Hollywood Hills Collection. Lynne Marshall
Чтение книги онлайн.

Читать онлайн книгу Hollywood Hills Collection - Lynne Marshall страница 81

СКАЧАТЬ told her, when the chips were down he hadn’t chosen her.

      She needed to toughen up, needed to learn from her experiences, her mistakes, and stop being so gullible.

      Abi lay in bed all Saturday morning. Her phone showed no missed calls and she couldn’t face the thought of getting up and facing the day. She had Jonty and the amber-eyed tiger from the pier for company but neither of them had much to say. Which was fine with her because she didn’t feel like talking. She felt like crying.

      Jonty seemed to sense her mood. He lay on his stomach on his pillow, looking mournful. He rested his head on his front paws and every now and then he lifted his head as if to check on her before sighing and putting his head down again. She was positive she could read sympathy in his brown eyes but perhaps he was just bored and waiting patiently for a walk.

      Eventually she gave in and got out of bed and pulled on her exercise gear. Last night she’d decided she needed to toughen up, she wasn’t going to fall apart because a man had changed his mind.

      Jonty raced down the stairs eagerly the moment Abi tied the laces of her sneakers, and to make up for her lazy, self-indulgent morning she intended to take him for a long walk.

      It was getting dark as she turned into her driveway later and she was startled to find a man leaning against her garage door. She panicked briefly until she recognised him.

      Tall and dark, lean and gorgeous.

      Damien.

      Her heart rate continued to accelerate at the sight of him. ‘What are you doing here?’

      ‘I wanted to see you. I need to talk to you and you didn’t answer your phone.’

      She’d left her phone behind for the walk. There hadn’t seemed to be any point in carrying a phone that never rang. ‘I thought you were busy with your wife and family.’

      ‘Ex-wife,’ he corrected. ‘Have you got a minute? I need your advice.’

      He looked so desperate it was almost impossible to stay mad at him. Her heart wasn’t built to resist him. ‘You’d better come in,’ she sighed.

      She made coffee and let Damien talk while she listened.

      ‘I’m sorry I didn’t let you know Brooke was in town. She honestly just appeared without warning. It took me by surprise and with Brooke the surprises are generally not pleasant. This time was no exception.’

      ‘What is she doing here?’ Abi asked, although what she really wanted to ask was, Where did she stay last night and what have you been doing?

      ‘She’s been offered a permanent role in the sitcom. She came to tell me she’s staying in New York.’

      ‘What does that mean for you and Summer?’ With one question Abi had got to the heart of the problem.

      ‘I don’t know. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I need to work out what my options are but I need to base my decisions on what is best for Summer. She is my priority and you are the person who knows us best. I need your opinion. I’ve always said I would do what’s best for Summer but it turns out I don’t know what that is,’ he admitted. ‘Is keeping her away from her mother the best thing? Or should I move to New York?’

      Abi didn’t want to answer that question. She knew she couldn’t answer it without bias. She knew Damien had moved to LA because of Brooke and she’d been afraid that he would move again to keep his family together, but surely there had to come a time where he wouldn’t be manipulated by Brooke?

      Abi knew she was thinking of her own interests as well when she answered but did that matter when she also believed she was thinking of what was best for Summer too? ‘Does Summer want to go?’

      ‘No.’ He shook his head and continued, ‘But she is five, she doesn’t get to decide.’

      ‘Has Brooke asked for Summer to go to New York?’

      ‘No.’

      ‘Then there’s absolutely nothing wrong with keeping Summer with you. Brooke has made no secret of the fact she doesn’t want a child. You’re not obliged to send Summer or to move you both. Let Summer visit her in New York. Better yet, make Brooke come here.’

      ‘We’ll have to come to some sort of official agreement if we’re living on opposite sides of the country. I’m not sure if the courts will give me sole custody.’

      ‘Well, then, you’ll just have to find out about all the hoops you’ll need to jump through to keep her and be prepared to start jumping. Child care will be the big thing but I imagine Brooke’s hours are as inconsistent as yours so as long as you make good arrangements for that you might be okay. You can afford child care but you’ll need something more permanent than sending Summer to Irma’s. After-school care only covers you for so long. It’s not a bad option, it gives Summer some interaction with other kids, but perhaps it’s not ideal every day. You’ll need a nanny or some organised care.’

      ‘Do you think I can manage on my own? Do you think that’s fair to Summer?’

      ‘Trust me, having one parent who loves her and puts her first is all she will need.’ Abi knew that she was speaking the truth this time, she had plenty of experience in that department. ‘You’re doing a fabulous job with her. You can do this.’

      She knew she should have sent him on his way when she’d discovered him on her doorstep but she hadn’t been able to resist him. He still looked a bit overwhelmed by the situation but Abi knew he would work it out. He was an intelligent, sensible man and she hoped he made an intelligent, sensible decision.

      She could forgive him for the past twenty-four hours, she could forgive him for putting Summer first. She could give him forgiveness but what did she get?

      She wasn’t sure yet.

      * * *

      She was on tenterhooks for the next few days, waiting to hear what his decision was, but everything was quiet.

      Every time there was a knock on her office door she found herself hoping that it would be Damien, bringing her the news she was desperate to hear, but each time she was disappointed.

      And this latest interruption was no exception. There was a knock on the door and it opened to reveal Brooke. She was still in sky-high stilettos but she’d swapped the skinny jeans for a figure-hugging dress.

      ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I thought this was Damien’s office. I’m meeting him for lunch.’

      Brooke was the last person Abi wanted to see. She’d been hoping for the news that Brooke had returned to New York but clearly that wasn’t the case. ‘He’s next door,’ Abi said, hoping to move her on, but instead she stepped into the room.

      From her deliberate action and calm and measured manner Abi suspected she hadn’t mixed up the offices at all. She suspected that Brooke had orchestrated this meeting but what she wanted to know was why. Had she won the battle over Damien? The battle Abi hadn’t even realised they were having?

      She wasn’t kept in suspense for long.

      ‘Seeing as you’re so close to СКАЧАТЬ