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“No,” I say.That's because I didn't want to tell you.
“I'm having a small get together.”
“Ahhh … sorry. I have plans.”
He bellows with laughter. “I haven't told you when it is, old sport.”
Oops. “Right.”
“Don't be such a sour puss. My girls dote on little Brooke. How the hell is she?”
“She's fine. She's good,” I mumble.
“Bring her.”
“A get together for what?” I wonder if it might be the twins’ birthday and he’s downplaying it. They’re around ten or eleven.
“I don’t need a reason, old sport. Because I can.” There he goes again, showing off like the ass that he is. “Tonight, at seven. It’s very informal,” he continues. “Just the usual friends getting together. Otherwise, we’ll never see you, old boy. You like to stay in the shadows.”
When it comes to leeches like him, there’s a good reason. I know what his “just a few friends getting together” will be like. It will be a show of abundance. A feast, with lots of drinks and guests. Nothing at all like a small get together, by any normal person’s definition.
“Come as you are and bring Brooke. Bring whoever the hell you want. You with anyone? Gotten married or anything?”
“No. Nothing like that.”
“Then you don't have any plans, old boy. Don't be an ass and deprive your girl of some fun. Tell her we still have the ponies she loves.”
“I will.” I really don't want to go to this asshole's get together. I hang up just as Brooke comes running in. “Daddy! You’re still here.”
“I am. I’ve cleared the entire day to spend with you.” I love the way her dark blue eyes light up.
“The whole day?” Stand next to me, her tiny hands running over my five o’clock shadow. “Ouch, that hurts,” she cries and stops touching my face.
“I should shave, but I didn’t want to waste time I could spend with you. Yes, the whole day.” I tap her nose playfully.
“What are we gonna do?”
“Anything you want to do, sweet pea.”
She wraps her arms around my neck and drops me a kiss. My heart fills to bursting. How many mornings have I missed with this adorable angel of mine?
Far too many.
We have weekends in our Manhattan apartment, but they are few and far between. Anna helps a lot, or rather,did, but I’m away often and haven’t had as much time with her as I have lately on this vacation. Even on our vacation last year, it was with Anna. We only came for a few days and most of that time I was in back-to-back meetings. Brooke was asleep in bed by the time I logged off.
It’s unacceptable. We can’t carry on like this, not now that she’s getting older.
“Have something to eat,” I tell her, pulling out a chair for her. She sits down, looking all bright eyed and smiling like an imp.
At least someone slept well.
I push her chair in gently, feeling happy that I get to spend a day with her. I notice that Cari still hasn't come down. I wonder why—I didn’t tell her I’d be here. Has she overslept? Or has she heard me and is avoiding me?
What I did to her was bad. I made her think I wanted her, and I so fucking badly do. I made her wear the dress for me, and she did. But then I ruined it. I’ll never forget the look on her face as she fled. I hurt her, and I hate myself for it.
“I want to go to the Blue Lagoon,” Brooke says. “Zara said it’s a nice place.”
“Then that’s where we’ll go.”