Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 83612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83612 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 418(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 279(@300wpm)
“Jinx!” Bellamy laughs before climbing out of the car.
As soon as the door shuts, Will reaches over and laces his fingers through mine. He gives my hand a soft squeeze before bringing our joined hands to his lips and kissing my knuckles. “How have you been?” he asks, his brown eyes holding me captive.
“Good.” I swallow hard. “You?”
He nods. “Better now. I get a full week with you.”
“Will.” I sigh, my heart is racing so hard I feel like it could burst. “We can’t.”
“I know, Mandy. I know.” He sighs heavily before moving his gaze out the window. To watch for the others, I assume. “I know we can’t, but I can be near you. I can hear your voice and see your smile. That’s all I can have, and that’s going to have to be enough, and I get a week of you. That’s a win in my book.”
I find myself leaning over the bucket seat to get closer to him. My eyes flash to the girls. Coral is flipping through her book, and Mia is facing the back, because she’s not old enough to face forward yet, but she’s babbling to herself. When my eyes turn back to Will, he’s leaning over, too, and we’re mere inches apart.
His eyes flash to my lips, just briefly, but it’s enough for the urge to kiss him to take over. “I mean it, Mandy. I missed you.”
“I missed you, too,” I whisper. “Are we going to be able to do this? Be around each other this week? I can make an excuse—” I start, but he’s shaking his head and interrupting me before I can finish.
“No. Please, don’t. I’ll take the time with you.” He glances into the back seat when Mia babbles loudly and turns to try to see us. “With both of you, any way that I can get it.”
His words hit me harder than I expected. He’s not just talking about me—he’s talking about us. Mia and me. My throat tightens, and I swallow hard against the lump forming there, desperate to hold back the tears that prick my eyes. I close them for a brief moment, willing myself to fight the wave of emotion. He included her.
“Papa, book.” Coral’s voice cuts through, cheerful and insistent, pulling both of us back to reality. Will turns in his seat, still holding my hand. The softness in his expression makes something ache in my chest. It’s a mixture of longing and hope.
When he turns back around, he drops my hand and brings it to my cheek. I lean into his touch, missing the feel of his calloused hands. “I see those green eyes of yours in my dreams,” he whispers.
“Will—” I start, but he drops his hands and moves back to his side of the seat. I quickly do the same, my heart racing with fear and longing. Bellamy climbs back into the passenger seat, unaware of the war raging inside me. A quick glance at Will, and the way he clears his throat and adjusts his position, he’s struggling just like I am.
“Much better.” Bellamy sighs. She turns to look at us. “I’m so excited for this trip. We should make this an annual thing,” she suggests as Reid opens the door and slides behind the wheel.
“Let’s get this circus on the road.” He leans over the console, kisses Bellamy, puts his seat belt on, and we’re off. Knox and Corie, with Alexander, obviously, and Landry, Rowan, and Ella are riding with them. Baker, Sloane, Camden, Foster, and Eden are all riding together. We have a convoy of three large SUVs.
Let the vacation fun begin.
Traveling with kids meant making a lot of stops, but we finally made it to the beach house. Will and I get the kids out of their seats, and Coral cries for her daddy. Reid scoops her up and holds her against his chest.
I’m holding Mia, but she reaches for Will, and my heart stutters.
“Come here, baby girl,” he coos. He takes her from my arms before climbing out of the SUV and placing her on his hip. With a deep inhale, I grab the diaper bag at my feet and my purse and move around to the back of the SUV to start unloading.
“What are you doing, Momma?” Will calls out to me. Everyone stops to stare.
“Grabbing the bags.”
“No, come on inside. We’ll handle that.” He nods toward the house.
“Let the men do the heavy lifting,” Sloane calls out. “We can’t let them go soft on us just because we’re on vacation.”
Everyone laughs, including me, as I step away from the back of the SUV.
I follow the group into the house and take it all in. Tall windows, white trim, and matching white cabinets and furniture. The windows are closed, but you can smell the salt from the ocean, and already, I feel my body start to relax.