as she opens the door and peeks out. “Come on, she’s gone. I’ll help sneak you out. We can use the service exit, and then I’ll distract Sebastian by giving him that introduction to my husband he asked for.”

“I can’t believe your husband owns this hotel.” It slips from my lips, and my eyes widen with embarrassment.

She smirks. “He owns a few of them. Now let’s get your happily ever after on the road. I’ll take care of Sebastian and my husband, so don’t worry about that.” With a final hug, she uses a keycard to open a side door, and I slip out.

Stepping into the New York sunshine isn’t as therapeutic as one would think. It’s too damn hot and sticky as hell. Elongating my stride so I don’t step on the cracks, I walk toward the sidewalk and freeze.

Step on a crack, break your mother’s back.

I’ve avoided stepping on cracks since I was six years old, and for what? To protect my mother? Turning around, I stomp my feet on one crack, then another and another, until a thin sheen of sweat covers my body.

I’m behaving as though I’ve lost control of my limbs and smiling like it’s an out-of-body experience, but I’m free. Lifting my arm, I wave down a taxi. The little yellow fucker nearly takes me out as it pulls up to the curb, but I slide in, hoping and praying I’m doing the right thing.

“Where to?” the man asks.

“Coleman Industries?” I ask because I have no idea where it is.

The man nods and pulls out into traffic with the speed of a race car driver reentering the track.

My phone is still buzzing, and my entire body aches a little, knowing I’ve hurt him.

But it’s temporary. Hopefully he’ll see that when I’m done. I didn’t have a choice. I had to allow Mya to believe that she was getting what she wanted so I can do the only thing in my power—take back my life and force Jacob’s hand.

Sebastian’s name lights up my phone again, and my fingers hover over the keypad. The pain will be temporary, but I no longer am. He’s changed me. He’s made me want the damn happily ever after and the white picket fence.

Seb: Don’t do this.

Seb: What did she say to you?

Seb: Please don’t leave this way.

Oh, my heart.

Me: Please trust me. You’ll have my tomorrows, but I need my todays.

Seb: I don’t understand. What did she say to you? Why did you leave? Where are you?

Me: I’m going to fix things.

Seb: That’s not your job. Just come home.

Me: I’ll meet you in Sailport Bay.

Me: I promise.

Seb: What the fuck, Row?

Seb: Where are you?

Me: Trust me.

Closing out of his messages, I press Leo’s number.

“Row? Where the hell are you? Sebastian’s losing his shit.”

“I told him not to. Plus, it’s only been ten minutes max,” I say.

“You left, Rowan. And you have a history of running. What do you think he’s going to do? He’s losing his?—”

“I’m coming back!” I shout to be heard over his spiel.

“Then why are you calling me?”

“Can I stay in cabin twenty-two when I come back? Just for a while.” Take that, number twenty-two. I’m taking my power back.

“Why would you…”

“He might hate me for a little while when I come home, but I don’t want to be too far away from them.”

“Jesus, Row. What are you planning to do?”

“Take control of my life,” I say quietly.

“He’s going to skin me alive for this,” he hisses.

“Is that a yes?”

“It’s a yes,” he sighs. “What can we do to help?”

“Help?”

“Yes, help, Rowan. That’s what families do. How can we help?”

Warmth spreads through my chest. “Just make sure they all remember that I love them.”

“Have you told them that?”

The wild thump, thump, thump of my pulse makes it hard to talk. “Not yet, but I will.”

“Rowan,” he groans.

The taxi pulls up to a tall building. I quickly slide my credit card through the reader and jump out of the car. “I have to go, Leo. I’ll be home soon.”

“Be smart, okay? Things never work out when one partner goes off half-cocked. You need to communicate with each other.”

“Thanks, Leo.”

Hanging up, I open the texting app one more time.

Me: Our dresses will arrive tomorrow.

Me: Make sure you hang them up in the closet so they don’t wrinkle.

Me: No matter what anyone says, I’ll be home for it.

Me: I promise.

Seren: Okay, weirdo. Won’t you be back tonight?

Me: No, but no matter what anyone says, I will be back. I just need a couple of days.

My heart splinters knowing she may have to face her mom and I won’t be there to help her, but the sooner I can get this stuff handled, the sooner I can get back and fight for the rest of my life.

Seren: I trust you.

Gah. I feel everything she leaves unwritten: I’m trusting you, please don’t hurt me. I’m trusting you, please come back. I’m trusting you, please don’t make me regret it.

Placing my hands on my hips, I lift my gaze to the top of the building, stretching myself to be as big as I can. It feels like slipping armor on, and if I’m going to face down the battle of my past, I’ll need all the protection I can get.

Seb: Please tell me where you are.

Seb: The car will be here to take us to the airport in an hour, should I hold it for you?

