Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46152 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 231(@200wpm)___ 185(@250wpm)___ 154(@300wpm)
She reaches out, slapping the air between us. “Call Ollie and tell him I’m fine. He was so upset.”
I grab my phone off the nightstand and call Ford. He answers on the first ring. “How’s Natalie?”
I speak softly into the phone. “She’s fine. She’s already taken her medicine, and she’s in bed. She’s worried about Ollie, though.”
“Ollie is fine. Tell her not to worry about anything. We’re all good, and she needs to get better.”
I glance over at Natalie and nod my head. “I’ll tell her. Thank you, brother. Talk to you tomorrow.”
I put my hand on Nat’s. “Ollie’s fine. They’re all just worried about you.”
“I’m fine,” she says. The medicine works quickly normally, but I lie here quietly because maybe going to sleep will help her feel better faster. I hate it when she gets like this. I would do anything to take away the pain.
Minutes have passed by before she says anything. “I don’t like that Marlene.”
I reach my other hand out and stroke my hand softly up and down her arm. “Is that what brought the migraine on?”
She groans. “No, we can thank all the flashing lights and the loud noise of the arcade for that.”
“Shit, I’m sorry. I should have known it would trigger one, Nat. I should have gone in there with Ollie instead of you.”
Her voice is soft, and she talks slowly. “Are you kidding? Ollie and I had a blast. I can handle a small migraine. It was worth it.”
I grumble, “I still should have been there.”
She turns toward me, but her eyes are still closed. “Beau, things are going to come up. You’re going to go back to work, and we’re going to do separate things. I just wasn’t thinking. Maybe the next time, I should be better prepared. Maybe take my medicine with me.”
“Or just not go in the arcade.”
She shakes her head and groans. “No, I’m sure our kids are going to want to go in an arcade, Beau. I’ll want to be part of the fun. I’m not going to want to miss anything.”
As if I need any further proof that Nat is different than my mom. Of course, she would do something for our kids if it causes her pain but makes them happy. She’s that kind of woman. She’s completely selfless. “You’re strong, Natalie. Probably the strongest woman I know. I should have known you would be selfless when it comes to our kids. I never should have doubted you.”
She reaches out and puts her hand on my bare chest. She seems to test opening her eyes. At first, she just peeks through them, and when she finds there is no light in the room at all, she’s able to open them a little further. “I am strong, Beau. I can handle a lot of things… but I can’t handle you hanging out with Marlene.”
I open my mouth to tell her what happened, but she doesn’t let me. “You don’t have to tell me. I’m sure I can guess; I know women like Marlene. I’m sure you were somewhere with Ollie, and she and her son showed up. I know it was all innocent, and I know you wouldn’t cheat on me, but if it’s okay, I would like to ask you…”
She stops and takes a breath.
“Anything. You can ask me for anything, Nat, and the answer is yes.”
“I would just like for you to not spend time with her. She wants you, Beau, and I’m not willing to share.”
I let out a hard, slow breath. I don’t deserve her. I know I don’t, but just as soon as that thought comes, I know I’ll do anything to be a better man—one that does deserve her. “You don’t have to worry about me with any other woman. You are and always will be the only woman for me.”
She smiles and closes her eyes. “Will you hold me, Beau?”
I scoot closer to her and gently pull her into my arms. “Always.”
I want to hold her tighter, but I don’t dare. I force myself to hold her softly when all I want to do is kiss her until she doesn’t have any doubts about me, her or us. After the way I’ve behaved this past year, I know she doesn’t have faith in me. Hell, no one would blame her after the way that Marlena acted at Ollie’s game.
“Nat?”
She doesn’t answer. Her breathing has slowed, and I listen as she lets out a tiny whimper in her sleep. She scoots closer to me. “Beau?”
I kiss the top of her head. “Yeah, baby?”
Her words are slurred, and she’s half asleep, but I can make out her requests. “Don’t leave me, okay?”
I kiss her again. “Never.”
Chapter 20
Natalie
The smell of coffee and bacon hits my nose.
I open one eye, the remnants of last night's migraine still fresh on my mind.