Chapter Twenty-Six
“Felix Unger was asked to remove himself from his place of residence…”
~The Odd Couple
There was a scratch at the door a minute later. “Come in.”
“Hey,” Hale said, as I slipped my phone into the pocket of my robe.
“I spoke to your father.”
“I figured you would.” His hands were deep in his pockets and he looked like a censored young version of himself as he shuffled closer to the bed.
“Do you know what it was like for me growing up without a dad, Hale?”
He shook his head. “I imagine it was difficult. A daughter needs a father in her life.”
“The funny thing is, she sort of doesn’t. But it’s always nice to have someone you can depend on, someone to go to when life gets tough and you feel like no one’s on your side. I’ve never had anybody like that in my life, but dads seem like they’d be handy in those situations.”
“Not always,” he commented, coming to sit next to me.
“No, not always.” I kept my gaze on the floor. “I have a dad, but he’s terrible. There have been moments in my life when I would have given anything to see him take an interest in me, even if it was to just pop in and tell me I was doing something wrong. I didn’t care what he might say. I just wanted to know he cared about me on some level.”
His hand slid into mine and squeezed. “I’m sure he cared, Rayne. He just didn’t know how to show it.”
“A trademark of fathers everywhere,” I commented, deliriously happy that Hale was actually touching me.
Keeping hold of his hand, I turned and faced him. “Your dad loves you, Hale. What he did, it helped you. It helped us. There was no getting out of that mess without you suffering in some way or another. That lawyer would have pushed until there was nothing left. And when you couldn’t have squeezed out another dime, he would have threatened you with Elara’s custody. You would never have had a moment’s peace the way things were moving. Now, you can focus on what’s important. Leave the past behind.”
He tried to remove his fingers from my grip, but I held tight. Looking away, he said, “I didn’t want him to interfere.”
“I know you didn’t, but he did because I asked him to. I couldn’t bear seeing you so beaten down by this. You’re a good guy and you’re the hero in all of this, no matter who wrote the last chapter. What they were doing was wrong and I wanted it to stop. I want to protect you the same way you want to protect me.”
Time stretched as he stared away from me. I knew his pride and experience with betrayal only made my actions more hurtful, but he had to understand my heart had been in the right place.
He sighed. “I shouldn’t need my father’s shitty track record to prove I’m a good guy.”
“No one said you do. He just makes all of us look a little better.” I gave him a shoulder bump. “But Hale, you are a good guy. She’s yours. No one will ever try to threaten your situation with her again. And I know you might have eventually hit Jasmine’s price, but you’ve already given so much. Let Jasmine be your father’s worry. Let Elara be yours.”
“Maybe you’re right. I’m glad she’s off my back, but I hate that he ended it when he fought me so hard in the beginning. I told him I didn’t need him and I meant it.”
“There’s no shame in counting on the ones we love to be there for us, especially when they’re willing to help. It’s over. That’s what’s important.”
“It doesn’t feel over.”
I gave him another shoulder bump. “Give it time to sink in.”
He fell back onto the bed and pulled me with him. Our hands held, entwined, as we lay with our feet dangling off the edge. “I used to look at him the way you do, like a god or something all-powerful. Everything he touched turned to gold.”
I waited, not wanting to interrupt his thoughts.
“Then he put his grubby hands on my life and everything turned to shit. I never held deep feelings for Jasmine, but I loved him. It wasn’t what he did, but the fact that he tried to hide it when I continued on the same ignorant path. If not for the baby, I never would have known. I hated feeling so deceived by the one person I’ve always trusted.”
“I can’t imagine how much that hurt.”
“My hurt was one thing, but Rachel’s was another. She was so good to him, so loyal. When she died I remember feeling envious. I was that miserable. Everything I was and owned was tied to the person who betrayed me. I wanted to hate him. It should have been easy, but then he had a heart attack and … I just couldn’t.”
My cheek pressed to his shoulder. “That’s because you have a good heart.”
“It’s not right for me to ask you not to love him when I can’t command the same of myself. I get it. He has this energy about him that’s always been able to suck people in. I don’t have that.”
“But you have other qualities he doesn’t. You’re honest and loyal and honorable. You do the right thing even when it’s the most difficult thing in the world. That’s what really matters, Hale. That’s what makes you the better man.”
