Page 95 of Mending Hearts

Tears sprung to my eyes at the simplicity of his words. If I went back to Victoria and Tyler, that was the kind of mother I wanted to be—one who put her daughter’s well-being above everything else. I would testify against Kenny if it came to that, so no one else had to worry about protecting their daughter from him.

I was beginning to realize what had bothered me about our silence all these years. He’d gotten away with it, yes. But if we’d come forward, if every woman who suffered such an incredible violation came forward, maybe there’d be less and less of them. You had to hope, right? Throw open the doors and let the light in. Don’t let the monsters skulk around under the cover of darkness.

Taking a deep breath, I gave Pasha the nod to throw open the exit door, hurling us back into the barrage of press. Through the sea of lenses, shouted questions, and microphones nudging me to say something, we arrived at the car. I collapsed into the back and breathed a sigh of relief. Then, a few of the questions sank in.

Had I heard them right? Digging around in my purse, I found my phone. From the front, Pasha tried to catch my eye.

“Okay?” he asked.

“Mmm…” I responded as I scrolled through the notifications and the car lurched forward. So many stupid people commenting on things they didn’t understand.

The video of Tyler outside his house was the worst bit. I hadn’t seen him in a week. So long. An eternity. After the third time I played it, the reality of the scene hit me. Victoria’s cry in the background, the smugness splashed across Katie as she came down from kissing his cheek, the shock on Tyler’s face. Apparently, I should have sent him a warning text after all. Sometimes I forgot how naïve he was about the press.

One week. It had taken Katie one week to wedge herself into Tyler’s life. I’d expected it, but seeing it with my own eyes still stung. My hand shook, and I wanted to scream at my phone. He was mine. Other people could look at him, envy me, but they weren’t supposed to touch. No touching.

Except, he wasn’t mine anymore. I forfeited that right when I left. It wasn’t reasonable to ask him to wait forever, even if I wanted him to.

A cold sweat broke out across my back. Pasha navigated Nashville’s streets, headed toward my house, and my brain spun with the reality of what I’d done. Just like Katie, I’d left him. Would I turn up on his doorstep eight years from now trying to reclaim my place? Victoria would be eight. I’d have missedeight years. All those firsts. I was probably missing some already. The progression of a baby from bundle to walker would be lost.

As I came through the front door, Taryn peered around the island. “God, you’re so pale. It was that bad? I told you I’dcome with you.”

Rebecca appeared at Taryn’s shoulder. “Mia, you look like you’re going to puke.”

“Have you been following the news? My mentions are out of control.” My hand rested on my stomach, and if I was being honest, I felt a bit like I might lose the little I’d eaten today all over the floor.

“We saw a few things.” Taryn hedged as she exchanged a silent look with Rebecca.

“Was one of those things Tyler being assaulted by his ex-girlfriend?”

“Assaulted?” Rebecca raised her eyebrows.

“Sure. There’s no way hewantedher to do that. Tyler doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. He wouldneverhave wanted me to see that, probably didn’t even want her to do that.”

But someday, he’d want someone to touch him like Katie had, would want more than a chaste kiss on the cheek in front of his house. My stomach clenched. Tyler had warned me that regret was desperate and ugly.

“You know him best,” Rebecca said. “I don’t want to be an asshole, Mia, but if you want to be with him, you gotta keep in mind he’s not going to wait around forever.”

“It’s been a week.” My voice was tight. “That’s hardly forever.” My mind swung back to the other comments I’d seen as I’d scrolled through. “I need to send him some bodyguards. He’s got my baby, and there are so many nutjobs out there.” I snatched the remote off the island and pointed it at the TV over the fireplace. “Do you think the press is still camped out at his house?”

Taryn and Rebecca were quiet behind me as I searched all the gossip channels.

Then he was there, almost as large as life on the screen. My heart thumped in response, and a rush of love followed. Was there a better sight in all of the world? All of the times he’d made my heart ache played on repeat in my mind—in the hospital, cradling our baby, knowing he’d protect me.

Katie slithered off him, demurringno commentlike she had something to say. Even through the screen, Tyler’s annoyance was clear.

The vultures with cameras and microphones closed in on Tyler, obscuring the view of Katie as she left. I needed to send protection to him, maybe a PR person. The press would tear into him relentlessly, and the more anyone fed them, the hungrier they became.

For a moment, he looked overwhelmed and seemed to be searching the crowd for something or someone. Then he took a deep breath, and I could see him gearing up, preparing himself. I’d told him if the press came, he could say whatever he wanted. But I hadn’t thought he’d bother and that he knew better. No words would ever be enough to fill their hunger.

“Look,” he said. “If you’ll quiet down for a second, I’ll make a statement, but I’m not taking questions. You get what you get, and then I’m done talking about all this.” He held up a hand, and the crowd quieted. “Mia’s not here. I’m guessing you all know where she is sinceyou’rehere. You’re not going to get anything negative or salacious. That doesn’t exist in this situation. When you’re lucky enough to love someone and to have that love returned, you protect them, you protect that relationship. You protect it with everything in you. I completely and totally support what Mia is doing in Nashville. She’s incredibly brave for speaking the truth and for bringing all the awfulness into the light. I believe her. Ibelieve all of them. That’s all I have to say.” He gave a wave and turned toward the closed door behind him.

When he opened it, Victoria started up another cry. Without a backward glance, he closed the door tight, sealing them off.

At the entrance, the reporters burst into another round of questions.

Is that Mia’s baby? Tyler, is Mia pregnant, or is that your baby in there? Are you two still together? Why aren’t you and the baby in Nashville?

The feed cut out.

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