Page 33 of Hidden Truths

“I really don’t care about that,” I tell her. “But why did you?”

“I just wanted you to talk to me,” she admits. “I figured if I made you mad, even if you were only speaking to me because I pissed you off, at least you were speaking to me.”

If I wasn’t sitting already, I would have collapsed to the floor.

“What? I thought that’s what you wanted?” I know I’ve been more distant than I needed to be, but I didn’t think I could stay away from her if I wasn’t.

“I wanted to keep things professional, not turn into your enemy.”

“You’re not my enemy, Firecracker. You’re the woman who was about to throw down your life for my daughter.”

“That’s a bit dramatic,” she scoffs.

“If that man raised a gun and told you he would shoot you in the head if you didn’t move, would you have moved?” I ask her my worst fear. The one that’s been running through my head all day. I don’t know when, but somehow the thought of losing Harlow has been added right next to losing Cora on the running list of nightmares I seem to be keeping.

“No,” she says without an ounce of hesitation.

“Exactly.”

“So, where does this leave us? Because I don’t think I can take you avoiding me anymore,” she says, looking down at her hands like she can escape the vulnerability she just showed.

“I’m sorry I made you feel that way. I never meant to hurt you. Can we go back to being friends?” I ask, hoping I can manage to give her that much. It’s the least she deserves, even if it crushes me.

Her bright smile tosses aside every worry I have. Even if I have to want her in silence, I will, just to see her smile at me like that.

“We’re really behind on Senseless Love,” she says, grabbing the remote and changing it over.

“You didn’t watch it without me?” I ask, surprised.

“It kind of felt like our thing, and I didn’t want to watch it alone anymore.”

“Are you making popcorn?” I ask her with a grin. She rolls her eyes and stands from the couch.

“Fine, but I’m making you your own bowl, and you’re not allowed to eat out of mine when you inhale it like a vacuum cleaner.”

“We’ll see,” I say, smiling as I follow her into the kitchen.

Yeah, protecting my heart from her is going to be super easy.

Fuck.

thirteen

HARLOW

The press releasewent out this morning. The world knows Cal has a daughter.

“Cal, she needs to nap,” I tell him, attempting to reach for Cora. He spins around, keeping her pinned to his chest and out of my reach.

“I can’t,” he pleads, his eyes wide. There are a ton of reporters at the gate, which we expected. They can’t get in though, and they definitely can’t see into the house. Not with all the curtains closed.

“Keeping her awake and cranky isn’t going to help anyone.”

“She can sleep in my arms,” he counters. I look at Cora, who is currently smiling and gnawing on a teething toy.

“You know she won’t sleep.” I grab his arm gently, and he stops moving. “Jo and my dad will be her soon to meet with us. Cora needs to nap. We’re not leaving the house.”

“But . . .”

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