Page 26 of Snagged By Hook

Nova wanted to weep at his sweet words.

“I appreciate that, Hook. I really do, but I did fail her. I kept us in a bad situation longer than I should have because I thought I loved him. I should’ve loved her more. Hell, I should’ve loved me more.”

As hard as she tried not to let the tears fall, she lost the battle. Nova couldn’t even understand why she decided to share all that with him. Maybe because he’d shared so much, and it just felt right to reciprocate. If she were being honest, she needed to say it. Hook was beyond amazing to her, and she wasn’t worthy of him or his confidence. The least she could do was give a little back to him.

“Did you actually love him more than your daughter?” he asked with a tone that said he already knew the answer.

“No. Never,” she answered without hesitation. “I will never, and could never, love anyone more than her.”

“Exactly. Hell, I’m the exact opposite of an expert on families, but even I can see that. So, next argument.”

Nova was taken aback by his seeming methodical approach to an emotional issue.

“I stayed there even with all his cheating, even though his emotional distance was hurting her. He acted like she was just this annoying thing that lived in his house that he was forced to interact with.”

Silence cut through the room like a knife. All Nova could hear was her own exasperated breathing.

“What prompted you to finally leave?” His question was quiet and seemed to be threaded with genuine curiosity.

“I just said it was the way he was treating June.” Was he not paying attention? She may not know Hook that well, but one thing about him that was consistent since she’d met him was that he listened and observed and paid attention. Sometimes to even the smallest detail. It had annoyed her on more than one occasion.

“So, you stayed through the cheating and everything he did toyou, but as soon as it manifested with his attitude toward June, you ended it.”

Ah, now she saw what he was getting at. Such a sweetheart, trying to absolve her.

“Yes, but as her mom, I should’ve seen it before then. There was no way it just started. People don’t just change like that overnight.”

Hook sighed as if he was dealing with a toddler who didn’t understand, and he was praying for patience. That irritated her to no end. She was about to tell him to fuck himself and get dressed when he spoke.

“If I remember right, you were working two jobs and had just taken on a third virtual job. Operating on four hours of sleep. Taking Flower to and from school and dance. So, when exactly were you supposed to notice all those things? You trusted your husband with his own daughter, as is normal.”

Some of the fight went out of her, and the tears increased. Some happy, some sad. He really had paid attention to all the things she’d said over the last weeks. Every little thing, right down to her new, but brief, virtual job editing.

“I don’t know. I just was. It’s what moms are supposed to do.”

Hook swiped away one of her tears and lifted her chin to meet his gaze. “Moms are only human, no matter how awesomethey are. Tell me, how long after you noticed him treating her like that did you tell him to leave?”

“Immediately.” He gave her a faint, knowing smile at her answer.

“See. You’re a great mom. As soon as you realized his relationship with her was toxic, you put a stop to it.”

Ready to protest, Nova inhaled. Hook’s finger drifted up from her chin to in front of her lips. “You put up with everything he did toyou, but the minute you felt your daughter was suffering, you fixed it.”

She barked a cynical laugh. “Fixed it? By living in a house we were getting kicked out of with no lights and a car getting towed? Some fix that was.”

“You’re here now, both of you are. You’re safe, you have electricity, you have a car and a job, and your daughter is happy. Not a bad fix, Nova. I believe that in no time, you’ll have it all worked out to your satisfaction.”

His words soothed her soul, but she didn’t miss the note of sadness in his voice. She didn’t point out that he’d fixed it, not her, but that was splitting hairs at that point. She was grateful for all those things.

Something she couldn’t explain came over her. It felt instinctive. Even though she didn’t need a relationship and would make that clear to Hook, she wanted him here, in the apartment. For her own selfish reasons, but also for her daughter.

“I think I’d be okay if you stayed here with us. It is your place, after all. June would really like it.”

Hook rolled on top of her and gripped her chin, demanding her undivided attention.

“But what about you? Would you like it?”

“Yes, but it doesn’t mean we’re?—”

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