Page 27 of Reconcile

“Fine. Anything else?”

“Yes.” She looks around and then back at me. “No extravagant gifts.”

“Oh, come on, Piper.”

“No.” She shakes her head firmly. “She’s a good kid, Sawyer. She’s grounded and perfect.”

“Sounds like she deserves to be spoiled.”

“She has everything she needs.”

I doubt that, but I bite my tongue and nod again. “Fine. What about school?”

“I don’t want her to be so overwhelmed at such a young age. I want her to have a great education, but I want her to be a kid.”

“We agree on that. But the school Baz goes to, where Ash teaches, is really great.”

She bites on her bottom lip again and then nods. “I’ll check it out. Maybe.”

I’m going to consider that a victory. “Okay, but I pay for it if you decide to let her go there.” She starts to argue, but this timeIsilence her. “Nonnegotiable. Consider it child support.”

She huffs but nods her head. “Fine.”

“When can you move in?”

“I have to talk to Audrey first and make sure she’s okay with this. She has friends and a life at her school.”

“She can still have that here.”

She doesn’t argue with me. “She has one week left in school. I’m not going to remove her yet. So maybe next week. My lease is up at the end of the month anyway.”

I nod, secretly jumping for joy but not wanting to show it. “Okay. Can I help you move?”

“You mean hire movers?”

I grin and then nod. “Yup.”

She smiles at that, and I forgot how beautiful her smile was. “Okay.”

She starts toward the door but then turns around, her voice hauntingly quiet when she says, “Don’t hurt her, Sawyer. Please.”

Fear creeps through me, seeing the desperation in her eyes and feeling like shit because I know where I come from. The type of parents. My family. Me in general. “I won’t. I swear I won’t.”

Her eyes bore into mine, searching, but then she must be satisfied. “Okay. I’ll be in touch. Thank Vivienne for me.”

“I will.”

She leaves, and I take a seat again, trying to catch my breath.

I never saw that coming. Not in a million years.

Now, I just have to be sure not to fuck it all up.

17

PIPER

“Mommy!”

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