Page 107 of Even if It Hurts

It’s perfect. But again, anywhere with you will be perfect for her.

The Jerk

And you?

What about me?

I didn’t realize until Wren asked, “Are we going?” that I was just staring at the little dots, indicating he was typing, with a ridiculous smile on my face.

I hummed some sort of agreement, then hurried to finish buckling Kaia in before scooping my phone back up to read Asher’s response as I walked around my car.

The Jerk

Will it be perfect for you one day?

Oh, the things that man did to my heart.

I leaned against my door for support once I had it opened because I was dangerously close to doing something ridiculous, like swooning, and felt my smile grow as I tapped on the screen.

Anywhere with you and Kaia will be perfect.

And coffee. Coffee will make it perfect.

“What is he saying?” Wren demanded, eyes practically glowing with intrigue when I looked at her.

I tried to force my expression into something neutral as I climbed into my car. “Nothing.”

“Right,” she said on a snort. “That sure looked like nothing.”

I glanced down at the screen just as another message came through, a gasp ripping from me when Wren tore my phone from my hand. “Wren,” I snapped as I reached across the center console, trying to get it back from where she held it outstretched.

“Oh my gosh,” she nearly shouted as she practically chucked the phone back at me. Slapping a hand over her heart, she pretended to swoon the way I nearly had. “If that wasn’t the sweetest—” She abruptly sat up and pointed to the back seat. “Tell me again she isn’t my niece.”

My eyes rolled as I reached for my seatbelt. “She isn’t.”

“From what I read, it’s a matter of timing.”

I finally looked at the screen to see the last message Asher sent, a smile I couldn’t begin to hide stealing across my face when I read the words there.

“Matter of timing,” Wren whispered again, sounding triumphant.

The Jerk

It’ll be waiting for you.

“He’s got a lot of anger and doubt now, but he’ll figure things out,” I told Lainey that evening and captured a curl that fell as she put her long, wild hair up in a high ponytail.

“And you think he’ll continue working for you?” she asked, clearly concerned for the youngest and newest member of my team.

I nodded as I thought back to the meeting that morning.

Evans had been with me yesterday when Wells had shown at the office, so he’d thought it was some twisted joke when I’d mentioned his dad this morning...until I’d shown him the security footage from my building.

“Do you talk to your parents about Shadow?”I’d asked him, trying to keep my tone even.“Do you tell them about any of us—our lives? Like that I have custody of Kaia.”

“What are you saying?”he’d snapped back, his disbelief quickly morphing to betrayal and anger.

“I think you unknowingly gave your dad information that he was feeding to the?—”

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