“I should have never talked to you like that the other day. I was angry.”
“I know. But it wasn’t like I acted my age this week either. I mean… I kidnapped your kid.”
He chuckled then sobered. “I couldn’t see anything past my rage. But when I woke up the next morning, hungover, and you and Elara were gone… It was too familiar. That miserable empty feeling… That’s how I felt every day before I met you. I can accept that you love me and love him in different ways, but you’ll always be my favorite, Rayne. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you.”
My heart seemed to dance in my chest at his words. “He’s probably the closest thing I’ll ever have to a father, Hale. It’s nothing like what I feel for you. You’re … my world. I don’t need a father. I need you.”
“I need you, too.”
I glanced at our hands, seeing the diamond anchor ring. “I love you.”
“I love you more. Do you forgive me for the last few days?”
“I think it’s safe to say neither of us was at our best this week. But if you can forgive me for kidnapping your kid and acting like a crazy person, I think I can overlook your drunken comments.”
He laughed softly. “I forgive you.”
“I forgive you, too.”
I was so tired of bickering and strategizing. Now that everything with Jasmine was finally over, I could see the future. It was fuzzy, but alluring at the same time. I wanted to move forward. “Hale?”
“Yeah?”
“Ask me.”
He turned his head to face me. “Ask you what?”
“Ask me…”
“What do you want me to ask?”
“For the love of Pete. Forget it.” I let go of his hand and sat up, fixing my robe and sliding off the bed. Men were so blind.
“No, what are you talking about?” He sat up and frowned at me.
“Moment’s over. Never mind. I thought we had this whole Felix and Oscar thing happening and were oddly in sync for a change, but I guess I was wrong.”
I moved to the dresser to find a pajama shirt. Hale went to his. I changed out of my robe as drawers opened and closed behind me. Moving on, I decided we should order Chinese for dinner. I removed my robe and turned. “I’m in the mood for kung pao—”
“Is this what you were hoping for?”
My eyes went wide as I stared down at him, on bended knee, holding a small velvet box.
“Where did you get that?” I wheezed.
He shrugged. “I had it for a while … Oscar.”
I was so the Oscar. “Are you going to ask?”
He cracked open the box. “Rayne, I love you. Are you crazy enough to become a Davenport and marry me?”
I laughed as chills raced down my shoulders making my fingers twitchy and then numb. I would forever be the Oscar to his tight-assed Felix. “Lucky for you, I’m just that exact amount of crazy, so yes!”
He laughed and stood, pulling the ring out and tossing the box on the bed. “Come here, Calamity.” He jerked me into his arms and kissed me soundly. “I love you.”
“I love you more. But I have to warn you, the sheets are about to get very, very messy.”
He slipped the ring on my finger and nibbled my ear. “I’m not worried.”
I looked down at my hand and gasped at the iceberg weighing down my ring finger. “I’m becoming very sparkly. This is lovely. Cracker Jack box?”
“Nah, found it at the bottom of some Lucky Charms.”
It was really rather incredible, and surprisingly heavy. As was my chest, my full heart now pounding rapidly with uncontrollable joy. “I love it, Hale. Honestly. It’s the prettiest thing I’ve ever worn.”
“Good, because you’re wearing it for the rest of your life.”
I grinned up at him. “There was a time a comment like that would have terrified me.”
“And now?”
“It’s the best promise I’ve ever heard.”
He kissed me deeply, corralling me to the bed until we fell into the pillows, laughing and touching. “My future wife,” he purred, spreading my body out beneath him.
“I like the sound of that.” I arched against him, so glad to be back home where I belonged.
We made love until Elara awoke from her nap and then we ordered Chinese and had a picnic in bed. Hale was against crumbs mixing with sheets, but I persuaded him.
“You should text Elle,” he said as we split an egg roll.
“I’ll tell her in person. She’s on a date right now anyway.”
“Barrett?”
“Yup.”
“You okay with that?”
“We’ll see. I threatened to cut off his penis if he hurts her.”
“Do me a favor and keep away from my brother’s dick. If he hurts her, I’ll take care of it.”
I shrugged and bit into my half of the eggroll. “Wha-evah. Yours ish ‘icer anyway,” I mumbled over a mouthful.
Hale stilled. “What was that?”
I swallowed. “Nothing, dear. Eat your eggroll.”
THE END
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