Page 20 of Acceptance
“How do I fix this?”
“You can’t,” Lex says. “I have to put the work in and do it. I’m not really good at fully accepting and forgiving, no matter how much I like to pretend I am.”
Closing his eyes, he shifts his face to stare up at the ceiling. “I’m so sorry, baby.”
“It’s okay. We established that I trust nothing happened. It’s more of the emotions and self-doubt on top of how my family makes me feel that I have to figure out how to deal with.”
“I played a part, though. I hate that.”
“Hey, look at me,” she says, and he reluctantly does. “You helped fix me in so many other ways.”
“What? How?”
Smiling, she lays back down and curls up against his side. “You moved to Summerville for me. Then you moved back here for me without knowing why. You didn’t question it. You were there to help me from drowning when you had no idea how high the water I was treading was.”
“That’s called being your husband, baby.”
“You taught me that it is possible to be loved unconditionally. I have always thought love was conditional when it came to men, but you proved me wrong. That belief came from my father, but you changed all of that.”
“Doesn’t really take away from the fact I added to the reasons you doubt yourself.”
“But you also remind me how much I’m loved. Working on my self-worth is a Lex job. There’s nothing you can do about that. I have to put in the work, and I want to. For you, our kids, and for me.”
He presses his lips to her forehead. “I love you more than life itself. You know that, right? Know it and believe it?”
“I know. And I love you so much. I’m okay, Colt. We’re okay. But you’re right. I should have told you before now.”
“It’s okay. I get why you might be a little worried. We’re not exactly an open to the public bunch.”
His phone rings on the nightstand, and he smiles when Lex groans. “It’s two in the morning.”
He considers ignoring it and letting it go to voicemail, but he’s also the President now. Grabbing his phone, he stares in disbelief. “It’s Hailey.”
“Lucas and I haven’t been able to get ahold of her for a couple of months now,” Lex says and sits up.
“You better not be in jail,” he answers with a smirk. “Actually, that’s the only excuse I’ll accept for not hearing from you for months.”
“Colt?” Hailey whispers.
His smile falls, and he freezes. He expected some snide or snarky retort. It’s her go-to response. “Hailey, what’s wrong? Where are you?”
Lex looks at him with concern, and he wishes he could reassure her. Instead, he begins to dress when Hailey sniffles. He’s never seen her cry, let alone heard it.
“I don’t know,” she whispers. “Please, Colt… Please… help me?”
“What do you need?”
“I can’t get out of this by myself. I need… I need you to save me. Please?”
Chapter Eight
Griffin’s Beach
Lex
“Lex, what’s going on?” Lucas asks as he walks behind with a sleepy Noah into the clubhouse.
Carrying a sleeping Calla in her arms, Lex hands her gingerly to Lucas as she tries to determine what exactly to do here. Does she tell Lucas what happened to Hailey? She doesn’t want to lie to him, but she also knows she has no answers to the questions he’ll ask.
