by Sam Destiny
“Ev, maybe I should go and find some food for her, huh? I’ll be back a little later,” Tank suggested and made to stand, but Evy drew him back down.
“Stay, please?” No matter what, she preferred him around over her mother.
“Let him go so we can talk alone, daughter. What happened anyway?”
Before Evy could answer, Tank did. “She was trying to prove that she could do things alone. In fact, since she came she was trying to show everyone how strong exactly she is, and how little she needs other people, hence why no one was informed when she came here. It’s your fault we are where we are now.
“There were no emergency contacts, and in order for me and Leila to be able to see her, I needed to make up a white lie, which is why your granddaughter calls me ‘Daddy’,” he explained. “But besides that, I’d be honored to be a dad to that little girl because never has anyone touched my heart and soul the way your daughter and that child have.”
The sincerity in his voice nearly killed Evangeline, because it was obvious he believed what he’d just said.
Every. Damn. Word.
And still he’d done what he’d done.
Her mother stared at him and she couldn’t believe how much she’d missed her mother and yet didn’t want to see her. Not now, not any time soon.
It was funny, but as long as she’d lived in London and had seen her mother regularly, she’d never realized how much she’d come to resent her for never believing she could do anything alone.
“How is that my fault?” her mother finally asked, her voice high-pitched while Tank seemed calmer than before.
“She wanted to be independent for you, learned from you to not ask for help. That’s how this is your fault.”
“Tank,” Evy whispered, not sure if she wanted him to shut up or if she was silently thanking him for taking her side.
God, if he’d cheated on her, could she forgive him? Would she be able to overlook that one time? And what exactly was there telling her he wouldn’t do it again?
Suddenly she needed to kiss him, even if it was the last time she ever would. She cupped the back of his neck, clearly surprising him, and drew him in, kissing him with everything she feared, everything she worried about losing, and everything she had to give.
He cupped her cheek, his eyes tracing her face in worry, and she knew it was justified, but as long as her mother stood witness, she wasn’t going to break down again, and she certainly wasn’t going to confront him.
Now, if only her mother would stay forever so she could pretend this bubble around them hadn’t finally burst.
It was late by the time Evy’s mother decided to go back to the hotel and it was obvious Evy was drained, yet he couldn’t go. Not when she’d been so angry with him prior to her mother’s arrival.
Leila was asleep against Evy’s side and he sat while she stared at the ceiling, tears brimming in her eyes.
“I guess the bubble finally will burst,” she muttered and he sat, taking her hand, but she pulled away.
“What bubble?”
She shrugged, the tears now making their way down her cheeks. “While my mother was here I didn’t want to fight. I didn’t want to let her see how stupid I was… again.”
Cold settled in his stomach. “Is this still about my turned-off phone?”
“Was she dark-haired? Or a blonde?”
“What?”
Finally her hazel eyes shifted to his, a world of pain in them that told him more than any of her words or gestures had done in weeks. “Drop off my daughter, almost run out of the office, us not having as much sex as you were probably used to, your phone turned off… I’m not stupid, you know? I can’t even blame you.”
God, he’d been stupid.
The way Jazz had glared at him as he’d asked to him watch Leila.
Tessa trying to call him.
The question about his phone.
“It’s not what you think,” he whispered.
She smiled through her tears and he was torn about the surprise of her considering forgiving him—because it was plainly visible in her eyes—and angry that after the speech she had made some days prior, she suddenly thought he would do something like that.
“It’s not what you think. What a classic sentence,” she muttered, her eyes taking him in, roaming his face, and he stood.
“It’s not. I guess trying to explain would be ridiculous, huh? You’d think I lied.”
She shrugged, staring back up at the ceiling and Tank leaned in, picking Leila up. Evy’s brow furrowed. “What in the world are you doing?”
“Leila needs to get to bed, so I’ll drop her off at Hilary’s. Whatever is going on between us, or not, doesn’t have anything to do with her. And you can call the police to make sure I deliver her safely, but I’m going to take her.”
He gritted his teeth, holding her eyes. “Say what you actually wanted to say. Come on, it has to eat you from the inside.”
Maybe she hadn’t meant that he was cheating on her. Maybe she didn’t believe that after all.
Was she dark-haired? Or a blonde?
“Why? You know I know, so what’s left to say?”
He shrugged, anger replacing the weird hollow feeling he’d had before. “Say the words, Evangeline. I cannot believe you cheated on me, Tank. I trusted you. I thought you’d changed. I was wrong. Come on.”
“Why did you? I just needed a few more weeks until after the gala and it would’ve been you, Leila, and me. But no, you didn’t have that much time. And I guess I don’t deserve any different. I didn’t know what I was doing. I never had anyone wanting to stay with me, because I… I can’t let them in.”
“Are you saying you had it coming? Or are you saying it was clear I was going to fall into my old ways? Which is it? Because right now I cannot decide if you blame me, yourself, or just the universe. You know, actually, it doesn’t matter.”
He stared at her as she stayed silent no matter how much he wished she would protest, insist, scream.
Maybe it would hurt less if she’d scream instead of just silently accepting things for what they were.
