He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart. He might be ruthless in his business dealings, but he’d never stood up to his parents the way he had tonight. Suddenly, while staring down the people who’d raised him, he realized he would never treat his son or daughter the way they had treated him. In fact, he wouldn’t treat anyone the way they’d treated him. He had more decency than his parents.

He wasn’t them.

He was his own person, with his own failings, and he was sure to fail in some respects when raising his child, but they wouldn’t be the same ways his parents had failed with him. He would never let his child think they weren’t good enough or leave them waiting for hours after school because he didn’t have enough time to pick them up. Eli was different from his parents, and he wasn’t going to let them ruin his relationship with his kid before it even started.

“I’ll speak to you again in a few weeks,” he told them. “Meanwhile, think about how highly you want to prioritize having a relationship with your grandchild.”

CHAPTER 23

As they left the yacht club through the fifteen-foot door, Aria’s pulse was racing a million miles an hour. She’d never been defended by anyone other than family before. It felt wonderful, but unsettling too. The cool night air prickled her arms, and goosebumps skittered over her skin. Eli shrugged out of his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

“So...” Teri drew the word out. “That went well. Uh, when were you guys planning to tell me about the bundle of joy?”

“Later,” Eli snapped, not looking at her.

“I’m sorry,” Aria said, stopping to look at Teri when she realized that the girl’s smart mouth only masked her hurt feelings. She was as vulnerable as her brother, in her own way. “I wish you’d found out differently. Nothing about that was right.”

Teri shrugged one shoulder, trying to look as if she didn’t care. “I’m not angry,” she said. “But it would have been nice to have known earlier.” A few moments later, she added, “So, will you be staying in Itirangi? Because it’s not such a bad place. I could visit and babysit sometimes.”

“Look who’s changed their tune,” Eli said, rejoining the conversation. “Remember when you arrived and couldn’t wait to leave?”

“It wasn’t so bad,” she repeated, her cheeks flushing pink. “It grew on me. Maybe I miss it a bit.”

“Your brother and I haven’t worked out the details yet, sweetie,” Aria said gently. It was true, although she suspected she would remain in Itirangi and he would return to Auckland. It was Eli’s responsibility to tell his sister that.

Teri snorted. “You’re knocked up. You’d better sort it out fast.”