The Man Who Has No Sight - Victoria Quinn Page 0,38
after Derek sometimes if Cleo and I want to get dinner or go to the beach house or something.”
“I guess Valerie’s departure puts you in a bad spot.”
“Yeah. Now I realize I took her for granted in that respect.” She was always available to be with him, stayed home with him all day, dropped him off at school, and picked him up again. Now that I would lose that, I understood just how difficult it was to be a single parent, and it’d just been a week.
“How is it living with Cleo?”
“No complaints.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Come on, give me more than that. Is she driving you up the wall?”
I shook my head.
“Then you like having her there.”
“I love it, actually.” I liked the domestic partnership, sharing our meals together, working quietly side by side at the dining table while Derek slept in his bedroom. I liked going to bed and having her there, having a nighttime ritual of lovemaking before we rolled over and went to sleep. It was so different from my relationship with Valerie that I’d stopped comparing them. Now, I was in a good, healthy relationship with a woman who loved me from the bottom of her heart.
“Then why don’t you ask her to stay?”
“To permanently move in with me?” I asked in surprise.
“Why not? If she moves in to an apartment and then moves back in with you like a year later, it’s a lot of moving.”
“That seems pretty soon.”
“I mean, if it’s right…”
It was right. It was perfect. I was so hurt by what she’d done, but the second we were back together, I couldn’t slow our process. We accelerated, stuck together like glue, and we were happier now than we were before.
“Just an idea. You’re in your thirties. You don’t need to be with the same woman for five years to know if it’s right. And she clearly is the right woman so…”
It was true. There would never be anyone else. If she moved out, she would have to leave the office every night and walk home, and even if it was just a block, I would worry. And there would be nights I wouldn’t see her because we’d be in our own places. She wouldn’t always be beside me every night. She wouldn’t be there in the morning. It would be back to our separate lives. I hardly ever texted her anymore because there was no point. She was always beside me. “I’ll think about it.”
“Not trying to pressure you. I just know you don’t think about these things, and sometimes you need someone to force you to think about it. Because Cleo is the perfect lady for you, and I don’t want you to ever lose her.”
I had a feeling I never could. “Thanks, Tucker.”
He clinked his beer against mine.
I was in my office when the email popped up on my monitor.
Dr. Hamilton,
We cordially invite you and your team to our Biotech Symposium to present your current research on cellular molecular effects on inflammation, C-reactive proteins, and immunity and its effect on unhealthy replication of carcinogenic cells.
I read through the rest of the email, seeing the location and date, as well as the fact that all travel expenses were included. This symposium was held every year, and I was almost always invited. It wasn’t the best time to leave the country for this, but it was too important to ignore. I’d have to talk to Cleo about it when I got home.
My excitement was momentary because Valerie’s name appeared on my phone.
I let it ring a few times before I answered. “Yes?” I had no patience anymore. I wouldn’t be polite or even tolerant. “I hope you’ve changed your mind about this whole London bullshit.” Selfishly, I wanted her to go. But selflessly, I wanted her to stay. I never wanted Derek to doubt that both his parents loved him.
“I haven’t. That’s why I’m calling…because I’m leaving at the end of the week.”
Was she fucking kidding me? “I can’t believe this.”
“You moved on with Cleo. I need to move on too.”
“Regardless of who I move on with, I’m still a father—and you’re still a mother.”
She was quiet.
I couldn’t believe this bullshit. Now that she couldn’t use Derek against me and there was no chance of getting me back, she was just going to dump him? Was my worst fear really true? “Valerie…come on.”