Chapter 33
“I’ll show you how it works,” Zoe declared taking charge. As she was the only one with a pet it was her responsibility to teach them the best way to play with a canine.
Sarah chuckled as the kids took off for the backyard which was completely fenced in and secured. There they would be able to run off some energy before dinner. She was actually looking forward to how tuckered out Daisy would be afterwards as working dogs seemed to have boundless energy.
“Come on,” Ava hooked her arm around Sarah’s, “we need to catch up so you better be ready to answer some questions.”
Ava dragged her off toward the backyard where they could relax on the patio while the kids played. Lucas hesitated not sure if he should follow.
“Stanton.”
Lucas froze at the voice. Turning he saw Silas watching him from the stairs though he wasn’t sure when the other arrived.
“Let’s talk,” Silas said.
It didn’t look like he was going to be able to avoid it. With a grimace Lucas nodded allowing Silas to escort him to the office:
“Have a seat,” Silas nodded.
Lucas practically collapsed into one of the oversized chairs that faced each other across a coffee table. Silas sat in the other quietly watching him. Four years ago he had given Lucas his final word…or at least that had
been his intention.
It had been difficult watching Sarah bear the strain of a collapsing marriage. Numerous times he wanted to step in but she always insisted he stay out of it. Worse, it seemed Lucas was content to continue the path of self-destruction. When Sarah finally left Silas was relieved. At least she wouldn’t go down with Lucas. Since then he dropped any interest in Lucas or Stanton Inc. Now that Sarah had returned with a daughter he
couldn’t stand on the sidelines. He would not let either be hurt again.
“Say it,” Lucas demanded.
“Say what?”
“Say it. Say I’m an i***t for ever thinking my wife was anything but perfect and beautiful and amazing. Say I’m
a fool for letting her walk away and missing my baby’s birth…and missing the last four years with them.”
“Well, yes. That about covers it,” Silas nodded.
Lucas choked back a laugh. Looking at Silas he was surprised to see an expression of pity and he realized their situation was not all that different. Silas had also pushed away the woman he loved and lost ten years with his family though he was certainly making up for that lost time now. Silas’s crimes were slightly less reprehensible than his own.
“I…I don’t know what to do,” Lucas finally admitted.
“Answer me this, do you want them in your life?”
“God, yes,” Lucas sighed. “Even since I saw Sarah at the party she’s all I can think about and when I saw Zoe… I just want to keep them in sight at all times. When Sarah said they were going to the Statue of Liberty today all I could think about was the ferry sinking.”
Silas nodded in understanding. He was very familiar with that kind of panic. It was why he insisted on guards even before he introduced himself. Even now Mike and his team continued to shadow Ava and the children wherever they went out despite Sean, Lexi and Theo insisting they were old enough to take care of themselves.
“Today I found out Sarah had complications during the delivery,” Lucas said. “Zoe was born premature and Sarah almost bled to death. They both could have died and I wouldn’t have even known.”
Silas grimaced. That was news to him. Ava told him Sarah had a difficult birth but she hadn’t mentioned details. He wondered if she knew.
“I…I don’t know what to do. I have no ideal how to be a father.” Lucas shook his head.
“I hate to tell you this but there is no magic formula and unless you intend to bubble wrap Zoe there is no way to prevent her from getting hurt,” Silas said. “She’s going to scrape her knees and bruise her legs. She’s going to track in mud and come in covered in grass stains. And there is nothing you can do about it. So accept it now.”
With a sigh Lucas studied the coffee table and noticed a pile of books. He knew Silas enjoyed reading so that in and of itself wasn’t surprising. But looking at them he suddenly realized they were all written by the same author: Rosemary Thomas. Frowning Lucas looked at Silas who maintained a neutral expression but his eye’s
shined with mirth.
“You knew?” Lucas asked.
“Yeah. For awhile now,” Silas chuckled grabbing one of the books and paging through it.
“How?”
“Sarah told Ava. Ava told me.” Silas shrugged. “And before you ask Julius and Macey know too. Actually Macey knew before any of us.”
“She did?”
“Apparently she helped Sarah with research for the second book.”
“The second?” Lucas thought back his mind trying to recall the conversation with Alan and remembered the second book was set in Paris. So Sarah met Macey back then? “Am I the only one who didn’t know?”
Silas chuckled, “No. Aside from her publisher and lawyer there are only a handful of us who know. You might have noticed Sarah doesn’t generally share personal details.”
Lucas grimaced. He had made no effort to gain her trust so why should she share any details with him?
“Actually once you know it’s Sarah who wrote these books they almost work like an autobiography…a record of everything she has ever done.” Silas tossed the book in his hand to Lucas who managed to catch it. “You
should read them if you want to know about her.”
Lucas looked at him raising a brow but Silas looked in earnest. He looked at the book in his hands: Willow Remember Me?, obviously a play on Will You Remember Me?, which was actually quite clever. His gaze drifted to the other books: Foxglove Files, To Catch a Cattail, Sage Advice, Daisies in Bloom. It seemed they all were named after a flower or plant of some sort. Rosemary. Even her penname was an herb. He wondered if it was just a gimmick or if she really had an interest in plants. She did like tea so perhaps it was related to
that.
“I don’t really have time to read,” Lucas said returning the book to the pile.
“Make time,” Silas insisted.
“I got enough on my plate,” Lucas stood nervously pacing. “Sarah hardly even acknowledges me. She won’t talk to me. I…”
“So it finally happened,” Silas sighed. “Better late than never.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Well, no one can accuse you of being bright. When you figure it out…make sure you tell Julius. He’ll love to hear all about it.”
Lucas grimaced. He had been nervous enough to face Silas. He didn’t know if he could handle Julius. Silas
had been harsh during their last confrontation but Julius completely ignored him walking away with a look of
disgust.
