Page 85 of Reckless Fate

“Yeah, Gran, clearlyIhave nothing to say about it.” Seb rolls his eyes and slides the list across the counter to read it.

“Darling, why don’t you take the list and your lemonade out to the patio, we’ll join you in a minute.” My mother’s nostrils flare. It’s almost imperceptible because her face is still composed, but I know her. She’s about to voice an opinion I don’t want to hear.

“Sure, Gran, I’ll go outside so you can discuss my future and I’ll pretend I don’t know about it.” His attitude falls just short of flipping my mom off as he leaves, shaking his head.

As soon as Seb slides the glass door closed, my mom whips around. This time, her nostrils throb. “What are you doing?”

“I can ask you the same thing, Mom. Stop getting involved. How do you think Gina would feel if she knew you’re manipulating Seb behind her back?”

“That’s beside the point right now. What have you been doing? I’ve organized clients for her so she stays the summer and we’re only halfway through, and the for-sale sign went up again in front of her parents’ house. I gave you two months to fix things with her. What have you done?”

Dumbfounded. That’s me right now. “You got her clients?”

“That’s what you focus on? How on Earth have I brought up a clueless man like you?” She stretches her arms upward and rolls her eyes. “Seriously, Massi, I’ve just gained a grandson and I’m not giving him up because of your stupid pride.”

What the hell? “Mom, he has friends in LA. He grew up there. You can’t meddle in their lives like this.”

“So you want them to leave?” She puts her hands on her hips, her lips pursed.

“Of course not.” I scratch my nape. “But this is not the way to go about it.”

“No, the way to go about it would have been you using the time I bought for you trying to win the woman over again. Tell me one thing, Massi, and consider it carefully. If there wasn’t a child involved, your son, would you be just perfectly happy if she left?”

I open my mouth. And close it. It’s not a fair question because I can’t imagine my life without Seb anymore, but at the same time, I know… deep down I know.

I can almost feel the regret just thinking about her leaving. I refuse to say it out loud, but my mother smiles as if she’s just hit a jackpot.

Her eyes sparkle. “Exactly.” She turns and joins Seb on the patio.

ChapterTwenty-Eight

Gina

The houses on either side of the road swim in my vision, so I close my eyes. The drilling pain weakened just slightly after I took the painkillers, but the headache is now joined by dizziness. Perhaps I’ve taken too many.

My days with Sebastien are so limited that I don’t want to spend an evening in bed with a headache. I haven’t had one in a while, but here I am in a cab on the way home, worried that bed is the only place I’ll spend my evening.

Massi is dropping Seb off in ten minutes and I’m running late. My mom moved to the senior residence two weeks ago and I don’t want Seb to wait for me, or Massi to arrive at the house before me. Somehow it makes me feel like Massi would win parenting points.

I wish he would talk to me. We need to discuss what happens next. It’s quite clear Seb wants to stay involved with his father and his family.

“He texted me to say thank you.” I told Mila earlier today as I folded theTimeswith the article I orchestrated.

“Stubborn prick,” Mila muttered.

We were in a busy coffee shop, discussing our clients and sipping espresso. In the absence of an office, and since Mila has refused to commute to the Bronx for our meetings, we have been frequenting cafes to work.

“It’s been a month and the extent of our interaction is related to the logistics of taking care of Sebastien. Mila, I’m dying inside. I lost him. He hasn’t even given me a chance to explain.”

“Then force him to listen. What about Sebastien? How is he coping?” Immersed in work, Mila simultaneously typed a message to someone and talked to me.

“At first, he accused me of dragging it out for too long and told me he hated me. He barely spoke to me for a week and then he hugged me and moved on. I’m glad he’s handling it so well, but then he’s so taken by his father and all the attention he’s getting from Massi and Bianca, he has no time to hold grudges.”

“I swear if the two of you don’t discuss things within the next day or two, I’m locking you in a room and won’t let you out until I hear you fucking.”

Mila’s plan might be the only possibility. I giggle at the memory of her expression when she said it and the driver raises his eyebrow, eyeing me in the rearview mirror. Jesus, my head is swimming.

The car finally reaches my house, and sure enough Massi is leaning against the luxury black sedan.

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