“I’m not cut out for this, Paisley. I’m going to be a horrible father. I’m all alone, with no one to help me. She’d be better off without me.” As Braxton said the words, he knew he didn’t mean them. But it felt good to get it out there in the open. Paisley would be honest with him. And if she agreed, he’d figure out what to do about it in the morning.
The wrinkles at the edges of her eyes began to smooth out and her brows relaxed, no longer bunched together. The sofa dipped beside Braxton and Paisley rubbed her hand up and down his back soothing him.
“Brax, you know I’ll always have your best interest in mind and I’ll never lie to you. So, listen to me and try to remember this tomorrow when you sober up. You’re not going to be a bad father. You just need to remember that you have to make decisions based on someone other than you now.”
Paisley stopped rubbing his back. Her soft, gentle hands held both sides of his face, making sure he was looking into her eyes when she continued. “You’re not alone. Paxton and I are here for you. Did you honestly think that we’d abandon you now after all the years we’ve been best friends?” Her eyes darted back and forth, looking into Braxton’s, searching for an answer.
Braxton moved his head slowly from side to side. And then, without thinking, he grabbed her face between his hands and crushed his lips to hers. She returned his kiss, urgently begging for him to deepen it. But just as he tried to push his tongue past her slightly parted lips, she pulled back, breaking their contact.
Standing, Paisley tugged at her shirt attempting to release the wrinkles from where his hand had wandered and mussed it up. “No, Brax. This isn’t right. You’re upset and scared. I’m here to help, but I’m not here to replace Alissa.” She stepped away and fled toward the door.
“Get some sleep,” were the last words she said as the sound of his front door closing echoed through the empty house.
Chapter 14
Paisley stood on the other side of Braxton’s closed door. Her fingers brushed over her lips as she savored the feeling of what it had felt like to be kissed, really kissed, by Braxton.
She wanted to relish the moment, treasure it in her memory bank but she couldn’t. It wasn’t a kiss he’d given because he loved her. It was due to despair, stolen in a moment when everything was wrong and he was scared. She’d wanted to give in. It had felt so right—at least for a second, but then reality kicked in, slapping the conscious part of her brain into action and causing her to pull away.
She was torn inside. Paisley felt like the worst human possible for the thoughts she was thinking. There was part of her that almost felt happy that Alissa was gone, and that part battled with her emotions. It was wrong to feel that way. Alissa had been her friend and business partner, and the future wife to Braxton. And no matter how jealous Paisley had been of Alissa all those years, she didn’t deserve to die.
But then there was the part of Paisley that believed that Alissa’s death opened a door for her and Braxton. A door that maybe someday she’d be able to walk through, to show him that she’d always been there for him. The one and he’d been too blind to see it.
Paisley’s conscience spoke up. STOP IT. Get a grip, Paisley; he isn’t yours. He has never been yours, and you agreed years ago to give up on the fantasy and live your life. He has a daughter now. She’ll be his number one, and there will never be room for you to be anything other than his best friend. It’s time to grow up and be his support system when he needs it, and nothing more.
Paisley straightened her shoulders, held her head high, and walked down the path that led to her car. She would be there if and when she could, as a friend and nothing more. A single tear dropped from her eye, and then it was over. No more tears would be shed for what could never happen between Braxton and her.
Paisley woke to her alarm and greeted the day with one specific purpose in mind; damage control. While personally devastating, Alissa’s loss and Braxton’s new single-parent status could also be professionally damaging if they did not get ahead of the news with their clients. With everything that had happened yesterday, she was sure Braxton had never reached out to Rachel, his assistant. So Paisley was going to do it for him.
Hours and twenty phone calls later, all of Alissa’s clients had been moved to Paxton and Paisley’s schedules.
Braxton’s appointments had been a bit tougher. No one could close a new client like Braxton could—not even one of his aspiring protegees. While he’d successfully coached some great up and coming closers, none of the other staff had the natural skills that Braxton possessed. There was just something about his personality that set new clients at ease. He treated them like they had been his best friend for years, and it wasn’t just a placating gesture. He was always sincere, and clients knew it. Others had tried mirroring his technique, but they’d never pulled it off. Braxton truly did care about each of his clients. His working relationships were more than just the usual account manager and client connections
It was late afternoon before Paisley was able to head to the hospital. She found Braxton in the nursery, sitting in a rocking chair and holding his daughter. The chair swayed to and fro and his head was bowed as he stared into her
