Total pages in book: 44
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 40635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 203(@200wpm)___ 163(@250wpm)___ 135(@300wpm)
I dread the day Brinley grows up and falls in love for real because there's not going to be any stopping her either. She's the best of both of us. And the best of both of us? Well, it's stubborn and unrelenting. And it leaps first and asks questions later. And it loves hard. Really freaking hard, no matter what.
"She's ready, Grayson," I say softly. "She needs her daddy. She needs you to show her what it means to love and how she deserves to be loved. She needs you to teach her how to be strong and fight for what she believes and what she needs." I stroke his back. "She needs you to protect her heart the same way you always protected mine."
"Fuck," he groans, twisting to pluck me up from the bed. He drags me into his arms, burying his face in my throat. "Are you sure, Mina? Really fucking sure? Because I want it so goddamn badly. I need you and her more than I need air. If I meet her and then we realize she wasn't ready…" He exhales a shuddering breath. "I don't know if I'm going to have the strength to keep my distance. It'll fucking destroy me."
"Hey." I cup his cheeks between my palms, forcing him to meet my gaze. "I trusted you. Now, it's your turn to trust me, okay? She's ready. And we'll continue to make sure that's she ready."
"Therapy," he growls. "We need therapy. A shrink or someone who knows how the fuck to deal with all of this."
"Yeah," I whisper. "We'll find her a therapist."
"No." He shakes his head. "Not just her. Us, baby. All of us."
My gaze flies to his.
"We fucking need it, Mina. After everything we've been through…we could all use a professional to help us sort this shit out." His eyes flutter. "Especially once the media gets ahold of this. It's going to get bad when that happens."
He's right. I know he's right. But the thought of talking to a complete stranger about my life is…overwhelming. There are so many things I've never said out loud to anyone, not even to myself. But…if it means we survive this—that we make it out the other side as a family—then isn't that what I have to do?
Is that even a question? If it means we make it through this together, there's not a lot I won't do. I need him in my life. Brinley needs him. And he needs us the same way. I'll do whatever I have to do, talk to whoever I have to talk with, to ensure we get the future that was stolen from us.
"Let's do it," I agree, taking a breath.
"Yeah?" he asks, scrutinizing my expression.
"Yeah." I nod, meeting his gaze. "Let's do it. Whatever it takes, Grayson. I'm in."
He presses his forehead to mine, exhaling a breath. "Fuck, I love you forever."
"Love you forever."
He brushes his lips against mine, lingering for a moment, before he pulls back. "I'm ready, Mina. Let's go get our girl."
We decide that it's probably better for me to pick her up by myself instead of ambushing her at school. But as soon as she's in the car, she knows something is up. Like I told him, there's no getting anything past her.
"What's wrong, Mommy?" she asks, her little eyes narrowed on me as I buckle her into her seat. Worry flows through her eyes. "Did…did my daddy leave?"
"What? No, of course not, baby girl," I hurry to reassure her, cupping her little cheek. "There's nothing wrong at all. In fact, I have a surprise for you."
"Is it Kasen?" she asks hopefully.
Lord have mercy. Grayson is going to kill that poor man. I should seriously start making her listen to little kid radio.
"It's better than Kasen."
"We're moving back to San Biego?"
Okay, maybe I set myself up for that one.
"No, we're not moving back," I say, laughing quietly. "What do you want more than anything?"
She scrunches up her nose, thinking about it. "Right now? A unicorn. But you said they only exist in heaven. So I don't think I can have one of those. I don't want to go to heaven yet. I'd miss my stuff. And you."
"Oh, so you'd miss your stuff more than me?"
She giggles, bouncing her shoulders in a shrug.
I tap her on the nose. "It's not a unicorn, silly. It's a person."
Her eyes grow wide as saucers. "A person?" she whispers. "My daddy?" She cranes her head around, looking every which way. "I get to see him, Mommy? Now?"
"Yeah, lovebug. You get to see him now."
I should have covered my ears before I told her that because she squeals so loud everyone on the sidewalk stops to peer in our direction.
"Let's go!" she cries, clapping her little hands. "Hurry, Mommy!"
"In a minute," I say, trying to settle her back down. "We need to talk first."