Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50872 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 254(@200wpm)___ 203(@250wpm)___ 170(@300wpm)
Austin looks around at his brother and sister-in-law and back at me. “He signed the papers. We won’t ever have to see him again.”
“But what about—?”
He cuts me off. “No, there are no buts. He has signed over all his rights. He can never have any claim on Kennedy. The attorney included you. He can’t talk to you, either.”
I lay my head on his chest. Elle, Huddy, and Austin all talk around me, but I tune it all out. All that matters to me is that Kennedy is mine, and Gregory can never take her from me.
Elle walks over to me and places Kennedy on my chest. I thank her and Huddy, and they leave after telling us to call if we need anything.
“Tell me the truth, Austin. You asked him to sign the papers and he just signed them? It was that easy?”
“I gave him money.”
I lift my head up. “Wait, what? You gave him money?”
He nods his head. “Ally, he wasn’t walking out of there without signing those papers.”
“How much money did you have to give him?”
He brushes my hair off my face. “It doesn’t matter.”
I sit up in his arms, holding a sleeping Kennedy against my chest. “Yes, it does. How much?”
“Two hundred and fifty thousand.”
My mouth gapes, and I mouth the words. Two hundred and fifty thousand. I tap his chest with my free hand. “Austin, I’m so sorry. I can’t—”
He leans forward and presses his lips to my forehead. “If you’re about to say something about paying me back, you’d better keep it to yourself. I told you that I would protect you and Kennedy, and I meant it.”
Speechless, I don't know what to say or do. A thousand thoughts race through my head, but I don’t put voice to any of them.
Austin runs his fingers softly against Kennedy’s cheek. “Can you lay her down? I think we need to talk.”
I suck in a sob, having an idea of what this is about. It’s like my thoughts are becoming reality, and he’s going to tell me that this is too much for him. I struggle from his lap and carry Kennedy over to the bassinet by the couch. I lean over, breathing in her sweet, innocent scent before moving back over to the couch and sitting down on the edge of it. “What do you want to talk about?”
Austin is pacing back and forth in front of me, and the more he does it, the more nervous I get. “Austin, stop. What is it? You’re scaring me.”
He stops in front of me and looks at me before sitting down next to me. He brushes his hand through my hair. “You’re so damn beautiful, Ally.”
I smile and laugh. “Okay, that doesn’t sound so bad.”
I put my hand on his forearm and feel the swell of his muscles from my touch. He covers my hand with his own and squeezes. “Like I said, I need to tell you something.”
“Okay. I’m ready.”
He clears his throat. “I love you, Ally.”
I feel the warmth of a blush cross my cheeks. “I love you, too, Austin.”
He shakes his head and scoots closer to me. “No, I mean, I love you. I’ve loved you forever. Since we were younger, I’ve wanted to be your man.”
I scoot back from him. “Don’t lie to me, Austin.”
He lets his hand fall from mine as he breathes out. “I’m not. I’m not lying to you. All these years, I’ve wished we could be more.”
My hand curls into a fist in my lap. “But why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you tell me?”
It almost looks like heartbreak in his smile. “Because I couldn’t give you the one thing you always wanted.”
I search his face and start to stutter. “What… but…What are you talking about? What is it that you think you couldn’t give me?”
He looks over at Kennedy, and his face softens, but his words are hard and regretful. “I couldn’t give you a child, Ally.”
“What? What do you mean?”
He shakes his head and looks down at his hands in his lap. “Remember in high school and I got hurt our sophomore year?”
I try to recall all those years ago. “In the baseball game?”
He nods. “Yeah, it was worse than I let on. I’m unable to…”
He lets his voice trail off, but I get the gist of what he’s telling me. “But I don’t understand… what does that have to do with you and me?”
He lifts his eyes to mine. “Ally, forever you talked about wanting to have a family of your own. You talked about getting pregnant and having kids, and I knew I couldn’t do that for you even though I wanted it more than anything. I thought I was doing the right thing, and I did, because there’s no denying you having Kennedy is worth it.”