Seb: I have to get back. Mya is on her way to Sailport Bay. I can’t let her arrive before I do.

Me: I’ll be home as soon as I can.

Me: Do what you need to do for the kids, Seb. I’m fine.

Seb: Then why won’t you fucking talk to me?

“Can I help you?” the woman at the front desk asks. I’d gone through the motions of entering the building but have no recollection of the journey.

The Walkers have all my focus, just as they have my whole heart.

“Um, what floor is Coleman Industries on?”

“The twenty…” She pauses to check her screen. If she says the twenty-second, I’m going to throw a hissy fit to end all hissy fits. This cosmic bullshit needs to find someone else to pick on. “There it is. They’re on the twenty-fourth through the thirtieth floors.”

Great. Well. Since he’s the boss, I’ll assume he’s on the top floor. The woman points to a bank of elevators and once the doors close, I suck in air until my lungs burn. How is no one stopping me? They really need to up their security in this building.

Breathe in. Breathe out. Tiny mental freak-out. Breathe in. I have almost thirty floors to get my shit together. This showdown has been a long time coming.

But the elevator doors open on the twenty-fifth floor and my mental freak-out spins out of control.

“Rowan?” Jake holds the elevator open but doesn’t enter. “What are you doing here?”

“You owe me,” I blurt. Well, crap.

He nods. “Come on. I’d take you up to my office, but Haley and my dad are up there fucking.”

My mouth drops open and my nose wrinkles in disgust.

“Yeah, that’s my reaction too.”

“Then why are you married to her?”

“I’m not. Well, not anymore. It’s just for show right now until my father hands over his shares of the company to me.”

Jake leads me into an empty conference room. “It’s really good to see you, Row.”

“This isn’t a social call,” I snap. “You hurt me.”

His face falls in shame. “It was the worst mistake of my life. I wanted the life I built with you—I swear I did. I loved that life, but my father, well, he isn’t a good man, and I paid the price for his shitty decisions. If it’s any consolation, I’m still having to deal with her, and that kind of feels worse than hell.”

I don’t mean to smile, but he’s right.

“Why?”

It’s the one question I was always too scared to ask.

“She was blackmailing me about my true identity for about six months.” Even as he gives me the answers I want—I tune him out. It doesn’t matter. Holding up my hand, palm facing him, I wait for him to stop.

“It doesn’t matter.”

“She wanted to hurt you, Row. But it was never my intention and I’m sorry that I did.”

“Don’t take this deal away from Sebastian.”

“I’m sorry, that’s not even an option,” he says, leaning against the wall.

“Why not? Because fucking Haley says so?”

He shakes his head, staring at me as if he’s never met me before. Well, good. He doesn’t deserve to know me.

“No, Row. It’s not an option because Sebastian Walker called me this morning and told me to take my company and shove it up my ass. He was choosing you. In fact, his exact words were: he chose you, he’ll always choose you, and he doesn’t care if his company folds because you’re worth more than any deal.”

“W—what?”

“He’s right to choose you. I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to do that when we were together, but I—I wish you the best, Row. I really do.” His phone chimes, and he glances down. “If you want to hang around the lobby, you might see something that will brighten your day.”

Sebastian chose me over his company. He chose me knowing I was still giving him an end date. He chose me.

“Rowan?” Jake calls my name as if he’s said it a few times already. “I have to go. Haley and my dad are about to be arrested for insider trading, and I want to be there for it.”

“They what?” Karma might become my new best friend.

He grins. “They’ve been manipulating me since college,” he says with a shrug. “It’s a long story for another time. I wish you the best, Rowan, I really do, and I’m sorry for everything I’ve done.”

He opens the door to the conference room, and I follow him out. We ride the elevator down in silence. Our door opens just as the one across from us does too.

Haley stands there, screaming at a man in a black suit. Her hands are behind her back, and he holds on to her elbow.

Another elevator chimes, and Mr. Coleman is escorted out in the same way.

“You,” Haley screams. “You did this.” She’s kind of foaming at the mouth while glaring at me.

“This has been the most messed-up day of my life,” I say, finally staring at her with all the animosity and loathing I’ve built up over the years. “And that’s saying something, but I had nothing to do with this. This, my dear stepsister, is destiny and karma rolled into one.”

She spits in my direction, but I’m too far away for it to reach me.

Jake stands off to the side, not saying a word, and as this all unfolds in front of me, I realize I don’t need anything from him to fix the holes in my heart that he left behind.

I can do it all by myself.

Exiting the building, I’m once again smothered in the overwhelming heat of a Manhattan summer. Steam rises from the sidewalk, making them appear wavy, and I don’t know which way to go so I spin in a circle.

I had a plan to help Sebastian, but he’d already made his decision.

He chose me, and now it’s time I choose him in return.