Page 13 of Just My Ex

“I don’t know where to put you. Alec doesn’t have any extra room at his place. And no offense, but I don’t exactly want you at mine.” There’s an echo of a shy smile on Sebastian’s face. “Elianna’s not living there, per se, but she’s there most of the day. And Oliver just got married—”

“Understood.” Please no. I don’t want to be the third wheel in any of these scenarios.

“What about Stella’s? She’s got a couple of spare rooms,” Sebastian offers.

“I need to stay on the premises. Stella’s place is twenty minutes away.”

“Fine. I’m going to have to talk with my team and see what I can come up with.” He glances at my suitcase and then back at me. “In the meantime, you can hang out here.”

He walks to the door.

“Thank you, Sebastian.”

He whirls around, hesitates, closes his mouth, and then opens it again. “And just don’t be a jerk, okay?”

“To Quinn? I won’t be. I care about her.”

I don’t tell him I love her. I’m supposed to be moving on from her. I’m supposed to be nearly completely moved on from her.

His mouth twists to one side. “Didn’t stop you before.”

I’m slack-jawed. He’s right. When push came to shove, I couldn’t step up and do what she needed me to do.

It wasn’t another woman. Since I first laid eyes on Quinn at UC Irvine all those years ago, I haven’t thought of another woman since. And it wasn’t about money, which causes a lot of marriages to split up. It was that she asked something impossible of me and walked away when I couldn’t give it to her.

It sounds so … simple when you put it that way.

But it’s not.

And I don’t have any illusions of winning her back. But Iamstepping up and being a better father to Navie—that’s one thing I can control, and I’ll never stop doing that.

“And you should be aware of something else, Henry.” Sebastian hesitates. “The rest of the family is kind of upset that you missed the wedding. That you said you’d be there and then canceled last minute.” He holds up his hands likeDon’t shoot the messenger.

I understand. I really do.I’mupset I “missed” the wedding and broke their trust. I wish I could explain, but I’m under express instructions not to.

My therapist tells me if I’m consistent in showing up now, I can rebuild trust—that it can be earned back by my actions, not just my apologies.

Yes, I have a therapist now.

Sebastian leaves and I stay seated, rooted to the sofa, unsure of what to do next. I could knock on that connecting door, and I’d be in the suite where she’s staying.

Soon.

Very soon, I’ll get to see my daughter and the woman I can’t have.

Chapter 6

Quinn

“I think that about wraps it up,” I say to the video feed that’s full of my coworkers.

My former coworkers.

We had an online meeting with the other advisors in my department—a changing of the guard, so to speak—here in Sebastian’s penthouse suite. It’s decorated in all dark greys, black and white paintings, and burnt gold finishes.

And I’m pretending that my life hasn’t just imploded for the second time.

I had nearly hit the one-year mark of being employed by the School of Physical Sciences at UC Irvine before my uncle decided to throw a wrench in my plans.

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