“I talked to her and explained she did have a mom, who doesn’t live in Everton anymore.” My hand covers my mouth. I can’t imagine how that conversation must’ve gone. As if reading my mind, Gavin adds, “Penny understood, much to my surprise. My fear of her feeling as if she wasn’t good enough didn’t even become a problem. She had questions, which is normal.”
I nod, looking around the living room as my breath hitches. On the coffee table, I see a stack of photos next to an opened box that I missed when I first walked in. I bite down my lips and take a slow breath as my heart pounds in the base of my throat.
Gavin must notice my discomfort because he scoots closer and reaches for my hand.
“I was sorting those for Penny,” he whispers. I turn to look at him. “She asked about Hadley, and I couldn’t just pretend she didn’t exist, as much as I’d like to. I told her I had pictures that I could show her one day.”
I nod, silent. The elephant in the room sits on the edge of that coffee table, and I can’t ignore it. It’s as if its trunk is poking me incessantly until I pay attention.
“Maybe it’s for the best that we decided to go our separate ways,” I say, so quietly I’m not sure Gavin hears me.
“You made that choice for me. You didn’t give me a chance to respond, to process.” I look from the pictures to him with furrowed eyebrows.
“Gavin—”
“No, it’s time for you to listen to me now.” He turns his body and stretches his long legs out.
“You dropped a bomb on me and didn’t let me speak. It’s true that I was caught off-guard and scared that my past was being splayed for everyone to read. I was scared Hadley would see the news and come after Penny, which I know is ridiculous since I have full custody.” He pauses and clears his throat as his face grows serious. “She’s my whole world, so you have to understand that I panicked. All I could think about was protecting her.”
“I know,” I whisper. “It’s why I gave you the chance to walk.”
“But you didn’t give me time to talk, time to actually grasp what you were telling me. I like you, Sutton, and that’s something you can’t give me an out for. I’ve been living these past few years like a miserable man, sure that I’d never be as happy as I once was. I resigned myself to raising Penny, putting on a happy face for her, and sleeping at night with the painful memories of being abandoned.”
“Gavin…” My eyebrows knit together.
“Let’s start over,” he suggests. “Hi, I’m Gavin.” He reaches his hand out.
I stare at it, and then my eyes flicker back to his. Shaking my head, I say, “I don’t want to start over. I don’t want to pretend that we haven’t already built memories. This is part of our story.” My tense jaw relaxes. I can’t forget everything we’ve already lived, running into him, our first kiss. Starting over isn’t possible.
Gavin runs his outstretched hand over his face. When I get a clear view of him again, a crooked smile lifts one side of his lips.
“I want you in my life. I want you in Penny’s life. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too. I wanted to call you so badly, but I didn’t want to hurt you more than I had.”
“You didn’t hurt me.” He shakes his head, his jaw ticking. “Understand that.”
“Hurt by association. If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have to stress about being in the media. Penny wouldn’t have been hurt by her classmates.”
“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have found myself again. This helped. It gave me the chance to talk to Penny. It allowed me to release some of the weight I’ve been carrying by keeping her mother hidden from her for fear that the truth would hurt her.”
“And that it would hurt you,” I say, tilting my head. Gavin nods, blowing air from between his lips.
“I thought it would. But then I met you, and everything changed. You reminded me of the man I was, the man I’ve missed, the man Penny should know as her father.”
I bite my trembling lower lip as my eyes water. My breath comes out shaky, full of emotion.
“You’re perfect for me…for us.”
Before I can respond, the front door bursts open, and I jump. Penny runs into the living room, and her eyes light up when she sees me. A wide smile appears on her face.
“I knew it was you! Didn’t I tell you, Grandma?” she shouts, looking at her grandmother over her shoulder.
I smile at Penny and look at Alicia. “I’m sorry for coming unannounced.”
“Nonsense.” She waves my apology away with a kind smile. “You’re always welcome here.”
“Thank you,” I grin and look back at Gavin. He winks, his smile reflecting back at me and that one dimple I love seeing pop up on his cheek.
“Are you staying for supper? We’re making steaks. Can she stay?” Penny’s wide eyes turn to Gavin.
“No, I was getting ready to leave.” I don’t want to impose more than I have.
“Stay,” Gavin demands.
“I don’t want to intrude.” I look from him to Alicia.
“We’d love to have you.” Her smile grows wider.
“We can have the ice cream Daddy and I made for dessert.”
“Penny, I think we should have something else for dessert.” Gavin purses his lips.
“It was gooood,” she draws out.
“Yes, but I don’t think there’s enough for all of us. You can have it.” He winks at her, and she whoops.
“Are you sure it’s okay?” I lean in and ask Gavin.
“Positive.” He squeezes my hand and looks at me softly.
Penny bounces into the kitchen when Alicia calls her,