Or rather were not.
She sighed and he hesitated a long moment, leaning in then to press an angry and desperate kiss to her lips, but then he shifted Leila and left the room.
She didn’t call him back, nor did she call for help as he carried her girl out of there, and maybe he should’ve been angry about that, but instead he was confused.
She trusted him to take care of her daughter and not hurt her, but she absolutely couldn’t believe he’d do the same with her?
What the hell was going on in her mind?
The doorbell rang and he could hear it outside, as if the house was hollower than ever before.
Hilary opened, her eyes filled with sadness and he couldn’t believe she, too, knew.
“I didn’t,” he stated, because he felt as if that was the only thing that mattered that moment.
“I know, Tank. I never believed you did. Seriously. Come on in and get Leila to bed. As much as it hurts me, I don’t think you should pick her up anymore until Evy sees reason.”
He shouldered past her, walking up the stairs and getting Leila bed-ready like he’d done a few times until that moment.
“Nite, Daddy,” Lei muttered and he leaned in, kissing her cheek before resting his forehead against hers.
“Night, little one.” He couldn’t believe how much it hurt him to think he’d not see her for a few days.
Was he ready to give up on her mother and her?
No, not at all, but he also wouldn’t crawl around Evy’s feet, begging for forgiveness when there was no doubt she didn’t have the faith in him she’d promised.
God, where had he gone wrong after that evening when his mother had tried to create chaos? And why did he long to still see Evy now? Be around her?
He made his way back down the stairs and Hilary surprised him by hugging him tight.
“Did she give you a chance
to explain?”
He shook his head, running his hands through his dark blond hair. “I didn’t even try. Do you think she would’ve listened?”
“She didn’t listen to either Tessa or me. I’m tempted to ask what you did just because you were so secretive, but I’m also not gonna do it because I want you to believe me when I say I don’t think you’d ever cheat on that woman… or her daughter. It’s not your fault. God, I wanna shake her. So bad.”
“She’s hurt enough, okay? It doesn’t matter what you think about me or not, you have to promise me something on behalf of Tessa and you.”
Hils arched a brow. “Okay?”
“You’re all she has left. Her mother is here and she’s a dragon. Why didn’t I know that?”
Hilary shook her head. “Neither did I. I thought Evy loved her, so I figured she was a great woman.”
He’d thought so, too, but that night had shown him that destructive parents came in many sizes and shapes.
“I’ll see you at the office tomorrow, okay?” he whispered because if there was one thing he wasn’t going to do, it was dropping out of helping, especially when this project was all that stood between making things all right with Evy, and never risking another thing with a woman.
Tank wanted nothing more than to drop by the hospital first thing in the morning, but he didn’t. He also wanted to avoid Tessa and Jazz, not sure what they’d be thinking about this whole thing, and in general he just felt like taking a day off to go fishing.
Okay, that was a lie. He never fished. He just wanted to sit by the water, have a few beers over the course of a few hours and then pack away the fishing poles before going back to whatever was up next.
He also wanted to see Leila and yet didn’t go to check if Hilary and she were still home.
“Thomas Michaels for Lanestrong Events,” he told the guy behind the counter as he entered the office building. He hadn’t gotten his own card yet because he usually came with either Tessa or Evy, but now that neither was an option he had to officially sign in and hope someone upstairs would agree to—
“Here’s your security card. Sign here, here, and put your info in here. If you lose that card you’ll have to pay a fine of ten thousand dollars for the resetting of the system. Miss Rowan said she’d tell you the rest upstairs.”
Speechless, Tank signed and filled out the papers before taking his own security card, walking over to the elevator and swiping it through before grinning to himself. He did feel quite important, although he knew he wasn’t office staff.
The moment the door opened and he stepped out, his heart got lighter.
“Daddy!” The ecstatic scream was followed by little feet hitting the floor in rather rapid, uneven succession. He caught Leila before she fell and wrapped her tiny body in his arms, inhaling her sweet toddler scent as if he hadn’t seen her in forever.
“It’s Tank, remember? Not Daddy,” he whispered and his heart broke while jean-clad legs and black heels stepped toward him. He didn’t want to look up to see who they belonged to when a small hand came to rest on the little girl’s shoulder. Tank recognized the ring instantly.
“The future Mrs. Jesse Connor,” he said as a way of greeting, his eyes still on Leila, who watched him funnily.
“Lei, why don’t you go and check on Johnny?” Tessa suggested and the little girl lit up, stumbling away adorably. When Tank no longer had an excuse to stay where he was, he stood, finding Tessa’s dark eyes tender.
“How are you doing? Hils had some words this morning, but not much, and I just… I was worried about you.”
He blinked. “About me?”
She nodded, her brows furrowing. “It still surprises you, after all you’ve done for us, that I worry about you? Do I like giving you shit? Hell yeah. You were an ass and I’ll make sure you won’t ever forget that, but Tank, you proved more than once that you’re also Jazz’s brother in all things but blood. We’re bound to tease each other.” She winked and he closed his eyes, the relief so great, he was surprised his feet didn’t lift him from the floor because he felt so light.
