Perfect Partners(52)
Author: Carly Phillips

“And then I pulled you into our lives.”

“I think I pushed first,” she said, but she nodded, then squeezed her arms tight across her chest.

Griff knew the next few minutes were going to be painful for them both. He also knew that they were necessary if they wanted a future. And that was the problem. Although he now knew what he wanted, her thoughts and feelings were by no means transparent.

She’d closed herself off from him and he wanted back in. He’d thought this had to be accomplished in stages. Business first, personal later. He hadn’t liked it, but he’d understood. Having Chelsie in his future was well worth the wait. If she was planning on moving, he had less time than he originally thought.

“I did a lot of thinking this weekend about what you said before I left,” she said.

Apparently he was about to get his wish. “I said a lot of things.” None particularly correct or rational, he thought preparing himself for the verbal blast that was to come.

“Well, you were right about this one. I did love the idea of what you could give me. I loved the notion of a child and a husband who loved me, of a family that would be there every day when I got home. I wanted what I had growing up, but more. More emotion, more family.” She brushed at the stray tears dripping down her face, then wiped her wet hands on her jeans.

He wanted to spare her, to tell her that none of this mattered, but he could see in her eyes that it did.

“You wanted me to separate my feelings. I did that. I told you I loved you apart from my feelings for my niece. But that wasn’t enough. You wanted proof that I wasn’t using you and I can’t give you that. How can I?” She swallowed, choking on her words and her emotions.

He grasped her arms, noticing that her entire body trembled beneath his touch. “None of that matters.”

“I know. Because I realized something else this weekend.”

“What?”

“Even if you took that leap and believed in my feelings, it wouldn’t work. You’d end up resenting me in the end because I couldn’t give you your own child.”

Shifting positions, he wrapped one arm around her shoulders and led her to the couch. “Sit.”

She complied and he settled himself next to her. “I asked you before. Where did you get such nonsense?”

“From you.” She ran her tanned fingers over the raised pattern in the sofa, refusing to meet his gaze. “You love kids. You told me you’d like another.”

“Another doesn’t necessarily mean one of my own.”

She shrugged, as if dismissing his words as meaningless, although they were probably the most important he’d ever spoken. She just wasn’t hearing him, proof that his plan of winning her over in stages was necessary.

Although she claimed to want a family, she wasn’t ready. She would never believe he’d changed his mind, not without time and concrete proof.

“You and Jared had a rough life, but you bought this house. It’s got a bunch of empty rooms. I’ve seen you with Alix.” She jumped up from her seat “Why are we even discussing this? You made things clear before I left.”

“Yes, I guess I did.”

She bit down on her lip and nodded. “Okay, then. Boxes await.”

“Not yet.”

“Why draw out the inevitable?” she asked.

“Because maybe it isn’t. What’s the one thing your clients expect of you?”

She stared at him. “What’s going on, Griff?”

Apparently she wasn’t about to let him ease into this. “I want to keep our partnership alive.” In more ways than one, he thought.

“Impossible.”

“No. Dissolving it is. Your clients expect stability and an attorney they can trust. Not one who changes partners on a whim, gets involved, then backs off. You said yourself these women have fragile psyches. They need what we can offer them. If you back out now, you’ll scare them. They’ll think they can’t trust you to be there for the long haul. Is that what you want?”

She glared at him. “You don’t play fair, Griff.”

“Maybe not, but I play honest And, sweetheart this is as honest as it gets. So do I still have a partner, partner?” He extended his hand towards her.

“It’s not like you’ve given me a choice,” she muttered.

He groaned aloud. He wanted her by his side, but he wanted her to be there because she believed in him, believed they could have a future. No more stalling, he thought. “Come with me.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Where?”

Grasping her hand, he gave a gentle pull. Chelsie followed reluctantly. She wanted to get this morning over with as soon as possible. Her trip to Florida and the reconciliation with her parents had helped her put life in some sort of perspective and she’d reached a crossroads. It was time to move forward.

She’d survive without Griff. After all, she’d lived through worse. But not much, she thought, glancing at the man she loved.

Chelsie found herself in the downstairs den. Mrs. Baxter was attempting to fold laundry, while Alix thwarted her at every turn. No sooner would Mrs. Baxter fold an item than Alix would toss it in the air, undoing the older woman’s work.

Griff cleared his throat.

Alix glanced up from her important task. When her eyes lit on Chelsie, she let out an excited squeal and flew across the room.

Chelsie knelt down to catch her and fell backwards beneath the child’s assault. She laughed aloud. This little girl’s happiness was worth everything.

With much effort, Chelsie managed to maneuver into a sitting position and bring the little girl into her lap. From the corner of her eye, she saw Mrs. Baxter collect the scattered clothing and leave the room, laundry basket in hand.

Grateful for Alix’s warm welcome, Chelsie buried her head in the little girl’s neck, tickling her tummy at the same time. Her hair smelled of baby shampoo and talcum powder. A lump formed in Chelsie’s throat.

Griff’s insistence on keeping their partnership alive was based on valid business points, but he’d also given her a personal reprieve. Although things would never go back to the way they’d once been, the family dinners and the shared laughter, at least she’d be closer to Alix than she’d originally thought. The little girl twined her chubby fingers into Chelsie’s hair.

Chelsie laughed, then glanced over Alix’s head at Griff. He watched her with a strange expression on his face. “Well?” he asked.

“I guess she missed me, too.”