Total pages in book: 42
Estimated words: 39249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 39249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 196(@200wpm)___ 157(@250wpm)___ 131(@300wpm)
"What happened with Tye?" I finally whisper into the silence.
He tips my head back, looking at me. "You worried about it?"
"A little bit," I admit.
"It's all good, butterfly," he says, his eyes locked with mine. "Just like I told you it would be."
"You two didn't fight again?"
"No, we didn't fight again," he promises. "We talked."
"Is he…mad at me?"
"Hell no," Sidney growls. "He's not even mad at me, butterfly. He wasn't thrilled about walking in on us, but he's mostly just worried." His hand runs down my side. "He knows how much you hate being the center of attention. He's afraid being with me will make you a target."
"I've always been a target," I mutter. "Whether I'm with you or not, that won't really change, not until people do. But you know what?"
"What's that?"
"I don't feel like a target with you," I whisper. "For the first time, I feel like I belong. Nothing anyone says matters. I don't care if they think I'm good enough for you or if they make fun of me. I feel like enough." My eyes sting as I stare up at him. "You make me feel that way, Cranky Bear. You and the way you look at me."
"Jesus," he rumbles, kissing me breathless again. "You aren't a target, butterfly. At least, you won't be. Not if I have anything to say about it."
"It might not be up to you," I remind him gently. "You're a public figure. You can't control what other people say or think or write."
"Watch me, Hattie baby," he growls.
I just smile at him, shaking my head. Maybe he can control what people do, I don't know. But it doesn't matter because they don't matter. The only one who matters is right here, right now, holding me like I'm his world.
Screw what anyone else has to say. For a lifetime of this, it'll be worth it. This is worth anything.
Chapter Thirteen
Sidney
"Are you nervous?" I ask, reaching for Hattie's hand when she flips open her mirror to look at her reflection for the fifth time in as many minutes.
"Who me? No," she lies.
"It's just my parents and Soph, butterfly," I remind her gently, "and they already love you."
"Says you." She eyes me suspiciously. "Are you sure they aren't mad about you punching Tye in the face?"
"Baby." I grin at her. "Sophie was literally just in the news for slapping her dance partner on stage. And then Austin was in the news for getting into a bar fight and getting engaged in the same twenty-four-hour span, not to mention the rest of his shit. Believe me, punching Tye in the face is the least scandalous thing one of their kids has done this month."
"Well, when you put it that way…" she mutters.
I just chuckle, shaking my head. My parents are going to fucking love her. My mom hasn't stopped blowing up my phone since the photos of us getting tacos hit the news. She's probably already naming our kids by now.
I know Hattie is anxious about meeting them right before we fly out to Aspen for the weekend, but it's important. I want her to know that, even if she no longer has her mom in her life, she has mine. My parents will love her unconditionally. They'll support and protect her, no matter what.
She's closing one chapter of her life, but this is a brand new one, and I want it to start happy, with her surrounded by people who love her. She deserves that.
I pull into my parents' driveway, shaking my head when I see my mom peering through the curtains like a creeper. Of course, she's been stalking the window, waiting for us to get here. I bet she's been there half the morning already.
Hattie sees her peek out and then dart behind the curtains like she's trying not to get caught, and giggles. "Is that your mom?"
"That's her," I mutter. "She's a wild woman."
"She looks like fun."
"She's a fucking mess," I admit, smiling softly. "You ready to go meet her?"
"I think so." Hattie peeks over at me. "Do I look okay?"
"You look as beautiful as ever, butterfly."
She smiles softly, not a hint of doubt in her eyes. "Then I guess we should get this show on the road, Cranky Bear."
I grin at her and then hop out, circling around to open her door.
"You asshole!" Sophie shouts from the front porch.
"What the fuck?" I turn to scowl at her. "What'd I do?"
She huffs and then stomps down the steps toward me, but she's smiling, so whatever I did can't be that bad. "First Austin, now you," she says, poking me in the side. "I'm the last Hawkes standing. Our entire fanbase is collectively losing their minds right now, and don't even get me started on the nine times Mom has called me this week, demanding to know when I'm going to get married and give her grandbabies." She stares up at me, looking frazzled. "It's a shitshow, Sidney. I blame you."