With that, I headed after her. She was long gone by the time I got up to the walkway. Upset females generally went to the bathrooms, didn’t they? I had no clue, so I veered toward a staff member standing by the entrance. “A female ran past, looking like she was going to be—”

“She took off down that hallway. The bathrooms are right there, so I’m sure she’s just ahead.”

“Thank you.”

The staff member was correct.

I rounded the curve, and Quincey was there. She was wiping a finger under both her eyes, and she expelled some air before turning to come back. She saw me then, faltering, but she looked fine.

“You okay?” I asked as I drew near.

“Yeah. I’m fine.” Her smile was shaky. “I’m just—I forgot, and I can’t forget. I can’t forget Valerie. And I can’t do that. It’s not right. Or fair.”

Fuck.

This was partly on me, forcing her to sign that paper.

“Valerie wanted you to raise Nova for a reason. She’s yours now. In Nova’s eyes, you are her mother, or she’ll grow up thinking of you as her mother.”

“But she’s not mine. She didn’t come from me.”

“Nova needs a mother who’s here. We’ll talk to her about Valerie. She’ll grow up loving her mother, but she’ll know that she has two mothers. One’s here, and one’s in heaven. You’re not going to replace Valerie. You’re just filling a new mothering role.”

“And if you meet someone?” Her voice grew hoarse. “If you fall in love and that woman doesn’t want me around? What’s protecting me from you taking Nova from me then?”

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

If Logan were here, he’d be pulling me away. He’d be telling me not to say anything or promise anything that I wasn’t sure about following through on, but I was staring at her, and she was hurting. I was feeling her hurt, and that was making me hurt.

Nova was new to me, but this was also new to me.

I was starting to realize how much of a selfish bastard I might’ve been.

Still… I clamped down on spilling words that the rational side of me knew I might regret one day, so instead, I drew her to my chest. My hand cupped the back of her head, and with her in my arms, I whispered over her head, “You will always be in Nova’s life. I promise you that.”

But I wasn’t saying how she would be in Nova’s life. I couldn’t. I couldn’t promise her what she needed me to say.

I was a right dick, such a bastard.

But I couldn’t say anything more. I just couldn’t.

Her hands lifted, grasping onto my arms, and she sagged against me. “Thank you.”

I could feel her relief.

Yes. A bastard. That was me.

30

Nate

I knew the game was done, and people were starting to leave even before the time ran out. Matteo’s team won by a last-minute touchdown, so the local fans weren’t happy. Matteo would be, but I wanted to get a start on heading out for the restaurant. But I was also feeling like a shithead over Quincey’s feelings, so I needed to try to do something.

I texted Dierek.

Me: Do you have your own car? Or do you want a ride to the restaurant with us?

Dierek: I took an Uber here. A ride over would be nice, then I could talk more with Quincey. Where are you?

I shot him a pic of the door we were at, taking Quincey’s hand to hold her up.

My phone buzzed a second later.

Dierek: I’ll be there in a bit.

“What’s going on?”

Quincey asked, and outwardly, she looked fine. But to me, she seemed more vulnerable. More raw. More open to me. Maybe that was my guilty conscience sparking up? I needed to check that in place, and I said, a bit gruffer than necessary, “Waiting on Dierek. He’s going with us to the restaurant.”

“That’s right.” She closed her eyes, swaying to me. She groaned. “I was so unprofessional up there. This…” She waved at herself. “This isn’t me. Not normally. The last thing he’ll want to do is sign me now.”

“Your sister died. You quit your career, took Nova in, and now we’re gearing up to fight your father in a yet-to-be-determined custody battle. Give yourself a break. You deserve some leeway. Besides, Dierek wants to talk to you. That’s a good sign, or he’d be long gone by now.”

“You think?” She’d been biting down on her lip but now seemed reassured.

“Yeah.” Unfortunately.

“Good. That’s a relief then.”

Fuck no. “Right.”

My phone buzzed again.

Logan: Give M a congratulatory lap dance for me. Make it raunchy.

I ignored Logan, but another text came in right after.

Mason: Um…

Alarms went off in my head.

Me: Um what? Why um?

Mason never used “um.” I didn’t know that was in his vocabulary.

Mason: Don’t hate me, but…incoming.

I looked up, watching the crowd.

I wasn’t seeing anyone I knew. And for some reason, I drew Quincey closer to me, my free hand rounding to her hip and anchoring her in front of me. She stiffened in surprise but then molded back into me.