Page 95 of The KING Review

I lean against the wall beside the door, waiting for the all-clear, even though I don’t know what that’ll be. I count my breaths in and out for at least five minutes, and then there’s the soft click of the door handle. Except it’s not Grant on the other side—it’s Sera.

My lips part, but no words come out. She looks so much like Grant, it’s almost unnerving. The hair, the eyes, even the stubborn set to her jaw. It’s actually kind of adorable.

“Oh. Hi.” Sera tilts her head, then points past me to the bookshelf. “My papa keeps his book in here.” She edges around me and into the room, unconcerned by my body ostensibly blocking her path. “So we can do our breakfast meeting.”

My brain stutters, then tries to reboot.

Before I can recover, Grant’s shadow fills the hallway. His face is a study in whiplash—shock, panic, then this careful, desperate calculation, like trying to carry a wedding cake across a tightrope.

“Hey, bug,” he says, voice pitched up just a notch, but gentle. “This is Neve.”

He looks at me, then looks at Sera, then back at me again.

I open my mouth. I’m not sure what I want to say, so I just blurt, “Breakfast meeting?”

Grant’s lips twitch, and his cheeks go a little pink. “Uh… We read our books while we eat breakfast sometimes. We call it a breakfast meeting.”

My heart implodes.

I can feel Sera watching me, like she’s met a hundred strange adults and is prepared to categorize me in under three seconds. I don’t want to make it weird for Grant, so I paste on my most harmless smile.

“Hi, Sera,” I say, voice soft. “I’m your dad’s… friend. Neve.”

Grant lets out the smallest, almost-silent exhale.

Sera’s face lights up. “Like Cade? And Fia?”

Grant quirks a brow at me. I can’t help my grin. “Actually, Fia’s my sister.”

Sera’s eyes go the kind of huge I thought only existed in Disney movies. “You’re Fia’s sister? You’re pretty like Fia.”

I die a little bit on the spot. That’s the cutest thing anyone’s ever said to me in my entire life, and I’ve watched at least fifty hours of videos of baby animals in sweaters.

My mouth opens, and all that comes out is this stunned, sappy laugh. “Thank you,” I squeak.

Sera beams, clearly pleased. “You can come to our breakfast meeting if you want.”

Grant’s eyebrows shoot up, but he’s doing his best to look normal.

Sera makes a decisive noise, then obviously decides the conversation is over. She bolts for the kitchen, her little feet thudding over the hardwood. “Papa! Breakfast meeting!”

Grant just stands there, frozen, and I don’t think I’m much different. Then he laughs—a bright, relieved sound.

“I—uh… I should go.” The words come out before I can stop them. Grant looks just as surprised as I am, hearing me say it. “Just⁠—”

“You’re right,” he cuts me off. Even though he’s only agreeing with me, it still hurts.

I try to smile, pretend my heart isn’t collapsing in on itself. “It’s not fair to Sera, or to you. If she tells Marie I was here, it’ll get complicated. I don’t want to make your life harder.” My voice is steady, but only barely.

Grant shakes his head, stepping in close. “I wish you could stay. You have no idea how much.” His hand hovers at my elbow.

I reach out first, hand finding his chest. “You need to talk to Ellie, right?” I keep my voice soft, so Sera can’t hear. “Just in case Marie tries to pull anything. I don’t want to be the reason you lose even a minute with your daughter.”

Grant huffs a humorless laugh. “You wouldn’t be. This is all her. She hates the idea of me being happy.” He shakes his head, jaw flexing. “I’ll call Ellie. We have our next review when I take Sera back in two weeks.”

Grant’s hand covers mine, squeezing once. He leans in until his forehead touches mine.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I know this sucks.”