time trying to figure out what had gone wrong in her marriage. She knew much of the blame was hers. Like her father, she’d withdrawn from the relationship, leaving Jordan feeling that he didn’t matter. She still wasn’t sure when the love had started to fade. Part of her was afraid it hadn’t been that strong to begin with. Maybe her initial attraction had been more about his failed relationship with Sage than she would like to admit. Not her finest hour, but she was trying to learn from her mistakes.
“Jump!” Wallace called, holding out his hands.
Krissa looked doubtful but threw herself into the pool. Her grandfather caught her and swung her in the air. She laughed loudly.
“You have a nice family,” Desean told her. “Thanks for letting me be a part of it.”
“I’m glad my sister was smart enough to agree to marry you. We’re happy to have you join us and I’m so proud of her for risking her heart.” She faked a stern expression. “Don’t even think about breaking it.”
“I won’t. She’s the one. I’m going to be there, no matter what.”
Daisy hoped that was true. Love was a tricky thing—hard to find and easily lost. But when it worked, it was the best. Her sisters had taught her that and it was a lesson she was never going to forget.
* * *
Sage sat in her car for so long, she was afraid the neighbors would call the police. At some point she was going to have to suck it up and be brave. That was her new thing—to be a trustworthy adult who kept her word and followed through. No more lies, no more deceit, no more pretending she couldn’t do better.
“I’m here to do this,” she said aloud and got out of her car. She raised her head slightly as she walked purposefully to Adam’s front door and knocked.
A frightened voice in her head screamed she could have texted and asked if this was a good time. He might not be home. He might have a woman over. There were a thousand reasons to put this off.
She ignored the voice and waited. When the door opened, her breath caught. Adam looked good in cargo pants and a T-shirt. He needed a shave, but in a sexy kind of way. His blue eyes were clear, his hair a little too long.
“Hi,” she said, trying to smile. “I wanted to stop by and ask if we could talk for a few minutes. It doesn’t have to be now if that doesn’t work for you.” She shrugged. “I promise to be calm and reasonable. No tears, no drama.”
“You were never dramatic and you didn’t use tears to get what you wanted.”
Which sounded nice, but he spoke without moving to let her in the house.
“It’s been a long time,” he said.
“Four months.” Two weeks and three days, she added silently.
He stepped to the side and held open the door. She walked in, then let him lead the way to the family room.
The house was exactly as she remembered, with the stack of books on that one end table and the TV remote in its tray.
He motioned to the sofa. She perched on the edge of a cushion and took a deep, slow breath. She could do this. She was stronger than she’d been before, with purpose and a sense of self. Whatever the outcome, her victory was in the telling. She didn’t need Adam to forgive her, even if she wanted it more than she could say.
He sat across from her, looking stiff and uncomfortable.
“How’s work?” she asked.
“Good.”
“You married?”
He laughed and relaxed. “No. I’m not married.”
“Me, either.” She smiled. “Just clearing the air on that one.” She cleared her throat. “So Cassidy and Desean are engaged. They visited last month and it was really fun. He’s great with the kids. I can’t wait for them to have a few of their own. Oh, I’m enrolled at USC to get my teaching credentials.”
“Go Trojans.”
She paused, not sure what other information he would want to hear. Telling him that Daisy and Jordan were getting a divorce could make things awkward. Not that she wasn’t going to mention what had happened before, because she was. It was just that—
“Sage,” Adam said, drawing her back to the conversation. “Why are you here?”
Right. That. “I want to apologize again for what happened with Jordan. I was completely in the wrong and I hurt you. I regret that and I take full responsibility for my