Page 25 of Always Right

The gallery was closed to the public, but I knew Nathan would be there. Maybe Hannah.

I hadn’t spoken to her for a few days…not about anything other than our daughters and even those conversations were short. She avoided me at all costs, and I couldn’t say I blamed her. I wasn’t sure that I would be able to control myself around her. Not when I would catch her glancing at me with those eyes full of longing. I could see right through her, and for that I was thankful.

"Really, though. Have you slept the last few weeks? You know resting is important to stay sober and—"

I waved Lisa off. "I'm fine, Lisa. There's a lot going on. I'll sleep when I'm dead."

Her eyes widened.

"Figuratively speaking, I mean. Not literally."

"So, there's nothing to worry about?"

"Not a thing."

Her smile returned as we approached the gallery and her eyes lit up as she took in the colorful paintings that covered every wall. Lisa squealed, her excitement catching Nathan by surprise as she walked around the building without sparing a glance at him. My own roamed the building, searching for her and finding her next to a couple of paintings. Hannah offered me a smile from afar, but quickly turned her attention to her phone, though I knew it was all an act.

“You two are fucking awkward to be around.” I snorted at Nathan’s words and scratched the back of my head before glancing at Lisa who stood looking at a painting across the room.

“Did Dylan call Evie?”

Nathan nodded, letting out a breath and the tightness in my chest intensified.

Part of me hoped that Dylan backed out, but it seemed he hadn’t wasted any time. He was serious about meeting her. I wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad thing. Our life had been full of darkness, it took a lot to get out of it. Dylan wasn’t the type of person to stick around and get attached.

Evie was the complete opposite.

“She’s excited but...”

“He’s a stranger. I know. He’s the better one out of us two, though.” Nathan raised an eyebrow and I shrugged. It was true. He had less trauma. “The worst he can do is visit and then disappear for a few months. Then visit again. But he won’t hurt her. He’s like a pesky little fly. Only comes around once in a while and then decides to find somewhere else where the grass is greener. Evie’s strong. She can handle him.”

Nathan chuckled. “That she is.” He gestured toward Lisa who had approached Hannah in the distance. “You’re doing the right thing…with Hannah, I mean. She’ll come around eventually.”

Doubtful.

Hannah was too scared to feel the pain…the hurt. She wasn’t used to it, didn’t know how to deal with it…and I didn’t want to be the reason why she hurt.

As if sensing the conversation was about her, she turned around. She hesitated before she headed in our direction. Her dress clung perfectly to every curve and now that she was a mother, there was a confidence radiating from her that I hadn’t seen before, and it made her that much more stunning.

She took my goddamn breath away.

“I’m closing the gallery tonight,” she said when she approached us, glancing between Nathan and me. She hadn’t slept either. “The girls will be at Evie’s, but if you want, I’ll give you a call when I leave and we can meet at my house so you can drop them off.”

“Okay.”

Hannah smiled again, and this time it made her eyes sparkle. “You know…I had them wear that outfit you brought. They look adorable. Look…”

She scrolled through her phone, holding it up so I could see the picture she’d taken earlier in the morning. Their toothless grin lit up the world and I knew that all the pain was worth it. For those beautiful smiles…for those innocent faces…

And for their mother.

She looked at them with adoration.

“It’s big on them,” I noted.

Hannah shrugged. “It’s okay, they’ll grow into it. When they were born, they outgrew the newborn clothes fairly quickly.”

A pang in my chest.

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