Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 97386 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97386 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“I…I’m sure I would have been worried.”
Pointing to me, she said, “Bingo. You would have worried, freaked out a little, then when he left the next morning for work, what would have happened?”
With a shrug, I replied, “I would have worried a little bit more than normal, I guess.”
“Yes! And do you think Mitchell wants you to worry right now?”
I looked down at my hands in my lap, feeling like an idiot. “No.”
Waylynn reached for my hands. “Men aren’t always right, but I know Mitchell’s heart is always in the right place.”
Feeling foolish, I closed my eyes and sighed. “Everything is happening so fast, Waylynn. I told myself I wouldn’t fall back into Mitchell’s arms and then I did. I promised myself we would take it slow, only to have us both be reckless the first time we were back together. And now…now…”
My eyes stung with tears.
“Now you might be carrying his baby. Do you want to keep it?”
“Yes!” I said without even having to think about it. “Am I ready? No. I mean, I want kids more than anything, but I don’t want them because we were stupid and careless. I want them when we decide it’s time. This is not how I saw my life playing out. I mean, I love your brother with my whole heart, and I think he loves me, but he isn’t even ready to say it. What does that mean if I am pregnant? Will he love the baby or will he feel like he’s trapped? The last thing I want is to make him feel trapped.”
“Hey, it takes two to tango and I know Mitchell. He will love this baby with every ounce of his being. The same way he loves you.”
I forced a smile. It was nice to hear Waylynn saying what I so desperately wanted to hear Mitchell say.
“Come back outside and finish eating,” she said.
Nodding, I replied, “I will. Give me two minutes.”
Waylynn stared at me for a few seconds. “Two minutes. Now I have to go figure out what we needed in the kitchen and bring it back out with me.”
We both chuckled. Waylynn headed out of the family room, and I took a few moments to breathe and calm my racing heart.
Mitchell had a dangerous job. I was okay with that. No matter how much he tried, he wasn’t going to be able to protect me from all the bad stuff that came with it. Tonight I would tell him that. Let him know that I wanted all of him. The good, the bad, the dangerous job, the fear of opening himself up. I wanted all of it, and I wasn’t going to push him into anything. No matter what happened on Monday.
I loved him, and even though only a few weeks ago I set out to forget about Mitchell Parker, my heart had other plans. Now I needed to be there for him, let him know that I wasn’t ever going to leave him either. That he could trust me to know that whatever happened I would be strong enough to handle it.
I headed back through the house. As I stepped outside, I forced a smile and headed to the family table. All the other guests were engaged in conversations. I couldn’t help but notice Mitchell’s voice as I grew closer.
“Mom, please don’t do this.”
“I’m just saying, being in a relationship is a two-way street, Mitchell. If you start off hiding things, it’s not good.”
Pushing his hand through his hair, Mitchell let out a groan. “You think maybe I had a good reason for not saying anything to her?”
Tripp saw me and cleared his throat. “Mitchell, Mom. Let’s put this away. Y’all are getting loud and this is Amelia and Wade’s reception dinner.”
“Have you said the L word yet?” Melanie asked, peeking in my direction.
What in the heck? Is she trying to put him on the spot?
I shook my head and walked faster toward the table. I wasn’t going to let someone make Mitchell utter those words until he was ready.
“Momma, please let it go,” Waylynn said, making her way to her seat after setting down a bottle of wine.
Melanie shrugged and looked my way again. She quickly let an evil smile play over her face. “Well, someday when you fall in love you’ll be ready to say it.”
Mitchell let out a small, frustrated laugh. “I am in love, Mom.”
I froze.
“I’m pretty sure I was in love with Corina when I met her. Then I fell in love a little more when I heard her laugh for the first time. I fell harder when she kissed me. When she got pissed at me, hated me, and then loved me again. Through all of it, I was in love. I just didn’t know how to admit it to myself.”