Page 147 of Hard to Judge

“Fair point.” Arlo chuckles.

I wrap one arm around her middle and smooth her hair back with the other, completely content except for Arlo’s absence. “You did so well.”

“Sure, so well I might need to be carried out.” She muffles against my throat.

“Sold.” I tug her close and kiss the top of her head. “Anything for you.”

“That’s awfully generous,” she says, rolling her head to the side and blinking up at me.

I smile into her green gaze and swollen lips. “You deserve anything. Everything. You made us an us.”

“We made us an us,” she corrects.

“Without you.” I swallow through the sudden rush of emotions. “We’re just broken kids.”

“As I am without the two of you.” She grabs my left hand and brings it to her lips, kissing the three rings on my finger. “We each bring something important to this relationship. Our strengths fortify each other’s weaknesses, making our pyramid indestructible.”

“I love you.” I kiss her damp forehand and lay it on my chest.

“I still want you to carry me out,” she adds.

“Perfect.” I laugh.

A few moments later, a toilet flushes, water runs, and then Arlo’s back, cleaning us and righting our clothes. By the time we head to the car with Hailey in my arms, we look decently put together, thanks to our husband.

Leonard stands next to the car door. I’m so blissed out, so on top of the fucking world, I let him open it for me. Plus, my arms are full at the moment.

The second we’re closed inside and I have Hailey nestled between me and Arlo, my phone vibrates against my leg.

Hota’s flushed face goes white at the mere sound of his phone. Hell, it’s not even an overbearing ringtone that elicits the reaction. The simple vibration of his phone has him scrambling to silence it completely.

I let my gaze lay heavily on him while his settles on the screen.

Hailey glances between us, catching on quickly.

After we ride several blocks in silence, Hota’s dark gaze meets mine.

There’s such pain and uncertainty in his eyes. So much of it he shoved away to be the man who’s always there for others. I feel responsible for it. Just a week ago, that weight lay heavily on my shoulders. By making me face myself head-on, he helped me ease it.

I can do the same for him. I want to.

Before I can ask who’s calling, Hota nods and takes a deep breath. “Watching you embrace your freedom, and our wife do the same, gives me the courage to explore my greatest vulnerability.”

Our wife…

Goddamn, that’s so cool.

Our wife laces her fingers with mine and then Hota’s.

My throat goes tight. “Thank you.”

“I’ve been receiving calls from Japan for the past few weeks.” His big hand scrubs down his face, and then slicks back his disheveled hair. “I’m terrified it’s my father calling. I don’t want to speak to him. He said all he had to say almost twenty years ago. He’s made no effort to contact me throughout the years. No letters. No emails. No texts. No calls.”

His free hand goes white at the knuckles. The bones in his hand strain his skin to the point of bursting and the muscles flex around them. His hand holding Hailey’s stays perfectly calm, strumming gently over the back of hers.

“He missed birthdays, graduations, holidays, and the mundane shit of my life. He wasn’t there for me even before I stood up to him, not more than a physical presence anyway. I couldn’t ask him about anything, from how the toaster worked to how to take someone on a proper date.”

Sorrow pours out of him in waves.

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