Page 36 of Discretion at Its Finest

She gave me a look. “You don’t look good.”

I huffed lightly. “Is it that obvious?”

Jamie didn’t say anything for a moment. I swallowed hard, looking down at Eugene again. My voice came out hoarse. “I don’t know what the hell I’m doing anymore.”

“You’re doing your best,” she said.

“It’s not enough anymore. I hate everything about this…” I whispered. “Leaving him here, feeling worried and stressed. I hate that I even have to ask you.”

“You never have to ask, Genevieve.”

“But I did. Instead of giving you rest, I asked my immunocompromised mother-in-law to watch my energetic toddler while she’s on bed rest.”

“Well, you don’t hear me complaining.”

She never did. Not after her diagnosis or after her affair was brought to light, not even after her son was shunned by her family.

“You never do.”

“The nurses don’t mind him here. Sure, I’ve missed a trip to my doctor to discuss my chemo progress, but I see him every day. And the cancer isn’t going anywhere.”

Another sad smile graced my lips as she shrugged. “You’re supposed to be getting better. Not letting nature take its course,” I scolded, and she waved me off like I’d said something silly.

“Rest is overrated. Besides, this one makes the days go faster. He’s a good distraction.”

I didn’t say anything in response to that. Instead, I shifted Eugene in my arms slightly, brushing the hair from his forehead. He murmured something in his sleep, thumb twitching toward his mouth before falling still again.

I wanted to hold him like this forever.

But a knock sounded at the door, cutting through the quiet. Jamie sat up straighter, eyes narrowing toward it.

“Were you expecting someone?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No.”

The door opened before either of us could say another word. And in walked the man himself.

Jamie’s breath caught. Her fingers curled into the quilt. Her body stiffened. She hadn’t seen him in years. And here he was, older and sharper, yet somehow the same.

He hadn’t seen her since he’d returned. I’d wondered if he ever would come see the woman who gave birth to him. The woman who never stopped loving her son despite everything that happened.

His eyes found her first.

“Reid,” she whispered.

“Jamie…” he simply replied, though I could feel it landed like a punch to the gut for her. His voice held no warmth, no recognition or love.

Her lips parted. But nothing came out.

Then Reid’s eyes found me. And everything else disappeared. All I could focus on was the heat in his eyes, the way they ran over me, the way they lingered on Eugene for a split second before going back to examining every part of me.

The feeling was short-lived. When he spoke, his words came out clipped. “Can you give us a moment?”

It wasn’t exactly a request.

My mind finally snapped out of whatever trance I was just in as my body went rigid, hugging Eugene closer to my chest. “It’s late. We were just leaving.”

His gaze flicked to the sleeping child in my arms once again, then back to me. “I’ll take you home. Marcus will take your car.”