Total pages in book: 45
Estimated words: 43198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 43198 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 216(@200wpm)___ 173(@250wpm)___ 144(@300wpm)
We’re both quiet for a minute, and then Miller whispers, “Why don’t you go back and sit down on the bleachers. My brothers and I will stay here.”
He brushes a hair off my face and promises me, “I won’t let him out of my sight.”
I nod, and he looks at Mike. “Hey, Mike. Can you walk Lindsey back over to the stands?” He lowers his voice. “And hang out over there with them. We got Eli.”
Mike nods and gestures for me to go with him. I turn to Miller. There are parts of me that wants to hug him, hell, even kiss him, but I don’t do either. I awkwardly tell him, “I’ll see you after the game.”
He smiles. “You sure will, honey.”
I walk back toward the stands and feel all eyes on me. I know everyone is wondering what’s going on. A few people stop us on the way back, expressing their condolences about Tammy. Some of them just give me reassuring smiles. “Thanks, Mike,” I tell him for walking me to the bleachers. “You coming up?”
He shakes his head. “No, but I’ll be standing right here if you need me.”
I climb the stands, and Zach kisses Skyler and then stands up. “I’m going to go talk to Mike.”
The girls make room for me to sit between them, and Skyler squeezes my hand. “I know it doesn’t feel like it, but it’s going to be okay.”
I nod because what else can I do?
Bree leans toward me. “I’ve been meaning to tell you. Logan should probably be the one apologizing, but I’m sorry too… for what happened at the fundraiser.”
I shake my head in confusion, and then I remember that she’s talking about the night after Miller and I had our first date. That feels like eons ago. “Oh…” is all I can mutter before she continues.
“Trust me, I let Logan have it when I found out he had two dates. It ended up working out, but I know that wasn’t fun for you at all.”
Curious, I ask, “So how exactly did he have two dates?”
“We hadn’t told the family we were back together, and his brother Penn—have you met him yet? Well, he fixed him up with another woman. Luckily, Miller helped out, but I know he didn’t want to and has regretted it ever since.”
I have to ask. “And you were kidnapped that night? Is that right?”
A look crosses Bree’s face, and I instantly regret asking.
I hold my hands up. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have asked, but when Miller told me the story, I thought…” I let my voice trail off and then tell them, “Well, I thought, I dunno, I honestly had hoped he would have come to see me that night and explain, but I didn’t see him until the next day. I convinced myself that he spent the night with his date and …”
Bree wraps her hand around mine and squeezes. “He didn’t. Logan and his brothers were all saving me.”
I gasp. I knew it. At least a part of me believed him, but another bigger part of me was scared to face the truth. “All this time… I thought… I didn’t answer his calls… I…”
My voice trails off, and I’m watching Miller across the field. He’s talking on his phone, and Guy and Ozzy are standing beside him. I need to apologize.
I look over at Bree. “Thank you for telling me.”
Aria is smiling at me. “Aria, I haven’t met your husband, Penn, yet. Is he at the hospital?”
Something flashes on her face. “Uh, yeah, he said he was going to try to be here, but it looks like he’s going to miss it.”
The way she looks away tells me she doesn’t want to talk about it. I look at my new friends. “Thank you for coming tonight.” I swallow, thinking about my sister. “I wasn’t looking forward to sitting here by myself, so I appreciate you all showing up.” I suck in a ragged breath. “Tammy would have liked you all.”
Skyler holds one hand, Bree the other, and Aria smiles at me. “I’m sure we would have liked her too.”
My gaze travels across the field and finds Miller, phone back in his pocket, staring at me. I lift my head at him because even from here, I know he’s asking me if I’m okay.
For the first time, I’m beginning to think I may just survive this.
CHAPTER 14
MILLER
Lindsey is overseeing Eli’s bath, and I’m fixing a quick snack for us to eat. I’m humming to myself, feeling a contentment that I haven’t felt in a long time. I love having Lindsey and Eli with me.
There’s a knock at the door, and when I look at the clock, I realize that she’s early. I should have talked to Lindsey about all this, but we haven’t been alone since we got home from the ball field.