Page 104 of Perfectly Complicated
I try to peek through the narrow window, but I can’t see her.
Is she shocked? Crushed? Does she need me?
Because I won’t let this man do any more damage.
“So is that why you suddenly want Aria in your life?” Janie fires back. “Because Lia finally approves now that she has a ring on her finger?”
Janie’s still holding her own. But part of me wants to tear that door off its hinges anyway. Not because she can’t handle him—she clearly can—but because I hate thathegets to be in that room with her and I don’t.
Nick exhales. “I just had to make sure Lia didn’t feel like she was second place in my life.”
Janie scoffs. “But it was fine whenIwas second during our marriage.”
Nick doesn’t respond and I want to pump my fist in victory. Score one for Janie; zero for Nick. Because he took her trust. He took herfirsts. And now he’s standing in there like some reformed family man, throwing around phrases like “our daughter” and “quality time.”
I may be the one in the hallway, but make no mistake—he’s the outsider here.
And if he thinks he can threaten the woman I love and get away with it, he’s got another thing coming.
“I thought you’d be over it by now, Janie,” he finally says. “You need to let it go.”
Seriously?He cheats on her, walks away, skips out on his daughter—and she’s supposed to be over it?
Janie gives a humorless laugh. “You were married to me for two years, and I thought we were happy. And the whole time you were seeing my friend behind my back. Sorry if I’m not over it yet.”
“Hear me out,” he says, his voice lower. “I want Aria to be a part of my life. I should’ve been there from the beginning, and I wasn’t. Now I need to make up for lost time. Especially since you’re living with some random guy…”
“For the last time, it’s not like that,” she snaps. “And it’s none of your business anyway.”
“It is when it affects my daughter,” he says, the edge of his tone sharp. “I don’t wanthimtouching her.”
The way he throws that remark in her face infuriates me.
“When Aria was born, I begged you to be involved,” Janie says. “You told me you didn’t have time. You showed up for a half hour with a Starbucks gift card and disappeared again.”
“I know that.” He’s trying to sound apologetic now. “But this isn’t about our past. This is about what’s best for Aria now. She deserves to have her father in her life.”
The words make my stomach churn. Because he might’ve failed her, but in the eyes of the law—and maybe in Aria’s heart—he’ll always be her dad.
I hear Janie gathering her things. “This is over.”
“Janie,” Nick pleads.
“The answer is no,” she says firmly. “I won’t give up Aria for Christmas. And who I date is none of your business.”
“Okay, then could we compromise?” His voice shifts. “I want to be with her on her first Christmas just as much as you. We could spend it together—as a family.”
“That’s not going to happen,” Janie says without hesitation.
“Why not? Becauseof your rebound?”
“Rourke isnota rebound.”
“Isn’t he? Come on, Janie. We both know you could never make it work with someone like him. You’re not even athletic. Let’s face it, if I hadn’t left you for Lia, you’d still be married to me.”
“You’re delusional if you think I’ll ever trust you again,” she says coldly. “Rourke is ten times the man you’ll ever be.”
“Then I guess we’ll have to do this the hard way,” he says, his voice sharp. “Because no judge is going to look favorably on a mother who chooses her boyfriend over her daughter’s father.”
