She blinks in surprise, but of course I know who she was talking to. Ryan is always calling her with bullshit tasks that she hates.
“He was just updating me on some changes to Axel’s contract.”
“The one he signed the other day?”
Mick nods, then mutters, “Apparently they made a couple changes to it while I was in the bathroom. Talking to you.”
I can’t help noting her slightly accusatory tone, and I frown at her. “What kind of changes?”
“Just an amendment that says I need to be present at a few events that Axel will be appearing at for this sponsorship thing.”
“What?” I bark. “That’s bullshit. They can’t do that without telling you.”
“Yeah, well, they did, and you know that I can’t make a big fuss about it.”
“Why not?”
“Because I have a performance review coming up. Because I could lose my job if I don’t do what I’m told.” She bulges her eyes at me like I’m stupid, and I can’t contain this anymore.
“Then lose the fucking job!” I practically yell.
She bristles. “I’ve worked too hard to just walk away. Stop asking me to give up on my career.”
“But this isn’t the career you wanted,” I practically whine, desperate for her to see this. How else can I word this shit to make her understand?
She lets out a patient sigh, although I can tell her insides are rippling with anger. That look on her face is lethal. Her voice is practically vibrating as she grits out, “I have to do the time. Ryan can help me get my career off the ground and give me opportunities that I won’t find anywhere else. Yes, this job is stressful right now, but it will pay off.” She tuts. “And I can’t keep having this argument with you!” Her eyes flash at me like she wants to punch me in the balls and be done with it.
She wants to maimme—the guy who always has her back—and she wants to stick up for Ryan—the asshole who has no respect for her time and talent and…
I step back from her, shaking my head with a broken whisper. “I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
“What?” She blinks, looking slightly destroyed by my throwaway comment. But it’s out there now, and I might as well keep going.
Softening my tone, I try to explain. “The girl I fell in love with would have told Ryan and his idiot athletes to stick it. She wouldn’t just roll over and eat shit because they told her to. And she wouldn’t have taken a phone call in the middle of someone’s speech.” I point behind me. “That’s our family in there, and you were fucking rude.”
She blinks at me, her face paling as she looks down at her phone, rubbing her thumb over the screen.
Guilt tears through me, and I try to gentle my voice even more. “I hate seeing you like this. Ever since you started this job, they’ve been chipping away at you. It’s like you’re losing yourself, and… I miss you. I want my wife back.” My voice breaks and she glances up, staring at me with this expression I can’t decipher.
“Uh…” Someone clears her throat behind me, and I whip around. Tammy gives me a gentle, apologetic smile. “Sorry to interrupt. I’m gonna take Kai home. And we just need to…” She points to the exit behind Mikayla, and we both step aside to let Tammy and her son pass.
He gives me a sad, wide-eyed look as he trails his mother, and all I can do is stare at him. My lips won’t even pull into a smile.
The door creaks when they pull it open and Mick flinches, gripping her elbows, then dipping her chin when her phone starts ringing again. I stare at her, my expression silently begging her not to take it.
Her eyebrows bunch and she shakes her head, biting her lip before turning her back to me and answering the call.
All I can do is pivot on my heel and walk into the restaurant again, trying to put on a smile for my friends when all I feel like doing is smashing my fist through a wall.
CHAPTER19
TAMMY
It’s finally here. At one point, I seriously thought this day would never come. But Baxter’s made it happen for us, and I’m fighting happy tears as I gaze at my reflection in the mirror. My original dress from three years ago still fits me perfectly. After Nova was born, I wasn’t sure it ever would… but I’ve lost the weight I gained with her and am now back to my regular size. Brushing my hands down the dress, I swivel sideways and can’t help an impish grin.
“I look pretty,” I whisper, a thrill running through me when I think of the look on Baxter’s face.
He still hasn’t seen this dress. Lani’s helped me keep it hidden, and I can’t wait to see his eyes light with affection and that hint of awe he gets. Even after all this time, he still adores me, and I find it so incredibly humbling and thrilling. By the end of today, he’s going to be my husband. I’ve never been so excited to do anything. This has been such a long time coming, and even as I lay in bed last night, listening to the steady fall of rain and worrying about how that will affect our day, I still couldn’t squash the giddy lovebugs dancing in my chest.