Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 87275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 436(@200wpm)___ 349(@250wpm)___ 291(@300wpm)
My heart aches as I consider the idea of not having Ripley in my life. Of not being his. I only got a taste of it, and it’s all I can think about. I just know that he isn’t like the other guys I’ve dated, because if Ripley breaks things off with me? I’ll be ruined. I’ve never felt that way before, even when I’ve blown dates off. Knowing he has that power over me is terrifying.
“Okay,” I say as the light switches to green. “That’s it for now. Wish me luck!”
I toss the phone on the passenger’s seat next to the purple gloves Ripley gave me, and head toward his house.
Ripley swings his front door open before I’m even on the sidewalk. He steps onto the porch, gripping the railing as if he might fall off it if he doesn’t.
His eyes are alight, yet tired. They’re without their usual sparkle and mischief, and to see a part of him be lost to this mess kills my heart.
And it makes me resolved to find a solution—and that solution begins with me.
My steps quicken as I grow closer. I practice saying a casual hello in my head. Instead, I fall into his arms without thought.
He pulls me close, so close that I can almost not breathe, and buries his head in my hair.
I close my eyes and feel him around me, and for the first time in days, I feel like I can relax. I’m not alone. For the moment, at least, I’m safe and don’t have to carry everything by myself.
“I’ve missed you,” he says, kissing my forehead before pulling back and searching my face like he hasn’t seen me for much longer than a week. “How are you? You look tired, Peaches. And thin.”
“Well, it’s hard to eat when you’re upset.”
He pulls me into another hug.
I press a kiss to his chest before leaning back, needing the safety in his eyes.
It occurs to me that this is the place where I’m the calmest. The happiest. The most untouchable. Along with those feelings comes a fear that it’ll be robbed from me. It’ll be taken away. I’ll be discarded. Never called again because I’m not worth the effort or loved unconditionally.
Still, I hope, because I have Ripley. I need to have hope.
Because I love him.
I’m not afraid to name the feeling that’s been fluttering in my heart lately. It’s been growing and changing, twisting into a sensation that takes up my entire being.
How can you not love someone who goes so far out of their way for you? Who has your back when you don’t know you need someone watching out for you? Who takes punches for you?
He loves me in all the ways he knows I need loved—in ways I don’t even understand. And I’m not sure he even realizes that he loves me. But it doesn’t matter. His actions speak louder than his words ever could.
But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to hear them.
He holds my face in his hands and kisses the tip of my nose. “Before we go inside, I have to tell you something.”
My spirits plummet.
“Today, I went and saw your mom,” he says.
My mouth falls agape. “You did what?”
“Don’t be mad.”
“I’m not mad, I’m just …” I laugh in disbelief. “At least you’re still alive. Is she?”
He grins. “She’s sitting inside at the table, waiting on you.”
Excuse me? “I’m sorry. Did you say my mother is in your house?”
He nods.
“Your house?” I ask. “This one? She’s here?”
He nods again.
“Holy shit. Did you kidnap her? That’s illegal, you know.”
His laugh fills the air, and it’s music to my ears. It might be the music just before his perp walk, I don’t know, but it’s music anyway.
“I’m glad you’re entertained by this,” I say. “But I need more of an explanation.”
His feet straddle mine as he brushes a strand of hair out of my face. “She and I had a talk. We talked about my dad and what a monster he is. I told her that I understood she was leery of me, and that I wouldn’t get between the two of you. But also, that I would always be there for both of you.”
I bury my face in his chest again, fisting his shirt in both of my hands. He sways back and forth with me in his arms.
“She asked me to help her apologize to you,” he says softly.
I jerk back. “What?”
“She’s nervous. She’s scared. And you don’t have to accept anything she has to say—that’s why we’re doing it here. I can kick her to the curb so fast she won’t see straight.”
I laugh nervously. “She’s really in there?”
He nods.
“Wow.”
“I don’t want you to feel tricked,” he says. “It all happened so fast, but I didn’t want you worrying while you came here. When you think of coming here, I want you to eventually feel happy. Like you’re coming home.”