Page 70 of Just My Ex

Celine showers her with kisses, and then places three big smooches on Alec’s cheek. Oakley’s next and she’s a little more subdued, but still warm.

Navie scrambles down as Celine steps to me and places her hands on my cheeks, near my chin. Tears brim in her eyes. “I’m honored you’d come for a visit. Thank you, Quinn.” Only then do I let go of Henry’s hand so I can hug her properly.

She feels thinner than before and smells of gardenia and lavender.

Lastly, she hugs and kisses Henry. When she pulls away, she flicks a tear off her cheek. “It means the world to me that you’d come.”

“How are you feeling?” Henry asks, his forehead knit together.

“Not too terrible,” she says, with a smile. She makes her way to the sofa and slowly sinks down into it. “But how’s our Navie girl?” Celine holds out her hands. “Come and tell me all about your life.”

Navie sits at her feet, holding Celine’s hands in a sort of dance only they can hear the music to, and Navie gabs on and on, her answers to Celine’s questions punctuated with giggles.

Henry leans towards me, and I take in his musk and leather scent. “She gets her talkativeness from you.”

“She gets her stubbornness from you.”

“I think she gets her stubbornness from both of us.” Henry's mouth twitches.

“I’ll give you that,” I say. We watch as Navie climbs in Celine’s lap.

I have a suspicion he gets his stubbornness from his dad, who enters the room wearing a patterned, untucked Oxford shirt and khakis. Thomas Tate is large, lithe, and commanding.

Henry tenses. He wipes his hands on his knees before standing.

“Son,” Thomas Tate extends a hand to shake Henry’s. Henry’s gaze goes to his father’s hand and then back to Thomas’s gaze, refusing to shake.

Oh boy. This is going to be a very long weekend.

Chapter 28

Henry

I step in front of Navie and Quinn, despite feeling that Quinn doesn’t want me to.

I’m feeling protective of them. I don’t want my father to cause the two most important people in my life any grief.

Quinn steps forward and tosses me a look like,It’sfine,Henry.

I don’t shake his hand. But Quinn does.

“Hi, Thomas,” she says. “It’s nice to see you again.”

It’s not. And I know I’m not the only one who feels this way. But Quinn’s more diplomatic than me. Kinder.

He gives her a wolfish smile and then turns to shake the hands of Alec and Oakley.

Then, “Celine, who is this grown-up girl you’ve got with you?”

Dad’s teasing Navie?

Mom’s eyes gape.

My father is being … something of a normal grandfather with Navie? How is this possible?

Before Mom can speak, Navie jumps out of her lap and heads right to my father. I gotta hand it to her. She has more courage than most kids her age.

She puts her hands on her belly. “It’s Navie, Grandpa.”

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