arms around her in a tight hug. “You heard all of that, huh?”
I should apologize for swearing, for making a scene. If I were a good parent, I’d tell her not to swear or repeat those words. But I don’t. I just hold her, let her squeeze me, until we both pull away.
“I’m sorry you’ve been having a hard time in school, Nugget.” I brush hair behind her ear. She reaches out and places a palm against my cheek, her lips parting ever so slightly and making my heart burst in my chest.
But then she closes her mouth.
I smile. “No matter what they say to you, be true to yourself. That’s all your father could ever want, okay?”
She signs, Okay.
I kiss her cheek. “I think we should get ice cream. How does that sound? Chocolate chip cookie dough for me and brownie bits for you.”
Her eyes brighten. I offer her my hand as we walk out of the small side office and stop in front of a red-faced Principal Harris and a wavering-lipped Evie. I smile at them both, though it’s harder to hold when I lock eyes with the older woman. “If you ever speak to my daughter alone without calling me first, there will be hell to pay. Do you understand me?”
Harris’s jaw ticks, but she nods.
“Great. Have a wonderful day.”
I feel her scathing glare on the back of my head and don’t bother looking. People like her aren’t worth my time to be pissed over, and there’s no way the gossipers that encompass the office secretaries won’t have our conversation all over school by tomorrow morning. Angie Harris hates her reputation being tainted.
Too bad for her, I don’t care.
Walking out of my advisor’s office with a big smile on my face, I head across the quad to a familiar brick three-story building that houses the office I’ve acquainted myself with well. The smile doesn’t fade even when a couple jocks bump into me without saying sorry or a girl gives me a dirty look when I realized too late that she’s behind me before letting go of the hallway door.
All I can focus on is the straight A’s in each one of my classes leading up to finals this week. Even though I had to miss some over the semester to tend to Ainsley, or my own selfish needs, or the placement fiasco, I worked my ass off for what I’ve received and know as long as I can study that I’ll walk away with a 4.0 by the time finals are finished.
When I near the staff offices and walk down the corridor where Carter’s room is at the end on its own, I hear two familiar voices and stop outside the door.
“…fault. Don’t you think it’s a little unfair to blame her for this?”
My brows pinch over Carter’s question. The tone of his voice is firm, disbelieving. But it’s my brother’s voice that breaks through that has me pressing my back against the wall and debating on leaving before they can catch me eavesdropping.
“We’re not blaming her, man.”
“It seems like—”
“You don’t have a right to judge,” Ren says harshly. “We love you and love her, but it’s hard for me. For us. Neither of us expects you to understand because you and Elizabeth never wanted kids.”
I hold my breath when Carter responds in a cool tone I haven’t heard him use before. “How the hell would you know what we did or didn’t want? I get that you’re upset, Ren, but you have no right coming into my office and going off on me about shit you don’t understand.”
“Elizabeth said…” Ren pauses, suddenly sounding unsure. “I’m sorry, Carter. Liz told me that you guys didn’t agree about having a family which is why you two separated.”
There’s a long, tense moment where nobody says anything. I wish I could make my presence known and see what Carter’s expression must be, but I remain still where I am.
“Did she now?”
“Carter…”
“Whatever. Liz is gone and her reasonings were clearly not ones she wanted to share. For the record, I did want kids. It was her who didn’t. Whatever preconceived notions you have in your head right now, get rid of them. They don’t even justify why you’re being a bitch to Piper.”
The sound of my name rings warning alarms in my ears. Biting down on my bottom lip, I shift slightly without making any noise and wait for Ren or my brother to reply.