Page 64 of Never To Suffer (The Hollywoodland #4)

“I aim to create chaos and confusion!” She yells, throwing her hands in the air. “Let’s get to work!”

“I guess we’re in business,” I finally answer. Xander and Skylar each kissing my cheeks as Sage hugs me.

The plane touches down with a jerk, jarring sleeping passengers awake, which included the two children sitting right behind first class.

I don’t normally fly first class, but I had enough points and figured what the hell.

The food blew my mind, but the privacy sent my imagination on an adventure.

Xander would love this, and I could keep him busy enough to not think about it.

At the least, I’d be able to hold him through it, snuggled into the small bed together.

I text him when I land, and he sends me a picture of Baggy eating salmon out of his hand.

I should tell them not to eat in the bed, but the sweet face he makes in the next picture melts my heart.

I don’t know what brought us together other than a couch in the hallway, or if we’d have found each other eventually without the couch, but I can’t imagine my future without him now. All of them.

Climbing into the cab, I get a text, but this one isn’t from Xander.

Pixie

Papa, we’re running late. Maybe twenty minutes. Please wait for us!

I’d wait all night for you.

I almost add in that I have waited all night for her.

Two nights, in fact. Taking shifts with Gio sleeping on the old, uncomfortable chairs in the hospital while her mother was in labor.

Sylvie hadn’t been interested in joining the world, too comfy.

She took her time, and élodie handled it like I never could.

When the time finally came, and the nurse tried to tell Gio he had to leave, élodie threw a fit and I locked arms with both Gio and I.

He was as much Sylvie’s father as I was in our eyes and hearts.

These are memories Sylvie’s grandparents can’t share with her.

Even my sister-in-law, Marie, can only share so much.

I’ve deprived her of knowing not only me, but Gio and élodie, too.

I reach for the photo album in my backpack for the hundredth time, ensuring myself I remembered it.

Xander found the book on top of my suitcase and brought it to me in the bed with a bottle of wine.

Flipping through the book offers a magical, tactile connection to the memories.

Especially with Xander curled in my arms as I went through my entire history in France.

In some ways, those days happened in a different universe long ago.

But I’ve found connections to this life, to these new people I’ve opened my heart for.

I reach further down in the bag and find the empty box I brought with me.

I don’t know if it will be empty on the way home, but I wanted to try since Sylvie has élodie’s wedding ring, and the rings Gio and I wore to symbolize the three of us belonged together.

I don’t expect to get her mother’s, but Gio’s?

I want to put that on Xander’s finger so fiercely I can’t breathe when I imagine it.

The entire situation has moved so fast—faster than élodie or Gio.

But I can see them in his eyes, like they’re a part of him.

After I drop my things at the hotel, I grab my coat and head down the busy streets of Paris.

Again, I find myself picturing Xander here with me, the weight of his hand in mine as we walk the historic sites, taking him to all the museums and restaurants before hopping a train out to the countryside for a week or two between the grapevines.

I never sold the land we owned out there, but I have no idea what shape it’s in now.

I hope the flowers from élodie’s garden have taken the land back, making it beautiful but mysterious.

Land, like the love that blossomed there, lost to time.

I laugh at the poetry of the thought. I’ve been spending too much time with Skylar. They’d love it here, too. So would Dani. I should stop by the old house and see how much of it still stands.

At the cafe, I order a coffee and a box of pastries.

At home, I give most of what I bake away, but here?

Oh, these babies are all mine here. I’ll buy more for Sylvie and Luca if they want anything.

I find a seat at a corner table where I can look out over the street, watching the sunset and the glow of the streetlights filling the night.

My phone buzzes, so I check it in case it’s Sylvie again.

Blue Eyed Baby

You’re going to do great tonight, and someday, I’m going to meet her.

Tell her all those stories you told me about them.

What if she cries? Like you did?

Blue Eyed Baby

Hold her like you did me, big guy. Only, you know, not the making out and sex part, obviously.

I miss you. And your smart mouth.

Blue Eyed Baby

I miss you, too.

How’s Dani doing?

Blue Eyed Baby

I retreated to your place. She’s on a tirade right now about Skylar’s smoking and how the band would fall apart without her.

Hang in there. She’s got to break soon. make sure she’s not alone when she does.

Blue Eyed Baby

We’ll take care of her. You get your daughter back and enjoy yourself. Call me later if you want.

I’ll call you tonight when I get back in.

I type out the words I haven’t said to him yet, and delete them. They’ll come out in time.

“Papa?”

I glance up from my phone and I’m staring into the eyes of my élodie.

The phone clatters to the floor as I stand, hugging Sylvie as tight as she’ll let me.

She even hugs me back. I can’t stop the flood of words and affection.

“I’m sorry, Pixie. God, I’m so sorry. I’m going to try harder. I promise you, I will.”

When we finally pull away from one another, she takes the hand of the young man standing next to her.

A lopsided grin forms on my face as I stare at him, knowing exactly why Sylvie’s grandfather claimed she’d joined a cult.

This kid’s entire aura screams Italian. The clothes, the hair, his entire look.

It reminds me of that lead singer of the Italian band that won Eurovision a few years ago.

I laugh, because Skylar has the same Italian swagger, and looks like he could be that singer’s much taller brother. Luca holds out my phone with a smirk.

“You dropped this.”

“Luca, I assume?” He nods as I take the phone and tuck it away.

I won’t be looking at that for a while, I can tell.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Theo. If you’ve met my father-in-law, I offer you my heartfelt apologies.

He and I disagree over too much, and always have, so I feel your pain.

” My eyes bounce between them, pride bubbling through my chest. “Sit, please. We have so much to catch up on.”