Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
“Very good. The workers are putting the last of the furniture together now. It should take me less than an hour to finish putting away her wardrobe. Mr. Cain’s wardrobe is still arriving, but what is here is laid out for him to approve.”
I had been reaching for one of the many bags from the trunk but froze at Franks’s last sentence. “I’m sorry, what?”
Declan took my hand and tried to turn me away from the car. “Leave it for Franks to get.”
“But we have to help. And what’s he talking about my wardrobe? And Joy’s wardrobe? Babies don’t have wardrobes. What did you do?”
“First, we don’t have to help. This is his job, and he is very well paid to do his job.” Declan gave me another nudge toward the house, but I refused to budge. Declan leaned in and added in a whisper. “You will hurt his feelings if you don’t let him do his job.”
I glanced over my shoulder at Franks, who gave me a wide smile and a reassuring nod that this was exactly what he wanted to do, and he was happy about it.
Okay, lesson learned. Don’t do Franks’s job for him.
“Okay, but you still need to answer my other question. What the hell did you do?”
Declan sighed and shot me a look like this was my fault. “It made little sense for Patricia to only get supplies for Joy when you lost everything as well. I asked her to get you some clothes so you can be more comfortable as well and focus on healing from what has happened.”
Every time he spoke, he made everything sound so very logical and reasonable, while I was the one who was panicking about silly things. Of course, I didn’t have the kind of money where I could wave a bank card like a freaking wand and get people to jump to fulfill my wishes.
Empty-handed, I followed Declan into the house and up the stairs to a guest room that was across the hall from the one Joy and I had stayed in last night. I hadn’t seen the contents of the room prior to today, but I could see that it had been transformed into a soft and cuddly jungle that stole my breath away.
A brand-new white crib was against one wall, while a matching white dresser that could double as a changing table stood across the room. Soft pale-green cushions covered a rocking chair and matching footstool. There was a swing and a bouncy chair identical to the one she’d received that day in the office.
And then there were the toys. Mountains of soft plush animals. Bears, giraffes, elephants, and more.
In one corner, there was a pile of bags where I could glimpse more toys and what had to be a complete wardrobe.
My knees turned to water at the overwhelming sight, and I stumbled over to the rocking chair before I hit the ground. It was all so much, and it was perfect. If I’d had unlimited funds, it was what I would have given her. The safe, warm environment gilded in the afternoon sunlight that poured into the room through the three large windows was what Joy needed.
I watched with my heart in my throat as Declan lifted Joy out of her carrier and placed her in the bouncy seat. The little girl didn’t hesitate. She started bouncing and smacking at the activity toys, making them spin, flash, and play music. A happy gurgle rose from her, and some of my anxiety eased.
“Do you like it?”
For several seconds, I could only stare at Declan like he’d lost his mind. Like it?
“I fucking love it.”
He frowned at me. “Is it wise to curse so much in front of your daughter? At what age do babies say actual words?”
Laughing as though my last working brain cell had left on holiday, I jumped from the rocking chair and threw myself at Declan, wrapping my arms around his neck. His entire body stiffened, and his hands came to rest on my hips. I pulled him in close and claimed his mouth in a hard kiss, not caring that until this moment, all the affection I’d ever shown him had been limited to sex. Whatever. Words wouldn’t be enough to cover my feelings right now.
After a brief pause, Declan’s lips softened and parted, kissing me gently, but I broke it off before we could get too wrapped up in that tenderness. I knew the boundaries between us. At least, I had prior to all this insanity. What we had was simply sex. Nothing more.
And yet, he’d come to my rescue twice now. Not just with his way of sweeping in and taking control of the chaos. Or even how he had an amazing way of splashing money about to make the problems go away. I was more impressed with all the times he’d held me and chased away the pain and panic.