Ch. Mr.chatterbox for her, Mr.Icebox for me? Ice melts and so did my love. 48 Mr.chatterbox for her, Mr.Icebox for me? Ice melts and so did my love. 48

Chapter 8 

I laughed. 

“You think she needs a dad who’s never there?” 

I used to picture us-normal family stuff. He’d kiss Annie goodbye before work. Bring me flowers coming home. 

Weekends at the park with the stroller. He’d help her walk. I’d take pictures. 

I really thought that’s how it’d go. 

“Grayson, you really think you’re a good dad?” 

He opened his mouth. Nothing. 

“That night Annie got that crazy fever? I sat in the ER with her for four hours. Where were you?” 

I crossed my arms. 

“With Claire. Jumping off some bridge. Didn’t answer your phone once.” 

“Annie cried all night for two weeks straight. I didn’t sleep. Not once. Where were you?” 

My voice went flat. Didn’t sound like me. 

“You said work was crazy. Then I see your Instagram-you’re in Miami with Claire.” 

Beat. 

“You forgot to block me.” 

He’d held Annie plenty of times. But he never knew when she woke up. How much milk. How long to pat her back 

after. 

All that hurt I’d been carrying-it just… wasn’t there anymore. 

“All year long, every time we needed you? You weren’t there.” 

I stepped up. “But Claire gets a scratch and you drop everything. You even hurt your own kid for her.” 

His face went white. 

15.55 

Mr Chatterbox for Her Mr Jesborg for Me? Ice Melts and So Did Mu Lovel 

20.006 

Chapter 8 

I almost smiled. “You know when you two were in bed? Me and Annie were right next door.” 

His jaw went tight. 

“So when Annie’s older and she finds out what you really are-you think she’ll care if you stick around?” 

“I…” 

His mouth moved. Nothing came out. 

He had no answer. 

Claire getting knocked up killed any chance he had left. 

And because of that, nearly killing Annie only got her two weeks locked up. 

But what goes around comes around. 

When word got out, both families lost it. 

Grayson’s parents ended up in the hospital. 

Grayson said no way the baby was his. Claire swore it was. Her family wanted the Harts to pay up. 

“I’m not marrying you.” 

Grayson stood in Claire’s living room. Voice rough but sure. 

“Natalie’s my wife. Annie’s my daughter. They don’t want me? Fine. But I’m not marrying anybody else.” 

He stopped. Looked at Claire like he wished he could take it all back. 

“And I don’t wanna marry you.” 

“What?!” 

Claire screamed. Eyes turned red fast. 

“After everything-you never even loved me?” 

Nothing. 

“That’s crap! If you didn’t love me, why’d you sleep with me? Why’d you sign those papers?” 

Grayson tried to talk. She didn’t let him.