Page 43 of His Greatest Treasure

I swallow and straighten my posture, refusing to look weak in front of anyone, let alone Oliver. Gracie sets a hand on my arm and tilts her pink-painted lips in a soft smile. I try to replicate it, but I fear it’s more of a grimace.

“Hi. What are you guys doing here?” I ask softly.

“Avery? Who’s that?” Chris barks, his voice muffled with the distance between the phone and my ear but still loud enough for everyone to hear.

Oliver’s glare darkens at the rough male voice, his head tilting slightly as if he’s sizing up an invisible enemy. Not ready to dig into that right now, I ignore his reaction as much as I can and put the phone back to my ear, turning to the side.

“Text me before you come. I’ll only keep her up until nine. If you’re not there by then, I’m locking the door and tucking her into bed.”

“No. Forget it. I’m coming now. Have her ready,” he demands, piercing my ears with his words before the call ends.

I press the phone to my stomach and lick my dry lips, completely fucking mortified that there were witnesses to thatexchange. This isn’t the first time he’s spoken to me like that—far from it—and it won’t be the last. He’s forever a figure in my life, regardless of how he speaks to me because Nova deserves to know her father. I’ll suck it up until my last day, keeping my tongue pinched between my teeth. My first priority will always be Nova, and she loves him deeply.

I’m not sure I have the strength to care for anyone but her. Myself included.

“Are you okay, honey?” Gracie asks, swaying toward me half a step.

My smile is fake. Every inch of it. “Yeah, it’s just been a long week.”

I can feel Oliver’s eyes on me. The weight of them is sharp, like daggers digging into my skull an inch at a time, hoping to sink into my brain.

“Anything we can help you with? I was hoping to swing by and offer, but if now isn’t a good time, we can come back! I should have called beforehand,” Gracie says.

I dare a look at Oliver, unable to help myself. His deep brown eyes are waiting and latch onto mine, keeping them locked there.

“Isn’t today your first day off?” I ask, my tongue pissed that I held it with Chris and now wanting to lash out.

“Keeping track of my schedule?”

I’m already flushed, but another rush of heat crawls up my neck. “It’s hard not to when you flaunt it.”

“Did you use the pool while I was working?”

“No,” I say, flashes of the past two afternoons Nova and I spent swimming and tanning in his massive pool invading my thoughts.

He hums deep in his throat. “You’re lying.”

“How would you know that?”

“You’ve always been a terrible liar,” he admits.

It’s a casual mention of our history. Maybe small and meaningless to him, but to me, it’s another reminder that we shouldn’t be strangers.

“I think I’ve missed a few things,” Gracie puts in. She’s looking between Oliver and me with a devilish curiosity. “How often do the two of you see each other?”

“We’re neighbours,” Oliver replies.

She sucks in a dramatic breath. “You’re neighbours? You’re neighbours with Avery, and you didn’t tell your own mother?”

“She could have told you too,” he states.

I roll my eyes at him before glancing at the door to the store behind him. The reality of the situation outside of this conversation is too shitty to ignore.

Tensing up at the idea of pushing them aside when they’ve come to help me, I push forward and say, “Nova’s father is coming to pick her up. He . . . he’s late, so she’s a bit upset. I’ve got to get everything put away for when he arrives and make sure she’s ready to go. I’m sorry.”

“Oh! Don’t apologize. We can get out of your hair. Can I give her a quick hug before she goes?” Gracie asks, her voice so damn kind it wraps around my sore feelings, soothing their burn.

“Of course you can. She’s painting in the backroom. I’m sure she’d love a hug.”

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