Page 94 of The Baby-whisperer and the Brute
I actually understood my mother a little better now after experiencing what she’d always tried to protect me from. I wouldn’t wish this pain on my worst enemy.
My hope was that things could go back to “normal.” Just as I’d walked away from Mother’s plan, I planned to slip neatly back into it now.
The numbness and boredom of my former life would be a welcome refuge from the devastating pain that had clobbered my heart at Anouk’s revelation that Sully had invited her to be part of his life again.
But now Sully washere—asking if I was okay.
I wasfarfrom okay. Just seeing his face in the dim moonlight and hearing his voice brought on a fresh torrent of longing, not to mention worry over what would happen if Mother looked out the window and saw him there.
“You shouldn’t be here,” I scolded him, leaning down so he could hear my suppressed tone. “Didn’t my mother tell you I don’t want to talk to you?”
“Yes, but I had to see you. I couldn’t believe you were gone when I got home. I need to explain about Anouk.”
“There’s no need to explain. She’s your wife.”
“Myex-wife,” he corrected. “I don’t know what she said to you, but there hasn’t been anything between us except custody-sharing for years.”
“Shetoldme you invited her to move back in with you.”
“What? She lied.” There was a pause before he said, “Wait—yes, I did. But that was months ago, at the beginning of the summer. I was desperate. That was before I’d even met you. Everything’s different now.”
“Not everything. She’s still Skyla and Claire’s mother. It’s right that she lives with them—with you. I’m not going to interfere with someone’s marriage.”
Sully let out an exasperated noise. “Thereisno marriage except the one I want to have with you.”
There was a rustling of clothing down below. Sully was digging in the pocket of his light jacket. “Would youpleasecome down? There’s something I want to ask you, and I’d rather not do it from forty feet away.”
My heart thudded faster. “No,” I yelped, drawing back until I was barely visible in the window.
“Go away, Sully. Please. I think I hear Mother coming. We must have wakened her.”
When he didn’t budge, I leaned out the window again, pleading. “This isn’t going to work. I made a mistake taking the job at your house.”
“This isn’t about some job. This is aboutyouandme.”
Extending an arm high over his head, he held something up to me. I squinted to see it better.
“I left the house today because I wanted to get this for you,” Sully said.
The moon came out from behind a bank of clouds, and a large gemstone of some kind sparkled in its cool, magical light
A ring. He was holding a ring.
My heartrate took off for the stars then crashed and burned. This morning I’d have been thrilled to have Sully offer me a ring. But now… it was too late.
“You shouldn’t have done that,” I told him.
“Of courseI should have. I love you Angelina. You love me too.”
I shook my head, unable to force out the words that would deny the greatest truth of my life.
“You should be giving that ring to Anouk,” I said instead. “She’s Claire and Skyla’s real mom, and if she’s ready to be there for them—for you—I’m not going to stand in the way. Iwon’tbreak up a family.”
Sully let out a desperate sounding laugh. “I’m not gonna be with Anouk, okay? I don’t love her, and I don’t think sheeverloved me. I’m not even attracted to her anymore. She’ll be leaving in a few days.”
Hope and wretched love tugged at me like an invisible lasso. If I wasn’t careful, it would drag me down onto the stones below, and I’d be crushed all over again.
An exterior light switched on downstairs, illuminating the back yard. Mother was definitely awake.
