Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 60940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 60940 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 305(@200wpm)___ 244(@250wpm)___ 203(@300wpm)
I knew the layout of his house like the back of my hand. My feet gravitated toward the room closest to ours as if a string pulled me. We spoke about this being the nursery.
I didn't fight it. I went willingly, not sure what to expect or why I was being yanked in that direction, but I needed to find out, nonetheless. Nothing could stop my feet from moving toward that room, spending hours upon hours looking through magazines and catalogs, wanting to make it absolutely perfect for her.
“Oh my God,” I breathed out, stopping dead in my tracks when standing in front of the room that was supposed to be Hallie’s nursery.
Everything was already there, and I had no idea when he made this happen or how it was even delivered, and I didn’t notice until this very second. The room had everything we wanted, from the color of the walls, which were already painted a soft pastel pink, to the crib that needed to be put together, and the accents for decorations, a changing table, as well as the scattered stuffed animals on the floor.
The room still needed to be put together, but everything we wanted awaited us. Our theme was light rose gold with cowgirl touches. Not one thing was missing.
I couldn’t breathe.
I couldn’t move.
I could barely even stand.
My eyes pooled with tears, taking in the memories flooding my mind. Each one unfolded in front of me, playing out one by one as I made my way around the room. My fingers lightly skimmed everything, needing to make sure it was real and not a figment of my imagination.
My mind played tricks on me.
“Sugar, baby girl’s room cannot just be pink,” Ledger exclaimed, looking at my iPad screen of what I was thinking.
“Why? Pink is a solid color, and it’s not even the same pink. It’s a different shade.”
“I like this one.” He pointed at the cream rocker.
“We can add cream tones.”
“What about this one?”
“No, I don’t like that shade of pink.”
“It’s the same shade of the pink you want for the walls.”
“No, this has a yellow tone. I want more of a cool one. Oh!” I pointed at the rocking horse. “Let’s get that.”
“Isn’t she a little young for that?”
“Babies grow fast. She’ll eventually be able to play with it.”
“Well then, I guess you’re just going to have to give me another baby sooner rather than later.”
I shook off the way his words made me feel, then and now as my fingers gently glided on the swing. I smiled through the tears sliding down my cheeks.
This was so precious.
So beautiful.
So perfect.
My heart ached from how full of love it was that he did all this for our baby girl.
All of a sudden, the song “Tennessee Whiskey” started playing through the speakers of the house, catching me off guard. It was my favorite song.
“I wanted to surprise you,” Ledger announced, standing by the doorframe. “But you beat me to the chance.”
With every last emotion and sentiment pouring out of me, I looked him in the eyes. Our connection was alive and thriving like our past never existed. Right along with his love and all the years of turmoil and regret he caused himself.
“You’re just full of surprises today.”
In two strides, he closed the distance between us and pulled me into his arms. With one foot beside the other, he started to dance with me, and I couldn’t help but feel like this was one of the most romantic moments in all my life, and I was experiencing it with a man I’d loved since I was eight years old.
“How do you remember that this is my favorite song?” I asked, needing to know.
“Because the first time we danced to it was at my parents’ anniversary party.”
“That’s right.” I smiled. “I taught you how to dance when we were eleven. You know, you can be quite charming when you want to be.”
“You just caught me on a good day.”
I snuggled into his shoulder, inching closer to him. We rocked slowly to the music, but it was such a sexy song. His face conveyed so many emotions in a matter of seconds, and I paid attention to every last one.
We swayed to the music as he hummed the melody. I placed the side of my face on his chest, wanting to live in this moment with him. Where it was just the two of us in our baby girl’s nursery.
“You want to know something, Ledger?” I whispered in his ear, standing on the tips of my toes.
“I want to know everything, sugar.”
“You make me want to forget the past.”
Nothing about my statement was funny. Not even a little bit. He looked down at me, and I stared up at him. He had this pained look on his face, and I wondered if I wore the same expression as we continued to move.