The Ten-Day Baby Takeover(56)

Oliver was another matter. She’d already been destroyed by the notion of leaving him, precisely her fear. His place in her heart would always be there. Their relationship was quite the opposite of unrequited. It was the purest love she’d ever known. Aside from her family’s, Oliver’s love was the only love she’d never doubted. She saw it on Oliver’s face when she walked into his room in the morning or when he’d woken up from a nap. She felt it when he was upset and she held him close, the two of them clinging to each other. She lived and breathed their love when he laughed. Oliver’s love had filled her heart for a month and its absence would leave an unimaginable void, and there wasn’t anything to do about it. Oliver belonged with his father, and his father didn’t love her.

She slumped down on the bench at the foot of the bed. “Now what?” she asked aloud. She couldn’t go downstairs and talk about this more. It would only hurt. And she wasn’t going to try to convince Aiden that he loved her. She wanted him to just love her. She didn’t much like the idea of hiding out in her room until tomorrow. That left only one option, the one Aiden had so generously provided her with yesterday after deciding on the nanny—leave today.

She wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Oliver, but the truth was that she’d never be ready. She could spend a lifetime preparing and it would never make it any easier.

Her phone beeped with a notification. She walked over to the bedside table and looked at the screen—it was an email, from Katie.

Sarah,

Despite the gaps in your financial forecast, Sylvia would still like to continue talks about acquiring Kama. Sylvia and I would like to come to Boston first thing Monday morning to tour your facility, look over designs for next year and discuss our options. Does 9 a.m. suit you? I know today’s Saturday, but I need to know ASAP.

Best,

Katie

How many signs could Sarah get from the universe before she stopped fighting? Aiden hadn’t returned I love you. Sylvia Hodge wanted her back in Boston, ready to talk business. And she’d set Oliver up for the life she wanted him to have. That meant Sarah needed to say goodbye, get on the next train and not look back.

She typed her reply.

Katie,

Thanks so much. Tell Sylvia I will see you both Monday morning. Looking forward to it.

Sarah

With no more time wasted on overthinking, she got out her suitcase and started packing. The sooner she got out, the better. Luckily, she didn’t have much, so it only took a few minutes. She then hopped in the shower, cleaned up and dressed in the same old sundress she’d worn the day she met Aiden. That seemed like a lifetime ago.

As she took each step down the stairs, the tears threatened to take over. She imagined it was like trying to get out of the ocean when a storm has come up out of nowhere. The waves roll you back as you swim, the tide pulling just as hard, ocean spray in your face, but you keep going because you have to get to shore. You have to save yourself. For what, you aren’t sure. You only know that it’s your instinct to survive. You’ll do anything to make it.

She and her suitcase reached the landing. She raised the handle, and rolled it toward the foyer.

Aiden’s voice from the kitchen stopped her dead in her tracks. “You’re leaving?”

Oliver was playing on the floor with some plastic bowls and wooden spoons.

She bit into her lower lip. You can do this. “Yes. I have to. I got an email from Sylvia Hodge’s office. They need me in Boston ready to talk Monday morning. I need time to prepare. And you don’t need me anymore, so I might as well get out of your hair and let you and Oliver enjoy your weekend.”

“Sarah. We didn’t even finish talking about everything.” He came out from behind the kitchen island, but thankfully didn’t touch her. He instead crossed his arms. “We’re just going to leave it all unsaid?”

She forced a smile and an enthusiastic nod. She’d never felt less happy or eager to do anything. “I don’t think we need to talk about it anymore. I get it, Aiden. I do. I’m not going to try to get you to say things that aren’t in your heart. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I just wish you’d give me some time to wrap my head around it.”

The thing was—she didn’t need more time. She knew exactly how much she loved him. She felt it in the depths of her belly right now, a terrible burning. She knew exactly how bad it was going to hurt to step onto that elevator. She couldn’t wait. She couldn’t give him another chance. Aiden might never get to the place she needed him to get to. It wasn’t his fault. He’d been deeply hurt by his past. And he’d always been very up-front—he needed space.