Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 71858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71858 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 359(@200wpm)___ 287(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
“If those women, Cannel, went through even a tenth of what I went through, then I’m not sure, even if we get them back, that they’ll be fixable,” she whispered.
I had a feeling that she was right.
But I wouldn’t stop helping her look for them. Not ever.
• • •
“You mind if I talk to you outside?” Foster asked carefully.
I stood up, Hiro in my arms once again because that was where he for some reason continuously fell asleep, and made my way outside while Beckham slept exhausted on the couch.
When I looked back at her, it was Blake who smiled softly and said, “I’ll watch over her, I promise.”
I nodded once, stomach still tightening the farther I got away from her.
And not all of that was because of what she’d gone through today.
Some of it was due to the fact that I’d had to walk away from her too many times over the last year.
Or hell, if we wanted to get technical, the last nine years.
I always seemed to be walking away. Never staying.
This time, I knew that I’d be reversing my usual role in her life. I would be staying.
There was no more trying to push her away.
She was it for me, and I was it for her.
That was final.
When the door closed softly behind me, I walked to the swing that was set up on her parents’ front porch and took a seat.
Foster leaned against the railing about four feet away.
He looked at the baby sleeping in my arms.
“Beckham used to do that,” he said softly. “Fall asleep any time that I was holding her. Used to drive Blake crazy. But I couldn’t stop myself from holding her while she slept.”
I looked down at Hiro, then raised a hand and ran my fingers over his hair.
“I love her,” I told him bluntly.
“I know,” Foster sighed. “I’ve known that for a very long time.”
I blinked and looked up at that.
“At first, my annoyance with you was the fact that you were a seventeen-year-old kid, living on his own, and taking an interest in my baby girl,” he explained.
My lips twitched. “At this age, I can see how that was rough for you.”
Foster rolled his eyes. “You won’t have any clue how it feels until you have a little girl.” He shook his head. “But you grew on me, kid. That time where you protected her when that asshole tried to touch her in high school? That was the day that I knew that y’all were meant to be.”
I shook my head. “If that was the case, then why were you always trying to keep me away?”
“Would you have left if you’d known that I approved? Would either of you have done what you were meant to do?” he asked.
I had no clue.
I would’ve definitely tried to take her with me.
There was no telling whether or not things would’ve worked out the way that they did.
“I never really wanted to keep y’all apart. What I wanted was for y’all to find your dreams first.” He paused. “When I first found out that Beckham wanted to be FBI, I thought I was going to keel over.”
“You knew that she wanted to be FBI?” I asked curiously.
“Yep,” he confirmed. “I also went to her commencement ceremony.”
“She was convinced that you were unaware,” I smiled.
“I wasn’t unaware of everything. I knew where she worked. What she did. Everything like that.” He paused. “Why did you stay away from her so long?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know. To be honest. At first, it was because I was busy as hell. Then she was busy as hell. Then I don’t know. I guess we just never found the time to be convenient. But the moment she walked back into my life last year, I knew that I wouldn’t be staying away anymore.”
He looked sick to his stomach.
“I’m sorry that you went to jail but…” He paused. “That man deserved what you gave him.”
Toot did.
He deserved every single broken bone, bruise, and punch.
The asshole deserved a whole lot more.
I didn’t know how my friend of four years could’ve done that to me.
I mean, I’d have suspected Kansas over Toot.
Which was saying something because I would’ve never suspected either man to do that.
“Are you okay with what was decided today?” he asked. “About her working in an accessory aspect with you?”
I hadn’t beat around the bush when it came to telling Foster what I planned to do.
For now, I didn’t have any job prospects lined up other than the piloting duties that Lynn may need me for in the future. Nor did I plan on looking for anything extra.
I had very little money in the bank, and Lynn, on the way out, told me that he would be depositing a lump sum into my account to make it to where I didn’t have to immediately go out looking for work. Giving me time with my family until the time came that he needed my services.