Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
She's been relentless with her questions for the last four hours. Every time I answer, she demands every detail. Her mind is fascinating. It's like it never stops. The world is a vast, exciting place to her, and she wants to know everything, see everything, experience everything right now. She's so much like her mama, it's unreal.
"What's it about?" she asks, her nose scrunched up as she stares up at me, her eyes shining with curiosity. And Christ, those eyes are just like Mina's, too. She's like a tiny little replica of my wife, so fucking perfect my goddamn heart squeezes in a vise every time I look at her. I see little pieces of me in her, too. She has my smile, especially when she's feeling particularly mischievous, and my cheekbones. But everything else is Mina.
Especially that spirit. She's handling this like a champion. I was so goddamn terrified that she'd be afraid of me or clam up and not want to talk to me. But she hasn't stopped talking since she leaped into my arms and told me she missed me her whole life.
Hearing that shit broke me. Seeing her cry killed me.
I'll never be the reason my wife and daughter cry ever again. Don't give a fuck what it takes to keep that promise to myself, I'll do it.
"It's about a little boy who finds a giant alien robot and decides to become his friend," I murmur. "Bad guys try to hurt the little boy and all of his friends, so the Giant rescues them, even though it means he gets hurt."
"Oh no," she whispers, her eyes wide as she reaches for my hand.
"It's okay, baby girl," I promise, squeezing her little fingers. "He's a special robot. He comes back."
"Really?"
"Yep."
She beams up at me. "He's like you then, Daddy. You came back. That makes you special."
I glance over her head at Mina, who smiles sweetly as she steps into the room from the kitchen. "He is special," she murmurs to our daughter, leaning up against the doorframe. "But not even he can keep you up two hours past your bedtime, lovebug."
"But, Mommy."
"She's right," I say gently. "It's late, sweetheart. And you've already been up later than you should be."
Brinley's little face falls, breaking my heart. Christ, telling her no is going to be hard as hell. I don't fucking like it at all. But Mina already let her stay up an hour and a half later than usual to give us this time. I can't be greedy and ask for more when she has school tomorrow. She'll be exhausted.
"Will you spend the night, Daddy?" she asks, her bottom lip poking out. "Please?"
My gaze flies to Mina, gauging her reaction to the request. Frankly, wild horses couldn't drag me away. But I don't know if she's ready for Brinley to know the ins and outs of our relationship yet. We didn't talk about that. This situation is so fucking complicated. We don't just have our own feelings and desires to navigate. We have Brinley and what she needs to consider.
Is it best for her for me to just barge into their lives and create a space for myself? Is it the worst possible thing for her? I don't fucking know. All I know is that my daughter wants me here, I want to be here…and judging by the look on my wife's face, so does she.
"You want him to spend the night?" Mina asks, far more adept at navigating through this than I am. She picks her way through carefully, letting Brinley lead the way.
"Yes!" Our daughter bounces again, her little head bobbing rapidly. "He should always stay here so we can be a real family."
"Is that what you want, baby girl? You want us to be a real family?"
Brinley cocks her head to the side, staring at Mina. "Aren't we a real family, Mommy? Now that he's back?"
Mina glances at me, sorrow shifting through her emerald eyes. I know exactly what she's thinking about—the fact that, legally, I don't even exist anymore. That we aren't even married anymore. As far as the world is concerned, we aren't a family. I'm not even supposed to be here.
I fucking hate that look on her face. Doesn't matter what the rest of the world believes. What matters is what we think and how we feel. If she needs me to unravel the legal shit to make this real to her, I'll find a way to do it. I need my ring on her finger again.
"Yeah," she whispers, licking her lips. "We are a real family."
Brinley beams again, clapping her little hands. "Then can he spend the night, Mommy? Please, please, please?"
"It's up to him, baby girl."
Brinley immediately whips her head in my direction, a plea in her eyes.
"I'm not going anywhere, baby girl," I promise, not giving her time to voice it. "I'm staying right here with my girls."