Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55375 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 277(@200wpm)___ 222(@250wpm)___ 185(@300wpm)
“I’d never do that,” I snap. “I want us to grow together. I want us to be committed and loyal and make it work in the long term. You were the only thing stopping me from thinking like this. When I was trying to…” I sigh darkly. “During those six months, all I could think about was you punching me in the face. I’m almost glad you did.”
“You owed me at least one,” Mike says, grimly laughing. “I was in the house.”
“I know. Mike. I’m so sorry. I need to be better, but she means so much to me.”
She’s downright addictive to me, too. Everything from the way she moves, the subtle shifts in her hips, the narrowing of her eyes as she leans toward the canvas, her voice, her breath, her heat. I wish I were with her now, just her, holding her against the darkness and the pain.
“I understand,” Mike says, “and honestly—don’t tell Vanessa this—but I’m happy for you.”
“Happy for me?” I reply, glancing at the cameras and seeing a car pull up the road. Its lights flicker on and off in a pattern, telling me it’s the cleanup crew. “Really?”
“Happy because you’re happy… as long as Emma feels the same, which I think she does. She was dropping some hints when I was talking to her about Angelica. She’s not very good at hiding her feelings.”
“No,” I say, thinking of her vivacious spirit, quick smiles, and laughter that comes like a gift. “You’re right.”
“As long as you’re never going to break her heart,” Mike says fiercely. “I know it may not seem like much coming from me, but break her heart, and there’ll be a problem.”
“Never,” I growl. “I want the best for her always, only the best. I want her to be happy. To feel… loved.”
That’s what this is. The emotion I could never acknowledge until I was certain Mike would be okay with us—love. I repeat it in my mind over and over, then remind myself to be hardened. For the next few hours, I need to focus on the work, nothing else.
“I meant what I said,” I tell Mike. “Think about this. You don’t have to make any decisions tonight.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
EMMA
Several hours later, the door opens and my man is standing there. He’s changed into a plain T-shirt and jeans. He walks right up to me, past Angelica lying on her bunk and his mom. When he pulls me into his arms, I let out a surprised moan of relief. Feeling his warm body and strong heartbeat is enough to drum it home. He’s here. He’s safe.
From the doorway, Dad watches with a smile on his face.
“It’s time to leave,” my man says, moving his hand down to mine, holding it with Dad right there, and Dad is still smiling. As insane as it seems, he actually looks happy for us.
“Then what?” I ask.
“Then… we figure out what to do with the rest of our lives.”
A tingle dances over me. The rest of our lives… That sounds dangerously close to all my dreams coming true.
Dad walks into the room, scooping Angelica to her feet. As soon as I see their joined hands, something clicks. The age gap melts away, and I see the genuine love blazing between them. They couldn’t hide it if they tried. They stop before they embrace, both of them looking at me anxiously.
“I won’t stand in your way,” I say.
They embrace like magnets and metal, just like Dad’s best friend and I always do. Maybe people would look at them and make judgments. Perhaps they’d think they have it all figured out. However, they’d be wrong, just like with me and my Jacob.
“Mom…” Jacob turns to her.
“It’s okay.” Isabell lowers her gaze. “I know I’m not a part of this.”
A tapestry of complex emotion dances over Jacob’s features. I wish I could paint him right now, capture all his complicated, handsome perfection. Despite the blood, the fear—so much of which my man hid me from—there’s a flood of love in my heart. “The past is the past, Mom,” Jacob says. “You tried to make amends before. I told you I didn’t owe you a damn thing, and that was true. It’s also true that people change. We can try again if you want.”
“I’d like that,” Isabell mutters, and they both just stand there.
I laugh, but I’m also crying, laugh-crying, as I gesture them together into an embrace. Jacob hugs her, but it’s quick, and I can tell there will still be much work needed between those two. Jacob looks around the room, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
“I can honestly say I never thought the trip would end like this,” he says, and we all burst out laughing. It’s as much relief as humor, probably more relief. It’s like we’re turning a valve and letting out all the fear: Dad’s fear that we’d judge him, Isabell’s fear that Jacob would turn her away, mine that Dad would disown me, and Jacob’s that he’d lose the best friend he’s ever had.