Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 97275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97275 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 486(@200wpm)___ 389(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
“She got released last week!” I said excitedly. “They even took her off her reflux medicine.”
“That’s great, Payton…” He said before his voice trailed off.
That’s when he saw his daughter.
Reagan Rose was now three and a half months old.
He fought with Corinne and her parents in court for four months before he had to leave for boot camp. He was able to delay entering by two months, but he still wasn’t there for her birth, nor any of the court hearings. He’d been given partial custody of her, but he continued to fight Corinne for full custody. Our parents helped fight them in his stead while he was attending boot camp.
It wasn’t until three weeks ago when Corinne was busted for possession at a traffic stop that we were finally able to get the upper hand. The court tended to lean towards the mother in custody disputes. Poor Bennett had only been able to see Reagan a total of four times before he had to leave for basic training.
He dropped my hand and walked slowly towards the sleeping girl who was nestled in her infant carrier. We’d made sure to dress her to the nines. She was wearing a hot pink shirt that said, “My daddy is Navy. What’s your daddy’s superpower?” She had a bright bow topping her head, and a sweet smile on her sleeping face. Dropping to a knee, he caressed the side of her face with his knuckle. “How?” He choked out.
Max clapped Bennett on the shoulder and said cryptically, “Looks like old Corinne got in trouble with the law.”
I rolled my eyes. I knew he had something to do with her being picked up for drugs, but I hadn’t proved it yet, nor gotten him to admit it. I knew they wouldn’t plant the evidence, but that didn’t mean they didn’t tip off the cop about the drugs. The cop in question being Luke.
Bennett unbuckled her from her seat and cradled her against his chest, and then went over to stand next to Max. “Your kid still looks like a midget compared to mine.”
“She is that.” Max agreed smiling sweetly down at his little princess.
“Hey! She had to make sure she won our bet! By the way, you owe me a week of babysitting in payment.” I teased.
Harleigh weighed in at ten pounds. Although she was now technically six months old, her adjusted age was three months. She and Reagan were neck and neck in the competition of baby milestones department. They would grow up being as close as cousins could be. Especially since we would now be taking care of her just as much as my parents while Bennett was away at training.
“So, will you boys be joining us for the party?” I asked the two young men that were hanging back letting us have our family moment.
“Party?” The darker headed of the two asked.
I smiled. “Yes. Let’s go. Y’all can ride with us, we brought the Suburban.”
The party at a local pub was a great success.
Our parents fawned over Bennett and the girls. Using the unusual break to our advantage, Max and I made our way outside, escaping the loudness of the pub. We were hoping for a little alone time, but we weren’t destined to get it.
What met us in the parking lot was a man that looked like an avenging angel. He was leaning against his bike. Long legs extended out in front of him. His arms were crossed across his chest, covering the patches on the front of his leather vest. His arms had flame tattoos that ran the length of his wrist, and disappeared underneath his black t-shirt.
“Give him a kiss for me, ma. I gotta go, love you, too.” His deep raspy baritone voice said.
I looked at Max in surprise. It was weird hearing someone that leaked badassness out of his pores saying ‘I love you’ to his mom. I hid a smile and walked with Max and in hand until we were in polite speaking distance.
It took me a while, but finally I recognized him as the man who was in the motorcycle accident with his pregnant girlfriend.
We stared at each other for what felt like a century before the man finally broke it.
“Just wanted to thank you for saving my son’s life.” He rasped.
His voice had a grating to it that spoke of trauma to his voice of some sort. I wondered about it, but definitely wasn’t stupid enough to question him about it.
“You’re welcome.” I said humbly.
I’d have done the same for anyone. When I was awarded my nursing license, I took an oath to save people’s life, regardless of race, shape, color, or situation.
He nodded in understanding, straddled his bike, and looked Max square in the eyes.
He held out his hand to Max, and Max moved forward cautiously, reading the plain white slip of paper. “Tell my brother to call me. I’ve got some information he might want.”
The bike rumbled to life with a throaty growl. He gave a salute, and was off in the next instant.
We watched him disappear down the street, until nothing was left except for the distant echoes of his pipes. “He doesn’t wear a helmet.”
“Some men don’t. Just a preference I guess.” Max supplied.
“He was in a severe wreck that took the life of his passenger. He was lucky to escape with his life. How could he not wear a helmet?”
“Maybe one day that will change when he finds a woman that constantly nags him about wearing his helmet.” Max said dryly.
I rolled my eyes.
The man has a death wish.
ɸ
“I’m going to miss him.” I said to Max in the dark later that night.
We were lying in bed completely exhausted from the day’s activities. Our morning started early. Since Bennett’s graduation ceremony was in Galveston, we had spent the morning and afternoon driving. We made it just in time to all pile into the banquet hall and find a seat.
Let me tell you, this isn’t something fun to do when you have two small infants, both of which require feeding and changing every three hours. Oh, and they weren’t on the same schedules. My parents came from Dallas, so they weren’t able to help until after. Bennett is spending the night with my parents so he can get in as much Reagan time as he can before he has to report Monday morning.