Page 70 of Tell Me Again
“It was wrong. I realize it now.” He took a breath then told her the rest. “I also didn’t trust that you wouldn’t leave again. I hated that you chose modeling over me.”
She threw up her hands. “I didn’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice.”
Her eyes closed and she turned away. “I asked you to come with me, and you chose to let me go. That’s on you. You can’t undo it.”
His stomach took a nosedive, plummeting to his toes. She was right, and Trevor hated knowing there was a piece of Sam, and quite likely a part of his daughter, that would never forgive him. He actually looked around the plane to make sure the feeling of free-falling through the sky wasn’t real.
“Your mistakes hurt you,” he murmured when his emotions were under control again. “Mine hurt all of us.”
She didn’t respond for several moments and then reached out and laced her fingers with his. They didn’t speak, but the feel of her next to him was enough. The plane landed without incident and he breathed a heavy sigh of relief. As soon as he switched on his phone, a barrage of texts and voice mail notifications lit up the screen. He glanced over as Sam’s phone also began to beep.
“She didn’t go to Denver,” they said at the same time.
“She texted you, too?”
Sam nodded as she scrolled through messages. “She wanted to make sure you knew that she went to another friend’s house and not with the girls who drove down to the city.”
He thumped a palm against his forehead and stood to de-plane. “You were right. I shouldn’t—”
“Hold on.” Sam slapped a hand against his chest. “Say that first part again.”
“You’re slowing down the line,” he said, hitching his head toward the front of the plane.
She got out but kept looking over her shoulder as she moved up the aisle. “Say it again. Louder this time.”
As soon as they were in the airport, he reached a hand around her front and pulled her close. “You were right,” he whispered against her hair. “You were right. You were right. And I was an idiot.”
“Well, that last part is an added bonus,” she said and kissed him. “But I’ll take it.”
His phone rang and he picked it up as they walked toward the terminal. “Hey, sweetie, I’m so—” He paused when Dale Rogers spoke on the other end of the line. “Sorry, Dale,” he muttered. “Thought you were Grace.” He listened to his foreman then checked his watch. “It will take me at least an hour to get up there. I need to pick up Grace by five to get her to volleyball.” He looked toward Sam, who was also taking a call. “Meet me there in an hour,” he said and hung up.
“Everything ok?” Sam asked as she pocketed her phone.
“An issue on the construction site of the house we’re building. Can I ask you a favor?”
“Sure.”
“Would you have time to pick up Grace and take her to volleyball practice? She might need a ride home, too. I’m not sure how long I’m going to be tied up and—” He paused as he realized she was staring at him.
They got onto the train that would take them to the main terminal and were jostled toward the center by the other passengers. “It’s not a problem if you can’t. I’ll—”
“No.” She put a hand on his arm. “I can. I wasn’t... you’re asking for my help.”
He nodded slowly, not quite understanding her reaction.
“You’re trusting me to be responsible for your daughter—”
“She’s also your niece.”
“I know that.” She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “I just wasn’t sure when you were going to accept it.” She moved closer, stood on tiptoe so they were standing eye to eye. “Have you accepted it, Trevor? You say the words, but the actions mean more. Tell me now—am I in?”
He winced at the mix of hope and anxiety in her voice. Once again he was reminded of Kendall’s comment about Sam with her hard shell and gooey center. He understood she kept that center closely guarded and now he realized why. He had the power to hurt her. As scared as he’d been all these years of what she could do to him, he had the ultimate weapon if he chose to use it.
Grace.
Grace washisdaughter. They both might fight him, but he could dictate the parameters of their relationship. He also realized that up until this moment he’d been a selfish bastard. He was so scared of losing his daughter that he’d hurt her. She should have known she had a bigger family. She should have had her aunt’s influence in her life. As much as he wanted to believe it, he hadn’t done his best because it was easier for him not to.
“You’re in,” he answered simply. What else could he say?
That seemed to be enough because she let out a loud whoop of delight and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him and not appearing to care that they were in the middle of a crowded shuttle.
Something let loose in his chest as he finally admitted that it was better not to be alone. It felt good to depend on someone and, for so many reasons, he was glad that person could be Sam.
