Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 73884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73884 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 296(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
“Second generation of Everlasting Ink, maybe?” Lachlan asks.
“Maybe,” Forrest says, wearing a grin as he watches his daughters bounce from new toy to new toy sprawled out all over their living room. Lilly chases after them, loving every minute of the time she’s getting with her big cousins.
“Your wife seems awful comfortable holding my son.” Legend knocks his shoulder into mine.
“She’s good with kids.” And she does look comfortable. She also looks beautiful. The jade green shirt she’s wearing with her jeans makes her eyes pop, but to me, she looks beautiful no matter what she’s wearing, and even what she’s not.
“How’s that going?” Roman asks.
“Good. She’s—” I pause because I don’t know how to describe it to them.
“Everything?” Forrest asks.
“Yeah,” I agree. Everything is exactly what she is. She’s the light in my life, and she’s the tether that grounds me. When I asked her for six months, I knew my feelings for her would grow, but I never could have imagined this overwhelming need to consume everything she is, because that’s what she’s done. She’s consumed me. I’m hers and always will be.
“Welcome to the club,” Legend tells me.
“Thanks.” Neither Brogan nor I have brought up the fact that we are less than two months away from the end of our agreed-upon six-month trial period for this marriage. I try not to even think about it because the weight of it sits heavy on my chest like a bag of bricks.
“Do they ever run out of energy?” Lachlan asks as the girls continue to play, while the ladies sit close by, keeping an eye on them.
I guess you could say we’re looking over all of them where we’re standing around the kitchen island.
“When they sleep.” Forrest chuckles.
“Pretty much,” Legend and Roman agree.
“Those little angels kept swiping the icing off the cake. They’re going to be wired for hours,” Lachlan says fondly.
“It’s their birthday.” I defend my nieces. “They can swipe all the icing they want.”
“Definitely,” Lachlan agrees.
“They can go home with you,” Forrest jokes.
There is no way he’s sending his daughters home with me. “I’ll take them. They can have a sleepover with Uncle Mad and Aunt Brogan.”
“You can’t take them on their birthday,” Forrest says, and I laugh. I know my friend far too well.
“Fair enough.” I smirk, and he rolls his eyes.
Before he can reply, the girls come rushing over, with Lilly hot on their heels. “Come, draw with us,” they say at the same time.
River grabs Forrest’s hand and Lachlan’s. Rayne takes mine and Legend’s, and Roman scoops Lilly up into his arms. That’s how we spend the rest of the day—drawing with the girls, while our wives and Maggie sit around and chat about…. Well, I don’t know what they’re talking about, but I do know that every time I look over at my wife, I find her smiling and laughing, and a happy wife is all I want.
I want her to have it all: happiness, love, and me. I’m the one who’s going to give it to her.
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
Brogan
My hands shake, and my palms are sweaty as I keep my eyes glued to the landscape passing by outside the window of Maddox’s truck. When we pull up into the lot of my therapist’s office, I take in a deep breath and slowly exhale, trying to calm my nerves.
“I don’t have to go with you,” Maddox tells me. “Babe, if this is too much for you, we can wait until you’re ready.”
“No. I need to do this.” I turn to face him. “Susan thinks this will help, and she’s helped me so much since I’ve started seeing her.” I reach over and take his hand, and he slides his fingers between mine. “I’m not ready to lose this.” I give his hand a soft squeeze.
“Brogan—” he starts, but I shake my head, cutting him off.
“Can we not? Let’s just go inside.”
He nods and leans over the console to kiss my lips. He drops my hand and climbs out of the truck, rushing to my side to open the door. He didn’t have to tell me to stay put this time. I want to soak up as much of his attention as I can. Because things might come up today—the truth of my anxiety—and he could decide this is it. He could choose to say to hell with the rest of the weeks that we have in our agreement and walk.
I’m counting down those weeks as if the world is ending, and if I’m being honest, that’s what it feels like. I can’t imagine my life without Maddox. Sure, he’ll still be around, but not in our house, in our bed, and not as my husband. Just the thought has pain filling my chest.
With his hand around my waist, he leads me into the building. I feel like I’m on autopilot as we step onto the elevator, and I push the button for the third floor. I can’t believe I asked him to come with me. This has to be a mistake. No good can come out of him hearing more details about my broken past.