When Stars Fall [EBOOK and PAPERBACK PUBLISHED]

30. Ellie - Present Day

I wake with a start, my heart pounding like I've been running. I sit up in bed, disoriented. I'm in my room. Why is my heart racing? Was I dreaming? About what? When I glimpse Matt's shoes beside the bed, I remember.

Wyatt knows. He's coming here today. Matt can't be here. I snatch my phone off my nightstand to see I've missed a call from Wyatt. It's ten in the morning. Three hours of sleep isn't much, but it'll have to do.

Before Wyatt arrives, I have to tell Haven he knows. I don't want her blindsided by anything he might say. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and put my head in my hands. He's so angry with me.

My mind churns with all the ways today could go. It's going to suck. This has been what Haven has wanted for years, and I don't want to ruin the experience for her. I shove all my anguish down and vow to keep a lid on my feelings today. I'm going to earn an Oscar for this performance.

Once I'm showered and dressed in fresh clothes, I'm confident I can face him. I text Wyatt to see what time he's coming. In the living room, Matt and Haven are playing a board game. Nikki looks on while drinking a cup of coffee.

"Coffee should still be warm if you need it like me," Nikki says when she sees me.

In the kitchen, I grab a mug and pour a cup of liquid gold. I'm drinking it black. The tangy taste should kick me into gear.

When I emerge, Matt looks up.  "I wasn't sure how you were doing, so I didn't want to leave until I'd had a chance to talk to you."

"Do you want to go outside?" I gesture to the back patio. He'd never gotten around to telling me whatever had been so important last night.

He ruffles Haven's hair as he stands and follows me out. Once I've shut the patio door, his dark eyes focus on me. I should feel loved and taken care of, but I'm penned in, almost claustrophobic.

"Are you okay?" he asks. "You looked rough last night."

"This week has been insane." I slide down into a lounger.

He sits beside me which reminds me of a few nights ago when Wyatt and I were in the same position. Matt's cologne doesn't make me want to close my eyes, savor the closeness, live in this moment. In some ways, everything would be easier if those things were true with him. Be with Matt. Co-parent with Wyatt. I'd never had to worry if Wyatt could forgive me, could love me.

Matt sighs. "You still seem a bit out of it."

There goes my Oscar. "I'm working on being in it," I say, shrugging. "What was so important earlier?"

Matt sighs and crosses his arms. What's coming isn't going to be something I like. This is Matt's battle pose. "Robert Morris called me this morning to say Wyatt's manager was sniffing around looking for the best family lawyer on the island."

"That's ridiculous," I say. "Why would he need a lawyer?"

Matt raises his eyebrows. "I know why I'd want a lawyer if I was Wyatt."

I frown.

"I'd want a lawyer to explore my rights. How much access should I get? Can Haven come to L.A. even if you don't want her to? Can Haven visit movie sets? Or, if he's the vindictive sort who doesn't think things through, then he'll be looking to take you to court, Ellie. He's not just investigating his rights; he's looking for a way to secure them."

"Oh," I say. "Oh, no." My brain whirls with a loading sign. I can't quite process this. It never occurred to me that Wyatt might seek custody. Be angry? Yes. Be vindictive? No. But this reaction should have been on my radar. It really should have. Wyatt-levels-of-angry almost always includes some sense of retribution.