Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128801 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 644(@200wpm)___ 515(@250wpm)___ 429(@300wpm)
Kayden was with Evelyn on the lawn that fronted the house. He squealed as his little feet padded the ground, and she chased him, her giggles riding free as they played.
The second Kayden saw me, he changed course and ran my direction. “Mommy, help me! Evie is a horsey monster!”
I scooped him up and hugged him close. “Oh, no, a horsey monster? I’ll protect you.”
Evelyn cracked up, and she used both her hands to push the thick locks of her hair out of her face. “I’m not even really a monster, Auntie Dakota. Did you know that?”
I ran my hand over the top of her head. “Are you sure?” I teased.
“If I was really a horse, I’d be a nice horse, like Mazzy.”
Affection rippled, and I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “You are the sweetest, Evie. We’ll see you soon. Thank you for helping to take care of Kayden while we were here.”
“I really liked it and I can be a babysitter and I don’t even need any money.”
“Well, that’s an offer that’s too hard to pass up,” I told her, glancing at Paisley who watched her with a crush of devotion.
They all walked us to our car, hovering as I strapped in Kayden, and Paisley hugged me again once he was safely buckled. “If you need me, I’ll come running,” she said as I sat in the driver’s seat.
I pushed the button to start it. “I know.”
She nodded, shut my door, and took Evelyn’s hand. I put the car into drive, fighting the swell of trepidation that rolled over the top of me when I caught sight of Caleb where he stood against a pillar on the front porch.
I knew he’d spoken to Ryder. Knew he’d been wrought with a brand-new turmoil after, even though he hadn’t offered me any more details.
I forced myself to drive.
Kayden fell asleep during the thirty-mile trip back into town, while I silently cried, unable to keep the worries or thoughts or heartbreak at bay.
I was thankful when I finally pulled into the café parking lot. It was already packed with Sunday evening dinner guests. I drove through and rounded the small road that led to my house.
The second I turned off the car to the overbearing silence, I decided to run to the restaurant to make sure things were going smoothly. Or maybe it was just that it made me sick to think of going into the vacancy of my little house.
Nauseous to think of returning to the way things had been before I’d left here two weeks ago.
Only things would never be the same, would they? I’d forever be marked with Ryder’s love and eternally scarred by his betrayal.
I pulled Kayden out of his seat and carried him into the café. Everyone always fawned over him whenever he came in, and Beth took him while I went into the office so I could print out the recipe for the breakfast special tomorrow so the cooks would have it first thing in the morning.
I found I wasn’t settled being in the restaurant, either, so I quickly worked through a few tasks and headed back out into the main dining room, promising my staff I would see them in the morning.
By the time I stepped back out, the sun had begun its descent toward the west. The air cooled even farther, a gentle breeze gliding through that tickled across my skin.
Somehow, it churned as an unease in my senses.
A sticky sensation that nothing was right.
Or maybe it was just what was waiting on me that sent queasiness rushing through my body.
A dread I’d all but forgotten over the last couple days.
Because when I opened the gate, I found Trey sitting on the single step of my stoop, resting his elbows on his thighs, bent over like he was torn between two worlds, too.
I froze while his head snapped up. He blinked through uncertainty while I fought the urge to turn and run. To refuse him the right to Kayden because I didn’t think I could handle losing anything else right then. Not moments or days or peace because I didn’t know this man at all, and I had no idea what kind of father he would be.
But I couldn’t move, and it felt like my feet had grown roots as I stared across at him for the longest time. But his attention wasn’t on me. It was on Kayden who pointed at him from where he was in my arms. “Look it, Mommy. A man.”
And that man slowly stood, itching, roughing a hand over the top of his head. “I’m sorry to show like this. I just…took the chance you might be home.” He let go of a self-deprecating laugh. “Of course, I’ve been sitting here for the last three hours after I knocked and no one answered.”