It’s funny, we practiced everything we were planning on saying today, but as the floors creep up, I forget it all.
My heart starts to beat faster, and I squeeze Honey’s hand out of habit.
She squeezes it back.
“We’ve got this,” I whisper.
“That we do,” she says as the doors ding open and we step out.
“Ms. Sanderson?” the secretary outside of her father's office says. The same one I'm almost certain my dad has been fucking on the side to get back at Honey's father for being first in the business name. “Jamie?” Her voice cracks before she shakes her head. “I mean, Mr. Nicks. What are you two doing here? Your fathers’ weren't expecting you—”
“Good,” I say as we head straight to the door. My father’s secretary, Lucy, stands and heads toward us, but then I see her falter.
Ah, she must be doing the math in her head. There are two of us, and one of her.
“I think they're busy,” she says lightly, but we're past her at this point and already barging into the room.
“I don't think—” Honey's father is talking to mine as we enter. He stops immediately when he sees us, and grins. It’s slow, and calculated.
“Hunniford? Jamie? What a pleasant surprise.” He takes us in before gesturing to my father. “See, Jonathan. I told you all she needed was a little time away from that quarterback and she’d come to her senses.”
“Quarterback?” I breathe.
“Not just the quarterback,” my father counters. “We also needed a parental injunction to get these two to realize they are best suited for each other.”
“What are you talking about?” Honey asks.
Her father's gaze drifts down. “The fantastic news. Your mother will be happy all her wedding plans didn't go to waste.”
That's when I realize I'm still holding Honey's hand, and they naively think there's more to it than just supporting each other. Giving her hand a little squeeze, I let go.
“Honey and I aren’t together,” I say through gritted teeth. “Haven’t been for a long time.”
The confidence of men who’ve never been told no is astonishing.
“And you might want to tread a little lighter when you talk about thatquarterback, Mr. Sanderson. He’s probably your future son-in-law.”
I shrug. “Would be a shame if that made access to your grandkids… complicated.”
Did I cross the line mentioning him like that when they're on a break, or broken up, or whatever shit they've got going on? Yup, but Honey doesn't even flinch at the assertion. She's so fucking locked into this, she'd let me say anything to get them to back down. There might also be a tiny part of her which knows I'm right. She and Zach are endgame, they are just taking the long way around to get there.
“Jamie,” my father scolds. “I taught you better than to speak to your superiors like that.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “You also taught me to treat women like shit, and I've learned to stop doing that. It's called growth, Father. Something you might want to try before you lose everything.”
Both of our fathers’ stare at me like I've lost my mind.
Good.
I have. They've made me lose it with their incessant meddling.
“While we're on the topic, if you really thought sending legal papers to the mother of my child would bring me back here, you're severely mistaken.”
“Am I?” My father tilts his head, taking me in. “You're here, aren't you?”
I—don't know what to say because—technically, he's right.
“You weren't answering my calls. You were ignoring your mother. Asher was useless, but that's not his fault. He is a Hastings, after all. You didn't care that I stopped your money, blocked you from getting a job… I did the only thing that would get your attention.”