Page 86 of Long Time Coming

“I’ve eaten and saved you a plate.” He moves into the kitchen and pulls a plate out of the oven. “I kept it warm for you.”

Even a liar like me would change their ways over that kindness. “Thanks, Dad.”

“How was the conference?”

I sigh, knowing I can’t keep this up for long. “Enlightening.”

CHAPTER 30

Tagger

The airin the apartment has changed. It’s stagnant, losing the life it carried when Pris was here. I miss her.Plain and simple.

She made the bed, but I lie on it, messing it up all over again by bunching the covers with the pillow she slept on and burying my face to smell if her scent remains. It does. The sweetest cotton candy and the lightest of florals.That’s my girl.

I roll over onto the remote and grin as I pull it out from under my back. It’s still funny that she mistakenly thought it was the TV remote. Not so much being blinded by the morning light, though. I find so many little things about her fucking adorable, so this one gets added to the list.

Setting it on the nightstand, I get up, ready to go pick up Beckett from his mom’s. We have a little daylight left to go to the park if he’s up for it. When is he not? I don’t think he gets there much during his weeks with Anna, so we make up for it when he’s with me. Of course, he could be playing us both. I wouldn’t put it past him. He’s a lot like his dad was around that same age.

A great weekend with my girlfriend has me grinning as I lock up the apartment. It’s only made better that it leads into time with my son this week. I’m winning in this game of life.

The car pulls up in front of Anna’s place. “Thanks.” I get out and take the steps by two before ringing the doorbell. The heavy wooden door swings open like it’s light as air, the breeze floating against my ex’s hair and gusting the loose dress behind her. In a flurry, Anna waves me in. “Come in. Come in. We’re running behind.” She leans against the railing with one foot in the air behind her, and calls upstairs, “Beckett, your dad is here.”

She shuts the door behind me, then returns to the stairs to rest her hands on the top of the spindle. Smiling like we’re old friends is the dead giveaway that she’s up to something.

“What?” I ask, smart enough to learn from past mistakes. We may have settled the custody battle, but that doesn’t make us best friends.

“What?” she retorts, genuinely perplexed by the confusion written in her features. “I’m just being social. Can’t I be friendly without an accusation accompanying it?”

Not judging by our history, but maybe she’s changed. She huffs in annoyance. “I wanted to share that I got offered a promotion.”

Although this is none of my business, I know she works hard. It’s paid off in her success. “Congratulations. I’m sure it’s well-deserved.”

“In Paris.”

My heart halts in my chest. My breathing stalls in my throat. I don’t respond quick enough for her, so she adds, “Marcel thinks this is it. If I don’t take it, I’ll never be offered another.”

Staring at her, I cinch my brow together. “Who’s Marcel?”

“The gentleman I’ve been seeing.” Her expression portrays calm, but I can see her searching my eyes for a reaction. “It’s . . .” She looks at the floor between us as if the words are there before her eyes return to me. “Serious.”

Serious? Her dating life is of no interest to me. Her boyfriends being involved in our son’s life is, though. “Beckett hasn’t mentioned him.”

“He hasn’t met him,” she replies casually.

“How is it serious if your son hasn’t met him?”

She takes a breath and glances up the stairs. “I didn’t know it was serious, and then it was.”

The puzzle pieces come together. “So this Marcel is French?”

“He is and lives in Paris, where the company is headquartered.”

“So this promotion?—”

“Came without his influence though I know that’s what you thought. He does make the offer more intriguing. And the money would be hard to turn down.” She toes the floor with her flat dress shoe. I’ve never seen her . . .softer.

But my chest tightens when it becomes clear what she’s really saying. “You want to take Beck to live in Paris?”

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