I hold her close as she cries the pain out of her system. We haven’t said much, but she knows I’m here for her. I don’t want to try and say anything, knowing things will never be the same again without her father in her life. Though I think she’s better off without him at this rate, I’d never say that aloud. It’s not helpful in the slightest. No, I just have to be by her side. A shoulder to cry on. A body to hold hers close and make her feel safe.
It’s been the longest time, but her eyes are dry now as she sits up and rests her head on my shoulder. Jenny appears in the room with a cup of tea and hands it to Elena. She smiles gratefully.
“Thanks, Jenny, that’s so sweet of you.”
“It’s the least I could do,” Jenny says. I’ve never seen her look so sincere. She sits down on the chair opposite us. “And if Landon hasn’t said it already, you’re welcome here for as long as you want. Don’t worry about a thing, we’ve got you covered.”
Elena sniffs and wipes at her face. “Thank you. But honestly, the last place I want to be right now is here. Maybe I need to go and stay with a friend.” She pauses and looks at me with sad eyes. “I didn’t mean it like that. It’s not that I want to get away from you. I just need to be away from him. I can’t pass him every day in the street knowing he won’t even look at me, it’s just going to be like breaking my heart over and over.”
I kiss her cheek. “It’s okay, I understand, but you know I go wherever you go.”
Her eyes widen. “But...but you only just got here. You’ve got clients to train.”
“I don’t care,” I growl. “You’re more important. You matter more than anything else. I promised to look after you and I meant it. I’m not leaving your side, not even for a minute. You’re mine. I’m responsible for making sure you’re okay.”
Jenny smirks. “How could your Dad not like this guy, huh?”
I shoot Jenny a look and she smiles awkwardly, realizing she’s getting too involved. She stands up to leave, but she turns just before she does. “You know, if you want to get away, maybe you should go and stay at our parent’s place in New York in the Hamptons. They won’t be there at the moment and it’s far away from here. You’ll have some privacy and peace. It would be perfect for you both.”
I consider the idea after she leaves. It would be a good place to go on last minute notice. It’s comfy, and secluded. She wouldn’t have to face up to any judgment. It would just be me and her. I could take time out of work easily. I’ll call it a family emergency. Because that’s what this is. She became my family the second I made her mine for life. Now, she’s carrying our baby. If she’s hurting, then I need to be around to care for her. I’m not going to let her do this alone.
“I think it’s a good idea,” I murmur to her. “We can have some peace and quiet. You can take your studies with you if you want, and we can stay as long as you want. We can decide what to do from there, we can even look for another house online if you want. Somewhere here in LA so I can keep my job and you can keep studying in the same city as your friends, but away from your father. What do you think?”
Her eyes widen. “You’d do that for me? You’d just drop everything and go.”
“Of course I would,” I say. “I meant it when I said I’d do anything for you. We’ll be fine at my parent’s place for a few weeks, and then we can start afresh. Just you and me. What do you think?”
She rests her forehead against mine. “I think that sounds amazing.”
“Alright. Let me take care of everything. I’ll get you some things so you don’t have to go back there.”
“I’m so lucky to have you,” she says tearfully. I kiss her gently.
“I’m the lucky one. I can’t believe I’ve got a woman as perfect as you. I know things are bad right now, but it’ll get better. We have our entire lives to look forward to.”
Elena
Our taxi pulls up in front of Landon’s parent’s house twenty-four hours after we decide to head over to the Hamptons. I’ve never been here before, but it’s as gorgeous as people say. It’s the perfect place to try and get over this heartache I’m feeling.
Not much will actually make me feel better, but when Landon helps me out of the car and takes my bag in one hand, then my hand in his other, I feel a little sense of comfort. Landon is my rock now. Even without my dad around to support me, I’ve still got a strong man to help me through. In fact, Landon is better in so many ways. Having him beside me every night to get me through means so much more than the fancy house we’re staying at. His company is all I really need.
We get settled inside the seaside mansion and then take a nap. When I finally wake up, the salty summer breeze is wafting through the window and Landon has his arm protectively draped over my body. I breathe deeply and tell myself that I feel a bit better.
Leaving my family behind has left a hole in my heart. There’s
