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)
Sloane claps her hands. “Okay, ladies, our men have spoken. Let’s do this.”
Bellamy laughs. “She’s right. Grab your bags, ladies. We all know they’re capable. Besides, we won’t go far, and we can be back here in a flash if they need us.”
“I’ll be the designated driver.” Eden holds up her hand. “I’m drinking with you ladies in spirit.”
“You’re sure?” I ask, making eye contact with each of the guys, before finally landing on Will.
“Yes,” they chorus, and I chuckle.
“Thank you. You always include me, and I can’t tell you how much that means to me, that Mia and I have all of you in our corner.”
Leaning over, I press a kiss to Mia’s cheek. She barely notices, too busy babbling at Will and patting his jaw like she’s already claimed him.
“Be good,” I tell her.
“She’ll be fine, Momma. Tell Momma bye, Mia,” Will prompts her. He lifts her hand to wave to me, and she waves, laughing, thinking it’s a game.
The truth is, she’s going to be doted on, and all of her friends are here, so she probably won’t even notice that I’m gone. Will reaches over and gives my shoulder a soft squeeze. For a second, the world narrows. The chatter fades. The laughter, the chaos of kids, and my friends gathering their things to leave—it all disappears.
It’s just us, and the secret hanging between us like a fragile thread. If anyone looks too closely, they’ll see it. The way he looks at me. The way I look at him.
I give Mia one more hug and one last quick glance at Will before the girls herd me outside toward Baker and Sloane’s SUV, with Eden behind the wheel.
As we back out of the driveway, I glance back to see all the guys and the kids standing on the porch, waving us off. Will’s there with Mia on his hip. He lifts his hand and waves, and I don’t know why, but this moment feels like it’s important. Hell, every moment with Will has felt important and meaningful.
I wait for panic to hit me, that I’ve left my daughter with six men to care for her, but it never comes. Instead, all I feel is a certainty of trust that she will be safe and well cared for. I know with everything inside me that Will has her covered, as do the others, and that eases my guilt. While it also terrifies me, because while I know that they all love her and offered to take care of her, I know it’s Will she’ll cling to.
We’re both growing more and more attached to him every day.
Seventeen
Will
* * *
The house is quiet. Too quiet. My bags are unpacked, and my suitcase is stored away as if the trip never happened. I took the world’s longest shower to wash off the day of travel. I let the hot water beat against my shoulders, trying to rinse off the feel of her in my arms, but there’s no use in pretending that I’m not counting down the seconds until I see her again.
Now, here I sit in the corner chair of my bedroom, alone, in the dark. I’m exhausted. The kind of tired that settles deep in your bones after a long drive and too little sleep. My body should be begging for my bed. Instead, I’m staring at it like it’s something unfamiliar.
It’s too big.
Too empty.
In just six short nights, I got used to the sound of her breathing at night. The feel of her in my arms, her warmth pressed against me as if she belonged there.
She does. She belongs in my arms, but it’s complicated. And although my need for her should be forbidden, to me, it’s the most honest thing I’ve ever felt, outside of my love for my daughter.
The silence is too loud.
My mind drifts back to the nights we shared.
Nothing happened. Not really. She let me hold her, and I stole a few kisses, but it was enough for me to know that this isn’t just attraction. I care for Amanda and her daughter. They’ve found their way into my heart when I thought there was no more room. They proved me wrong.
I knew that I would miss her, miss both of them, but I didn’t expect this. I didn’t expect to loathe going to bed without her in my arms. She should be here. They should be here, in my home, in my life, by my side. It’s what I want. I’m far too gone to pretend otherwise.
I knew I was getting in too deep.
And I didn’t stop it.
I didn’t want to.
What scares me is that this feels like something that could ruin me if I’m not careful. It could ruin my relationship with my daughter, the one that I’ve worked my ass off to have. I know that’s all at stake, and still, I want her. It’s a need fused to my bones, and I can’t let go. I need to convince Amanda that she’s meant to be mine, and then we can talk to Bellamy together. Once she sees how happy we are, she’ll accept this. She’ll understand.