Page 82 of Better Daddy
Sully stalks toward me, his expression panicked. “I didn’t know she was coming,” he says quickly.
“Where is she now?” I look over my shoulder around the hallway, hoping she’s not in one of the other offices.
“We sent her back to her hotel,” Sully explains. “I didn’t want her to ambush you.”
The fact that he even thought about my reaction is surprising. For so long, she would show up, and he’d send a simple text.Could you make reservations and make up the guest bedroom? My mum’s in town.
Despite the dread that washes over me when I think about facing his mother, it almost feels like the universe has stepped in to show me how different Sully really is.
A test to see how much we’ve changed.
He’s passing with flying colors. But am I?
I have a choice to make. I can pack up and stay at the penthouse until she’s gone. Let Sully handle his mother.
Or I could lean into the mess we’ve created and the two of us could find a way forward together. I couldshow his mother—and everyone else, for that matter—that we’re figuring it out. That we’re trying. That we’re a family, no matter what happens. And, more importantly, that we’re determined to put our children first, which is something she and Terry never did.
Determined to get this right, I take the final steps toward my husband and wrap my arms around his shoulders, making a statement without saying a word. And if the surprised smile that hits his lips is any indication, he’s thrilled by this turn of events.
“Are you okay?”
His brows tug together. “Of course I’m okay. I just want you to be okay. She always stressed you out, and I won’t let anything stress you out. I told her she’s not welcome here unless she can be kind to you. And you’re not making reservations for her. Also, she didn’t even ask about Murphy. She’s never even met him and it was like he was an afterthought.”
“Sully.” I don’t even know what to say. His mother was always selfish and awful but that’s a new low.
Truth is, I never brought up how arduous my interactions with his mother were. I kept it to myself, always proud that his mother and I never fought. In reality, that was a mistake. It meant that I stewed. As much as I thought I fought my husband, I probably didn’t fight enough. Instead, I gave up. That’s why we stopped speaking long before the marriage ended. God, my stomach tumbles at that realization.
Sully’s eyes say it all. They’re filled with desperation. He needs to know that I believe him. That’s he changed. “I don’t want to be like her, Sloane. I want to get this right.”
He’s nothing like his mother, and the fact that he’s even worried about it, is proof enough that he’s changed.
Unable to help but smile, I inch closer. When I’m hit with his familiar scent, the people around us fade away. “Then let’s make sure we give it our all.” I scan his face, making sure he understands what I’m saying. “If that’s what you want, I mean.”
Sully’s voice is raspy when he responds. “I’ve never wanted anything more, sweetheart. Is that whatyouwant?”
Popping up on my toes, I let my lips brush over his and murmur, “That’s exactly what I want.”
“Are we going to talk about that kiss?” Lo asks from the rocker in the corner ofSloane’s.
I spit into the sink and rinse my mouth, then turn and give her a smile, but I don’t respond.
Her brows lift to her hairline. “Oh, is that how it’s gonna be?”
“I’m not ready to talk about it,” I say as I drop my toothbrush into its holder. “I don’t exactly know what’s going on yet, but I think maybe I’m dating my husband?”
Squealing, she points at my face. “Oh my god, you’re blushing.”
I bite down on my bottom lip. “I really like him, Lo.”
She snorts, the sound echoing off the tile walls. “I’d hope so. You married him.”
I don’t know how to properly explain it, but I’m giddy every time I think of my husband and what we’re doing. It’s like I’ve reverted back to the Sloane from law school. The emotions are so reminiscent of those that overwhelmed me when Sully and I started dating. Only this time, I don’t have to wonder whether he’s in it for the long haul. I know he is because he keeps telling me he is.
So now I’ve found myself in a unique situation where I know he’s safe and these feelings are real, but we’re still exploring and learning new things about one another. It’s exactly what I need to move forward. Of course Sully figured that out, probably before I did, and is giving it to me.
“I, for one, am very excited for karaoke. And even more excited towatch Sully woo you some more.” Lo tucks her legs beneath her and presses her lips together, like she’s gearing up to say something.
Internally, I cringe. I don’t want a warning about being careful. Careful is the last thing I feel like being right now. In fact, I want to be reckless, and I want my husband to be a little reckless with me. We married young and went straight to work, slipping into our roles as proper adults, doing all the things that were expected of us, and look where that got us. Now, I want to throw caution to the wind and chase the fire burning inside me, between us. I’m desperate to discover what type of explosions we can create. Our lives could use a bit of a shift.
