“Haley.” Her voice shakes. “Oh, Haley.” Closing the distance between them, Angel pulls Haley into her arms. “What happened, sweetie? Why did you leave? Did someone scare you?”
I quickly shoot off a text to Enzo letting him know to call the search off. Then I hover beside Angel and Haley, wanting to hug them both, but not sure if it’s my place.
Haley hugs her mom for a few seconds before taking a step back. Then she looks at me. “Ronan?”
My heart aches to see the tear streaks marking her makeup. “Yeah, Speedy.”
Her little chin wobbles. “You came, too?”
“Of course.” I pat her head. “I was worried about you.”
“Are you hurt?” Angel asks. “Did someone make you leave? Threaten you?”
Haley shakes her head. “No. I’m not hurt. No one made me leave.”
“Then… I don’t understand. What happened?”
Haley looks between us. She hesitates. “Am I in trouble?”
“No,” I answer immediately. I know I shouldn’t say it. But shit. She’s okay. She’s safe. I don’t give a shit about anything else.
“Haley, sweetie.” Angel crouches so her head is level with Haley’s. “You’re not in trouble. You scared us, because we didn’t know where you were. Can you just tell us what happened?”
Haley’s gaze dips. “I saw him. My real dad. When I was peeking at the audience.”
Angel sucks in a sharp breath. “Your real dad?”
“I saw him at the hospital. When you got hurt. Just for a second, but then I heard people saying who he was.”
“Oh, Hale.” Angel looks miserable. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you’d seen him, or I would have explained. But you don’t have anything?—”
“I don’t want him to be my dad,” Haley blurts. “And I don’t want to go live with him.” Then she bursts into tears.
My heart breaks.
“You’re not,” Angel says. “Oh, sweetie, you’re not. You’re staying right here. With me. Things with him… are complicated. But you’re not leaving. I promise.”
“But.” Haley’s tearful gaze comes to mine. “I don’t want that man to be my dad. I want Ronan as my real dad.”
My eyes burn.
I want it, too.
“Hale.” Angel sniffs back her tears. “Oh, Hale.” Then she looks over Haley’s shoulder and gestures for me to join them.
I rush to them, gathering one in each arm. It’s all I can do not to burst into tears myself.
I want to say I’ll be Haley’s dad. But I can’t. It’s not my choice.
“Sweetie.” Angel touches Haley’s cheek. “I promise. You aren’t going anywhere.”
“But.” Haley’s lower lip juts out. “What about Ronan?”
Angel glances at me. Through her tears, I can see the love in her eyes. “Ronan isn’t going anywhere either. Not if it’s up to me.”
Hugging the two of them closer, I press a soft kiss to Haley’s fuzzy head. Then a longer one to Angel’s silky hair. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”
CHAPTER 20