Chapter 42
Violet
“Are you serious?” I snap.
“Stop whining about him being in your house. He’s trying to do the right thing and came to say goodbye in person. He could have just gone to court and gotten an order to take them to New York just like you thought he would. You told him it’s all or nothing, your words and not his. He’s obviously thought long and hard about this and realized the fact that he can’t be there for the kids as much as they need him and is graciously stepping aside. I know it’s not the decision you hoped for, but you are the one who did the whole ridiculous all–or–nothing scenario.”
“Because I don’t want my kids to be here waiting for him all the time while he’s in New York with his new kids while totally ignoring them. They are happy now; they want for nothing.”
“I get it. I really do.” Deb sighs as her eyes go back down to him. “And he does too. He’s thinking of their needs before his own and trying to do
things the right way, at least give him some credit for that.”
“What about the invasion of my privacy?” I widen my eyes. “Huh?”
“Don’t blame him for you leaving your dildo around.” She widens her eyes back.
“Mom.” Lucia comes running up the stairs toward me all excited.
“Gabriel is here.”
My stomach flips with fury at her excitement. “Is he?” My eyes roam down to the front row and I can see the back of him as he sits and watches, his broad shoulders, they stand out from a mile.
“Can I go and sit with him?” she begs as she jumps on the spot.
I fake a smile. “Sure.”
“Yay.” She skips down to the front row and shimmies along the seats until she gets to him. I watch on as she taps him on the shoulder. He smiles broadly when he sees her and then moves his jacket from the seat to make room for her to sit down beside him. He says something and she smiles goofily up at him, her excitement that he’s here is palpable. I watch their interaction with my heart in my throat.
Chapter 42.
“How could you ever be sad about that?” Deb says. “Look how happy she is.”
“He’s leaving.”
“I know.”
“So how is her getting to know him doing anyone any good? This is a disaster waiting to happen.”
“Let him have his hour with them. He will be back in New York tonight and they will never see him
again.”
“True.” I sigh. “I just don’t get why he wanted to come in person to say goodbye. If he’s leaving, just do it by text. Don’t put us through it.”
Deb raises an unimpressed eyebrow. “They are not just your kids, you do know that, right?”
The game goes on and on, but my mind is a mile away. My gaze keeps dropping down to Gabriel and Lucia talking and laughing as they watch, and I hate to admit it, but I’m livid that Lucia is
awestruck by his nice guy act. I’m your mom, have some fricken loyalty kid.
“That was a great game,” Deb says.
I glance up, miles away. “Yes.” I clap as I pretend to know the game has ended.
What the hell, I’ve been so lost in thought, I’ve missed the entire game..
Gabriel and Lucy come up the steps of the grandstand to see us. “Good lord,” Deb mutters under her breath. “Could he be any hotter.” “Looks are deceiving,” I whisper through a fake smile.
He holds his hand out to Debbie. “Hello, I’m Gabriel.” His voice is deep and husky.
che
Debbie shakes his hand. “Hi.” She smiles mischievously as she stares up at him. “I’m Debbie, Violet’s
best friend and cousin.”
“Oh.” His eyes widen. “I didn’t realize you were related.”
Bang, bang, bang goes the blood through my veins. Why does his close proximity affect me so much?
Cut it out, hormones.
“Do you live here too?” Gabriel asks Debbie.
“Yes, I’m the reason Violet first came to this town.”
20:23
0
Chapter 42
“Hmm.” Gabriel acts grumpy. “I have you to blame for stealing her from me, do I?”
“I guess so.” Debbie laughs, and I roll my eyes.
Don’t try to charm her…you asshole.
Ugh…go back to New York.
“Oh.” Deb’s eyes flick to me. If I could say something, I would, I’m too distracted by the adrenaline screaming through my veins.
“Dominic played great,” Gabriel says casually.
“He did, didn’t he?” Deb agrees.
Did he? I have no idea; I didn’t watch one minute of the match. Too busy dissecting the trainwreck.
“Shall we head down?” Gabriel asks.
I nod, unable to push one nice word through my lips.
We walk down the grandstand and over to the side of the pitch and Dominic comes out of the changerooms with his bag; he glances up and sees Gabriel and his face falls.
So does my heart.
Gabriel forces a smile and I die a little inside. For both him and Dom.
“Great game,” Gabriel says.
“Thanks,” Dom grumbles.
Suddenly it’s awkward.
“I’ll get going.” Deb says. She rubs her hand through Dom’s hair. “Great game, buddy.”
“Thanks, Aunty Deb.”
“Have a great weekend.” She kisses my cheek. “Nice to meet you.
Gabriel.”
“You too.” He smiles.
Chapter 42
The four of us stand in silence, unsure what to say next.
Gabriel’s eyes hold mine. “I’ve made arrangements for you to be looked after financially, my accountant will be in touch to get your banking details.”
“That isn’t necessary, we don’t want your money.”
“Don’t be a fool, Violet.”
“Don’t even…”
“Well.” His eyes hold mine. “I guess I should get going.”
Emotion crashes over me like a shipwreck as we stare at each other.
“It’s for the best,” he says as if sensing my inner meltdown. “You’re right about everything.”
I nod, unable to push a word past my lips.
“So goodbye.” He smiles down at the twins.
They have no idea how significant this goodbye really is.
Don’t leave them.
If he doesn’t want to be their dad, then I can’t change it. It’s better he leaves now rather than a long,
drawn–out goodbye.
“Gabriel is going back to New York, guys, say goodbye,” I tell them.
Lucia looks up at him. “When will you be back?” A frown flashes across his face. “L…I can’t come back.” “Oh.” Her little face falls.
“Give him a hug.” I prompt them.
Gabriel goes down on one knee and Lucia gives him a big bear hug. He closes his eyes as he holds.
her close.
“It was so lovely to meet you,” he tells her. “I’ll never forget you.” Lucy smiles into his hair as he holds
her close.
My nostrils flare as I try to keep it together.
They eventually pull out of the hug and he turns to Dominic. “Can I get a hug goodbye?” Gabriel asks
Chapter 12
him.
Dominic sighs as if he is a major inconvenience.
“Hug Gabriel,” I snap as I widen my eyes. Can you stop being a little shit for just once in your life? This could be the only time you will ever get to hug your father, please just do it.
Gabriel grabs Dominic and holds him tight and seeing the two of them together is too much, the dam does burst this time and I quickly wipe a lone tear as it escapes.
I don’t even know why I’m crying: I know this really is for the best.
“It was an honor to meet you,” Gabriel says as he straightens his son’s Tshirt. “You look after your
mother.” Dominic nods.
Gabriel stands and his haunted eyes meet mine. “Goodbye.”
“Goodbye.”
We stare at each other for a beat longer than we should, his eyes drop to the kids and then without another word he turns and walks off.
The earth moves beneath me….
The kids instantly start to chatter as if nothing has happened, and to them it hasn’t.
I feel the pain run through me like a tidal wave. Not for me, but for them.
He got to know them, and still he didn’t want them…
The lump in my throat hurts as I stare at the ground.
How could he walk away from the two most wonderful things on earth? What the hell is wrong
him?