“I wanted to call her about a million times last night, wondering if she would believe me if I told her what I’d done.”
“And you came to the conclusion she wouldn’t?”
When he shook his head, Tessa leaned forward, hugging him tight. He pulled her against him, squeezing her briefly.
“She thought about forgiving me for doing it anyway, and I think that made me even angrier than her thinking I cheated in the first place.”
Tessa stared at him. “What? Why?”
“Because she clearly thinks she deserves being cheated on, as if she’s not good enough for a guy to not stray. I’m mad at her for thinking I would, when I did everything to prove to her I changed and I love how things are. I am really mad, and hurt, but I cannot really blame her because my track record of having girlfriends is a glorious zero. But for her to think she’s not worth anything but second place? A second-class life? It breaks me. And makes me realize I failed in making her—”
Tessa stopped him with her hand on his chest. “Tank, as much as I love how you love her, this is on her. Hilary tried to tell her that you didn’t cheat, and so did I. God, I don’t give a damn what you did. I didn’t yesterday, either, or I would’ve asked you when you picked up Leila. She spoke in your favor so strongly, defended you whenever, and suddenly she doubts you? Nope. It’s not your fault, no matter what’s happening from here on.”
He closed his eyes. “Jazz believed I’d go and cheat. I saw it on his face.”
“Did not! I was pissed at you for making it look like that. I know insane girls and their crazy minds, and we have an office full here. You dropping off the child for a few hours? How was I supposed to know they wouldn’t hunt you down with pitchforks?” His best friend came out of the room that was now Evy’s office and winked at him.
He hadn’t been there the day before when Tank had picked up Leila, and he’d worried about seeing him again, especially because Jazz had assured him he’d injure him should Evy get hurt, but they seemed to be fine. Another fucking weight lifted off his shoulders.
“Jazz goes running when he needs a break, but he makes sure people know he loves us before he does.”
“Tessa takes long walks with the music blaring. She even dances in the forest when she thinks no one sees it,” Jazz whispered. “We’re okay with breaks. We’re just not okay with you looking so excited about them.”
Tessa laughed, leaning into Jazz, who kissed the side of her hair. “True. I usually bawl my eyes out when I’m ready for one and Jazz ushers me out of the house. And he’s getting so grumpy, not even food can fix it.”
Jazz bumped her side with his hip and then drew her back in.
“Tank, how about you take Saturday off to just do manly things? I don’t know, go to a sports bar and hang out? I can take Leila off Hilary’s hands and check on Evy with her. Jazz needs a break, too.”
The way Jazz stared at her, clueless, made Tank grin, concluding his best friend didn’t need a break as much as Tessa needed him to go with Tank.
‘Thank you’, he mouthed and she nodded.
“Fine, man date on Saturday. I’ll pick you up,” Tank stated to Jazz before getting serious.
“I’m going back to the venue, check the last lights with the electricians and see about getting started with the decorations since I didn’t manage anymore yesterday.”
“I’m coming,” Jo announced, making the three chuckle. She couldn’t have been more obvious about listening in on them.
Tessa shook her head with a grin. “Scar needs to stay. We changed the entire design of the place holders and whatnot and need to redo them. I’m doing soldier interviews all day, and Jazz is going to look the waiters and staff over with the security. I’m very glad you’ll be at the venue. There’s someone dropping by today from one of the B-list starlets. I forgot her name, but he wants to scout the venue and see where he wants her seated to best pro
tect her. Also, you need to—”
Scratching the back of his head, Tank sighed. “Can you write that all down? I’m not sure I can remember all that,” he admitted and Tessa laughed, turning away, still talking to him, which prompted him to follow.
She looked like she owned everything there, as if the world belonged to her. Her strides were even, her shoulders squared and her back straight. She looked like a woman on a mission who’d be deterred by no one and nothing.
Evy hadn’t looked like that anymore in the last few days. She’d almost appeared defeated and maybe that was the main reason she’d though she could move the furniture alone.
She’d just wanted to manage something successfully.
Sighing, he forced himself to listen to Tessa instead of thinking about her best friend.
No matter what would be happening that day, he would definitely go and see her later tonight—even if it was just to have her screaming at him.
Her phone rang early the next morning. Not that Evy minded because she’d been up for hours anyway, her mind too preoccupied to allow for peaceful sleep.
“Jackson?”
“How’s it going?” She knew the snarl, knew the tone and was glad she hadn’t checked the screen before. She most likely wouldn’t have picked up, and that could’ve ended badly for her.
“Mr. Lanestrong,” she said as a way of greeting. “Right now is not a good time. I need to be at the venue in a little under ten minutes to meet up with some electricians.”
She wouldn’t tell him she was currently indisposed.
He snorted briefly. “So everything’s on track?” As if he knew more, which was ridiculous, Evy reminded herself. He just knew how huge this gala was, and he also knew how much trouble it was to organize it on such short notice. He was an ass, but he knew how to do the job.
“Well, we’re behind with the table decorations, but other than that we’re absolutely going to have everything ready by the time the event comes around. And now, I really need to go.”
“I just wanted an update. Call me the day of the event. I want a final update beforehand. Remember what’s on the line.”
