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“But we don’t want you to grow up. Mommy wants you to be her baby forever.” Queeny bounces Isabel, and tiny cherub giggles fill the room.
It’s a beautiful morning. Isabel eats every bite of her banana and yogurt like a champ.
It isn’t long before we are heading to Building Blocks, Isabel singing “Sussi” at the top of her lungs the entire way. She’s definitely a morning person.
“I’m so sick of this song,” Mae whines, making me laugh.
When kids like something, they really like it. It amazes me how they can watch or listen to something ad nauseam.
Mae’s fingers are folded through mine over the console of Aretha. Holding her hand and taking Isabel to school feels so natural. So right. We drop Isabel off at Building Blocks. Both of us walk her to the classroom, where she runs to her friends, forgetting all about us. It warms my heart to see her so well-adjusted.
Walking back to the car, I wrap my arm around Mae’s shoulder. I can’t seem to keep my hands to myself. “Where to, my queen?”
“I can really go for some waffles.” She wags her eyebrows.
“Waffle house it is.”
“Do you want to talk about yesterday?” I pour maple syrup all over the perfectly fluffy stack of pancakes the waiter just delivered.
Mae stops buttering her waffle and looks at me. “I don’t want to burden you with my problems, Remi. You have enough to do.”
“I just want to help.” My face is soft and open, hoping she can see I’m sincere and trusts me enough to let me in.
Her cheeks flame. “Oh, I think the bath you gave me last night helped immensely.” She shakes her head. “Besides, you cleaned up the aftermath. A mess you didn’t create.” Looking away, she shreds her poor napkin into a thousand pieces. I can tell she’s beating herself up about it. “You shouldn’t have to be subjected to that.”
I grab her hand from across the small table. She doesn’t understand—I don’t want to be just a distraction any longer. I want to be her partner. I want to carry the weight with her.
“I care about you. You have to know that.” She doesn’t pull away, so that’s a good sign. “Is it so bad that I want to help you through a difficult time in your life?”
“No, I just… I’m used to handling things on my own.” Her eyes shift to the left for a moment. “I mean, Jay has always been there for me, but they’re in love. I can’t keep running to them every time my life blows up.”
“I’m sure they would still want you too, though.” I take a sip of coffee and wince at the bitter taste.
“You’re such a coffee snob.” She picks up her mug and gives me the same face. “Yeah, it’s pretty bad.”
“Talk to me.” I’m on the verge of begging.
She blows out her cheeks with a long sigh. “Ever Heart has been struggling since last year. We grew too fast, and I was too far into my ego to slow down. To take things a moment at a time. I have been combing through every angle I can to keep it afloat. Last month, I single-handedly lost a huge contract.” Her lips dip down.
“I’m sure it wasn’t single-handedly. Jay is your partner.”
“They were away with Ian, and I didn’t want to bother them. I met with a CEO on my own. And…” Something dark passes over her face.
An echo floats through my brain, dropping a lead ball in my stomach. “‘I won’t sleep with him for a business deal.’”
She stiffens. “What? Why would you say that?”
“I didn’t. You did.” Her mouth drops in horror as rage flares inside of me. It takes every ounce of effort to keep my voice conversational. “The night you fell asleep on your laptop and I helped you to bed. You mumbled, ‘I won’t sleep with him for a business deal’. Is that why Ever Heart lost the account? Because you wouldn’t drop your morals and disrespect yourself?” I hope Mae can’t see the murder scene unfolding behind my eyes.
Shaking her head, she turns away, waffle forgotten.
“Because you know the value you bring to the table, and it has nothing to do with what’s between your legs.” I know I’m pushing her, but she’s blaming herself for something she’d never forgive herself for. She would have compromised her standards.
“It’s disgusting what powerful men get away with. Because they do, they think they can proposition every woman that crosses their path,” she bites out, crossing arms in contempt. “It’s fucking degrading.”
I clench my jaw, reining in my anger toward the bastard because it’s the last thing Mae needs. If I ever meet this guy in a dark alley, I will kill him with my bare hands. “I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m sorry that it happens at all.” She has no idea how much.
Half of her mouth quirks up. “Thanks for not going all toxic masculinity on me.”
