Page 50 of Timelessly Ours
“Claire, why are you here?” I demand, keeping my cool in front of my house guest.
She holds her head higher as if establishing some authority between the two women. “I saw the press conference.”
Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. “If you have questions, call my assistant.”
“This has nothing to do with your supposed retirement, I know damn well you’re not. But what else you mentioned during it.” She nods at Nicole, who excuses herself to go check on Rory.
Once she’s out of the room, Clarie hisses at me. “Are you crazy? You hired Nicole Kane to watch your daughter?” The way she says her last name, like she’s the shame of the city, infuriates me.
“It’s bad enough that she’s friends with our daughter, who unfortunately tunes me out when I try to talk sense into her, but you’re willing to let this woman take care of Rory?”
I’m not about to defend Nicole to my ex-wife. It would be the equivalent of defending her to the whole town since Claire is where town gossip starts.
“Have you completely gone off the rails? Do you enjoy making these career sabotaging mistakes?”
She’d said the same thing when I found out about Rory. Claire and I had long since been divorced but she staked claim to staying in my life. Which I allowed, because of Angel.
“And if you stopped caring about your career, then think about your daughter. She’s not safe with her.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Claire, please stop, or this conversation is going to go somewhere you don’t want it to. And now that Angel isn’t here, I have no issue being vocal about it.”
She jerks like I’d just slapped her.
“Royce,” she starts in a lower, calmer voice. “I don’t know what kind of midlife crisis you’re going through but fuck her if you so please and get rid of her. Don’t use your child as an excuse.”
I close the distance between us so that I can say this without the possibility of Rory hearing. “Get. The fuck. Out of my house.”
She doesn’t flinch. It’s not the first time I’ve thrown her out in such a harsh manner.
She shakes her head. “You really are so crabby on Saturday mornings.” She puts a hand on my chest and speaks tenderly just as Nicole and Rory come down the stairs. “Call me. We'll discuss it over dinner.”
Nothing’s changed with this woman. Moving to the door, I yank it open and glare at my ex-wife. “Don’t hold your breath.”
Nicole keeps her hand on Rory’s back as she guides her to the kitchen, away from the front door.
“I’m sorry,” she starts when I re-enter the kitchen after a moment alone in the foyer to compose myself.
I frown in confusion because that was supposed to be my line.
“I couldn’t keep her from coming down the stairs. She was practically on her way down already.”
I scratch my head. “Yeah, um…”
“It’s fine. Angel’s mom never liked me—and it takes a lot to offend me.”
I raise a brow.
“From certain people,” she adds, then turns to the pancake batter.
Unfortunately, I’m not immune to Claire’s remarks and I’m pissed off for Nicole.
I need to run. I need to burn off this frustration. Between Nicole still being angry at me, and Claire working on my last nerve, I’m about to blow and I don’t want to do it here.
“You okay if I go for a run?”
She eyes me with concern. “Of course. Thanks for—the batter.”
A tinge of relief washes over me when she offers me a small smile. Maybe I didn’t screw up all that bad. “I’ll be back in a few.”