Unbreakable (City Lights, #2)(108)

I nodded. “I wouldn’t have Cory either. He wouldn’t stand for the sort of schedule. He wants a real partnership. Kids and baseball games and handholding and date nights...”

Lilah smirked. “God, what a monster.”

I groaned. “But don’t you see? That’s just another aspect of my life I’d change, and who am I if not the Shark Lady? My father’s daughter. He’d be so disappointed in me…”

“I’ve met your father,” Lilah said, “and I can hardly imagine him so much as frowning in your direction, let alone being disappointed in you. I think you overestimate his desire to see you kill it in the courtroom every day. Your mother on the other hand…”

Lilah pulled a card from her purse. “Two days ago, our best family law attorney quit. Moved to Philly to care for his sick mother, the bastard. This is the HR department chief at my firm. She’s been on the ass of every head hunter in LA, trying to find someone stellar to replace him.”

“I’m not a family lawyer—”

“Do you know what Carl did? Carl helped keep families together when he could, and he helped ease the pain of separation when he couldn’t. He loved his job. And he was home by five every day and never worked a weekend in his life. Why? Because that’s fair.”

I took the card, studied it, turned it over and over in my hands.

“You have a lot of decisions to make,” Lilah told me, “but only you can make them. Stop looking at it like you do a case; from every angle, pros and cons…stop trying to convince yourself of what’s best, like you would some jury. Just search your heart.”

“I’m calculated and practical,” I said. “I don’t make decisions with my heart.”

“Maybe it’s time to start.” Lilah smiled gently. “Who do you want to talk to right now? That’s simple enough, right? Call that man and tell him how you feel.”

I nodded. Tears stood out in my eyes, but I blinked them away. I pulled my cell phone from my purse, my thumb hovering over the names in my address book. Finally, I pushed a button and put the phone to my ear.

Voicemail. His low, gravelly voice made my heart ache.

“Cory’s not answering.”

Lilah smiled. “You’re a resourceful gal.”

I thought for a moment, then found Vic Ruiz’s number in my ‘recent calls’ menu. I pushed that button and waited, gnawing on my lip.

Vic picked up and I asked if I could speak to Cory.

“Just missed him,” Vic told me with a sigh. “He went to Georgia’s.”

“Oh.” The blood drained my face. “To watch Callie for a little bit?”

“No, querida. He’s gone there to stay. To live with her until they all move to Alaska.”

My heart’s slow clang against my chest was like funeral bell. “You mean…?”

“He said he’s going to try to make it work with her. For Callie’s sake, I guess.”

“Oh.”

Lilah looked concerned but waited silently.

“I wish I could tell you to go over there and knock some sense into his fool head but…” Vic said.

“It’s for Callie.”

“Yeah.” A pause. “You okay? I don’t know what all went down with you two but he seemed so…what’s the word? Mas vivo, you know? Really alive, for the last week and—”

I didn’t hear anything else. I felt as if the walls of Lilah’s condo were closing in around me. “Okay, I have to go, Vic. Thank you. I’ll talk to you later.” I hung up and looked at Lilah. “That was a dumb thing to say. I’m not going to talk to him later. Or ever again. Okay, so that’s that. Cory’s not only moving to Alaska, he’s going to try to stick it out with Georgia. And that’s exactly what I should do with Drew.” I got to my feet and shouldered my purse with shaking hands.

Lilah rose with me. “Alex, wait…”

My words came out in a rush. “He’s back with Georgia and I’m back with Drew and life is going to finally get back to the way it was before the damned robbery. Just like I’ve been wanting.”

“Alex…”

“It wasn’t real,” I said. “Whatever was between Cory and me, it wasn’t real. We stepped out of time. It wasn’t life but an interlude that began with the surreal chaos of that bank robbery. But now it’s over. Time to stop playing and get back to work. I have to pick up where I left off and put everything—everything—behind me.”

Lilah shook her head. “Don’t do this, Alex…”

“Thanks for listening to me.” I gave Lilah a stiff hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow night. At the engagement party.”

Lilah might have said something more as I hurried for the door but I didn’t hear it. I was struggling too hard to keep the tears back.

I don’t cry. I never cry, and if I start now, I might never stop.





Chapter Thirty-Nine


Cory



It was nearly ten p.m. on Thursday night when I arrived at Georgia’s apartment. She had called me over, presumably to watch Callie while she went out. Again. But I’d told Vic—to whose couch I’d been relegated yet again—that I’d decided to tell Georgia I would give up the fight. I’d move to Alaska, move with her if she wanted, to try to make the three of us work.