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“Son, are you sure it’s a non-negotiable?”

Carol lets out a squeak. “You can’t be serious, James! You can’t let him go! You can’t let our son move so far away. And take our only grandchild with him? This is madness!” Tears are forming in her eyes, and I can’t tell whether they are tears of sadness or rage. But James just shakes his head.

“My darling, Pierce is a grown boy, and it isn’t our place to tell him what he can and can’t do anymore. Even so, while I will be requesting a thorough vetting of the details of this deal, it does sound too good to pass up. If this is what it takes to take CSL to the next level? I don’t see how we can say no.”

Carol crosses her arms over her chest stubbornly. “Will you at least let me spend some time with my granddaughter before you go? Is that too much to ask?” Carol reaches out to take Chloe from me, and then holds her like it’s the last time she’ll ever see her. I can’t blame her. I’ve been in that position before and it’s impossible to even fathom saying goodbye to Chloe.

“Mother, don’t be ridiculous. We aren’t leaving for a few weeks yet. We have to settle a few things up in New York before we go, so it will take some time.”

James raises his eyebrows. “’We’? I take it that ‘we’ isn’t referring to just you and Chloe?”

Pierce looks at me with a grin that makes my heart flutter. Somehow, I wasn’t expecting this to come up tonight, but he looks ready to get everything out there. Well… almost everything.

“Mom, dad. Arie and I are together again. We’re a couple. I mean, if she’ll have me, that is.”

My eyes go wide. Did he really just ask me this in front of his parents?

“Of course. If you’ll have me,” I say, shocked this happening. Shocked that so much has changed in my life in such a short amount of time. James and Carol just sit there, continuing to look utterly baffled, while Chloe grins and waves her chubby little hands. Finally, Carol breaks the lingering silence.

“My goodness, what an unexpected and delightful turn of events! I couldn’t be happier, Arie. Really, I couldn’t. And you are going to move Auckland too? Your family is okay with that?”

I force a smile. “Well, it’s just me and my Uncle Sal and Aunt Marie. As you know. And the truth is, I don’t think they will mind if I leave. They have enough to worry about with the garage and…”

“Your uncle’s gambling habit,” James says, not missing a beat. My eyebrows shoot up, and Pierce’s face turns bright red with rage.

“What the fuck, dad? How did you even…”

James gives a small shrug. “I told you I was going to look into her background when she just showed up again. It’s what I do. I love you, Arie, but it felt fishy.”

Oh, god. Does he know about Chloe? How well did Bailey cover his tracks?

“I understand, I guess. But what did you find out that was so terrible? Besides Sal’s gambling problem, that is. Which I am sure you will admit has nothing to do with me,” I respond, trying to remain as calm as possible. James and Carol look at each other with concerned eyes, and I am suddenly petrified that this is it. They are going to out me to Pierce and I won’t be able to tell him myself, to explain things for myself, and he’s going to be furious.

“Honey, you could have told us you were sick. That was nothing to be ashamed about. I only wish you’d come to us at the time. We could have been there for you, supported you. Even while Pierce was gone. There was no reason for you to be alone. Even when he was being a shit, we were still your family,” Carol says with a sad smile. Once again, I find myself overwhelmed with a combination of guilt and absolute adoration for this family who seems to love unconditionally.

“I didn’t even consider it. I thought…”

James shakes his head. “You thought wrong, young lady. You were part of our lives for the better part of a decade. We never would have abandoned you in your hour of need. But, what is past is past. How are you feeling now? Is everything better?”

I answer, but try to steer the conversation away from my health as quickly as possible. We end up spending two hours at Martinelli’s, talking, laughing, and eating the most amazing food I’ve ever tasted in my life. Well, since the restaurants in Auckland anyway. By the time the waiter arrives to ask if we’d like after-dinner drinks, I think I am about to explode.

The waiter walks away with a polite nod as we get up from the table, and I can’t help but hide my confusion. “Don’t we have to pay a bill or something?”

Pierce laughs. “We don’t. And that’s because my parents pay so much to maintain their claim on this table, the food is considered a perk. We just tip the wait staff, but the food and drinks are considered part and parcel with the ‘membership fee,’ as they refer to it. I’ve never asked how much they pay and honestly, I don’t want to know. I have a feeling it’s probably my inheritance.”

“And Logan’s,” James says as he walks up behind us. I stifle a snicker, but Pierce scowls at his father. Carol strolls up next, with Chloe asleep in her arms.

“Why don’t you kids take a walk and enjoy your night? Let me take my grandbaby home with me and soak her up while I can?”

I only hesitate for a second before suddenly relishing the idea of being alone with Pierce for a while, and then realizing this is the perfect opportunity for me to talk to him.

“Sure, I bet Chloe would love that. And we can pick her up in the morning after breakfast?”

We walk outside and Carol gives us a little shove in the opposite direction. “Whenever! Just go have fun. You deserve it.”

We part ways and Carol and James head in the direction of the house, while Pierce and I start toward the park. We don’t say anything, just walk in silence, the warm night air hugging us like a blanket as the sounds of the city play a concert more soothing than any conversation. There is so much unspoken between us, and so much that doesn’t need to be said. The only thing left is the one huge thing I am too afraid to say, and I don’t know even know where to begin. So, as we turn the corner and walk in front of an alley, I resolve that now is the time.

“Pierce, I…”