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I wiggle my toes inside my shoes, waiting for him to elaborate, but when he doesn’t, I bring myself to ask, “What’s worrying you?”
“Will I do that to our kids?”
I clear my throat. “Well, I’d very much prefer you don’t cheat on me and expect me to raise your love child.”
“You should’ve seen the contract Harrison and his parents made Denny’s mom sign, Len. Hank helped me dig it up. He had a lot more information about the whole situation, being one of Harrison’s only real friends. Believe me when I say Harrison didn’t love Denny’s mom. That contract was a prison sentence. Harrison’s parents even offered to incentivize her to abort the baby so they wouldn’t have to deal with it.”
“Oh, God,” I murmur. “That’s awful of them.”
“I read all of Grandma’s letters, by the way. In one sitting.”
“Oh, for shame,” I tease.
“What?” he asks with a chuckle. “You told me to. You read them all.”
“Um, no. I savored them. A letter or two a day. It was the only thing I looked forward to at the office.”
“You hated it that much?” Dex asks, his tone somber.
“No, I didn’t hate it. Actually, I had a lot of ideas that I couldn’t really see through. I was there to support you, babe. Not move mountains.”
“That’s how Grandma started, too. Just there to support Harrison. And look at what she was able to build. Maybe we should hear some of your big ideas.”
I roll my eyes at the phone. “I’m no Dottie Hessler. And are we forgetting I got fired?”
“Well, I’m the boss now, and I can offer you whatever job you want…or…” he trails off.
“Or what?”
“With everything that happened…it got me thinking. Maybe it’s time for Hessler Group to go public. We can take on investors and hire a board who actually gets to make decisions. The burden wouldn’t be all mine anymore. We could walk away and have a normal life if you want. Move back into the Las Vegas house, be neighbors with Finn and Avery. See your parents every weekend. What do you think?”
What do I think? It’s my dream come true.But I can’t help but wonder if that’s what’s best for Dex. “Going public means pretty much giving up your company, right? If you have a real board in power, they could fire you as they please.”
“Yes, and they most definitely would. Their decisions would be made on the biggest profit margins, not about what’s best for the employees and customers.”
“Then why would you even consider that?” I ask, gripping the phone tighter in my hand.
“Because I don’t want to waste away in an office like Grandma and Harrison. I also don’t want to lose you like Jacob lost Grandma. I want to see you every day I’m alive. I want to be there for our future kids and have priorities that matter. After forty years of marriage, I don’t want to be writing apology letters to you as you pine for another man. I refuse to let the woman I love live a lonely life.”
“Dex, I won’t?—”
The front door opens behind me, and Avery peeks her head around the door. “Hey, I thought I heard you out here. Am I interrupting?”
“It’s Dex,” I tell her.
“Oh, okay,” she says, stepping out onto the porch. “I put an alert on my phone every time BuzzLit drops a new article. Kat just published something a few minutes ago.”
I nod in defeat, then tell Dex, “Kat’s article is live on BuzzLit. Do you want to let PR know? I read it over, and if she reported one false thing about Dottie…” I look to Avery. “You said we have a case for defamation, right?”
Avery nods slowly. “If it impacts revenue. We’ll figure it out together. Finn’s grandpa, Senior, has some friends really high up in the publishing industry. We’re all ready to pull some strings and get this taken down.” She squeezes my shoulder sweetly, then gives me a quick, silent wave before retreating back into the house. She leaves the door ajar for me.
“Did you hear that, babe? Avery’s going to help. Same with Finn and his family. You have me. We’re not going to let this pass without a fight. We’re all here for you…and Dottie. And no matter what ridiculous bullshit Kat puts out there, and no matter what anyone says in response, don’t forget who you are and where you belong.”
“And where’s that?” Dex asks softly.
“With me. I don’t care if you’re a scuba diving instructor or the CEO of a billion-dollar conglomerate. It doesn’t matter. Don’t you see? You sent me home, but I’m not really home, am I?”
“So, Miami feels like home now?” he asks with a small scoff.