any choice you want. Whatever you decide, I’ll be here for you.” He smiled. “As will your sisters.”
She felt her mood lift. “Yes, I have them. Both of them.”
Her father smiled. “That makes me happy.”
“Me, too. I can’t explain it, but I’m happy they’re both in my life. Sage and I had a great time in Miami. I love Cassidy. It’s like we’ve made a family together.”
“Makes my heart even more happy. Now give me ten minutes and you can drive me to the airport.”
“I’ll meet you downstairs.”
Daisy sat at the top of the stairs and considered her options. Despite what Jordan had said, she was fairly sure she still loved him. He frustrated her and sometimes it felt as if they couldn’t find common ground, but they’d been married over twelve years and they had a couple of kids together. That had to count for something.
If she could wave a magic wand and fix things, she would want them back the way they’d been in the beginning, when they’d spent all their time together and their future had been so bright. The last couple of years had been anything but that. So how much of the problem was Jordan and how much was her? Did she love him?
“I have to,” she whispered.
There’d never been anyone else. Not seriously. She’d been in love with Jordan since high school. That hadn’t changed. Sure, she’d grown up and she was a different person than she had been, but so what? They were a team. Lovers, parents, friends.
Although thinking those words made her wonder if any of them applied to their current situation.
* * *
Sage stepped out of the shower and dried herself off. She still felt hungover, but the headache had faded. Not surprisingly, her sense of anxiety had only grown.
She dressed in jeans and a T-shirt, and didn’t bother blowing out her hair. She’d already called in sick to work. The truth, for once, although her illness had nothing to do with a virus and everything to do with the destruction of her life.
She went into the kitchen, where she found her mother waiting by the blender.
“There you are. I thought you might need this.”
She flipped on the machine. The sharp, high-pitched whirring sound nearly split open Sage’s skull, but she knew it was for the greater good. The pinkish-gray drink was a combination of coconut water, protein powder, and fruit. Not her favorite way to start any morning, but today it sounded more disgusting than usual.
But Sage knew the drink worked. The coconut water had electrolytes and would help hydrate her. The fruit would give her a little sugar high, while the protein powder would stabilize her blood sugar. In an hour or so, she would try real food, but for now, getting this down would be enough.
Joanne poured the drink into a glass and handed it to Sage.
“I’m going to take a trip with Thomas for a couple of weeks,” she said. “When we get back, I’ll move in with him permanently.” She smiled. “Clock’s ticking on your two months.”
“Thanks, Mom,” Sage murmured, trying to sip the drink without gagging.
She hadn’t had time to consider her future, nor did she want to now. While getting a couple of roommates to help cover costs made the most sense, how could she make any decisions until she figured out how much damage she’d actually done?
Her mother patted her arm. “You’re making way too much of this. What’s done is done. Move on.”
“I ruined everything. Moving on isn’t going to be easy.”
“Why does anything have to change? Just go on the way you were before.” Joanne smiled. “You think Jordan is going to rush to tell Daisy what happened? If he does, he’s an idiot and not worth your time.”
“I can’t lie to her. I can’t have that between us.”
Her mother’s expression of sympathy hardened. “You’ve already slept with her husband, Sage. Don’t you think at this point, the lie is hardly the point of things?”
The tears returned. “I didn’t want to hurt her.”
“Too late.” Joanne’s smile returned. “All right, I’m off to pack. I assume you’ll be moping around the house today?”
“I need to see Adam.”
“To tell him? Sage, no. While I don’t agree with you, I understand you think you made a mistake. Fine. Punish yourself, but don’t draw him into things. He’ll never be able to handle it.”
Her mother moved in front of her. “You’re his princess, the dream girl he never thought he would have. That puts you