Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 103010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103010 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 515(@200wpm)___ 412(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
“I’d like to call him.”
“I’ll speak with him when he gets home, and when he’s up for it, he’ll call you.”
She breathed through the line before saying, “I understand.”
“I won’t have him hurt. What’s best for him will always come first.”
“You sound like you love him very much.”
“I do.”
“I don’t want to hurt him either. I just want to know him. He has twin nieces—”
“Twins?” I asked, a heavy ache in my chest.
“Yes. Melody and Harmony. And Jeff and myself.”
“I’ll speak to him,” I managed to get out around the boulder in my throat. “Either he or I will be in touch.”
“Thank you. What did you say your name is?”
“Aidan Kingsley.”
“Thank you, Aidan.”
“I just want him happy.” No matter what it took, that was what I wanted for him.
A little over an hour later he came in, that familiar smile on his face.
“We had the best day.” Finley pushed up on his toes and pressed his lips to mine. It was a quick, chaste kiss, but I felt it in my chest as I did every one of his touches. “I’ll go cook our dinner. And just so you know, my legs are a little sore from our workout this morning. It’s always more work when I have to exercise with you.” He cocked his head a little and frowned. “Hey, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing. Come with me.” He followed me to the living room. “Kneel.”
“Yes, Sir.” Finley’s knees kissed the carpet. I sat on the couch, with him between my legs, looking up at me expectantly. “You’re scaring me, Aidan.”
“Shh. I don’t mean to scare you. Everything is fine. I have good news, actually.” I cupped his cheek, brushed my fingers along the skin there, knowing that good news or not, he would need my touch, my presence and support, because it was a lot to take in. “Head on my thigh, please, and wrap your arms around me.”
“Yes, Sir.” There was a small twinge of trepidation to his voice. His arms locked around my waist, our gazes still holding one another’s. I ran my fingers through his hair, scratched his scalp, trailed them down to his nape.
“I found some information on your family.”
“Is it good?” he asked cautiously.
“Your grandparents are gone, but…did your mom ever tell you about her sister?”
“No…she has a sister?”
“Yes. Her name is Jennifer. She’s only ten years older than you.”
“Jennifer? She mentioned her…she would cry for her sometimes. She said she was her best friend back home, but she never told me she was her sister. Why wouldn’t she have told me that?”
“I don’t know, precious boy. Are you fine there, or do you want on my lap?”
“I like it here.” He nuzzled in close, the way he so often did.
“I spoke with her on the phone today. She didn’t know about you. She had been told that her sister ran away. You have an uncle—her husband—and twin nieces. Your aunt would very much like to speak to you and get to know you.”
His chin trembled as tears flooded his eyes. “She would? Like really would?”
My heart shattered for him, that he had been expecting to be shunned, that he didn’t feel himself lovable by his own family. “Yes. She was devastated at the time lost, at what happened to you and your mother. I’m quite sure she would have jumped on a plane today if I would have allowed it.”
“She wants to know me?” he said again, as if he still couldn’t believe it.
“She’s the lucky one, my little warrior. Tell me you know that.”
“She’s the lucky one—oh, Aidan. I have an aunt? And nieces? Twins? Oh…I didn’t think. I’m sorry.”
“Stop.” I pressed a hand to his mouth. “Don’t apologize. Not for that.”
“Thank you!” His hold on me tightened. “I wouldn’t have this without you. I want to call her right now! Can I call her now?”
“If that’s what you want, yes. The number is in my office. I called her from the landline, so it’s not in my cell.”
“Will you stay with me while I do?”
“I’ll do whatever you need. Always.”
“I can’t believe I have family.” He stood. “I’m kind of scared. Like I don’t know if I believe this is true. Like I’m going to wake up and find out it was all a dream. Do you promise this is real?”
I chuckled. “Yes, it’s real. Now come on so you can do this.”
We went to my office, and I grabbed the number from my desk. Finley was pacing the room, and I could see his nerves getting the better of him.
“Hey. Stop.” He did so immediately. “You’re okay. I’m here, and no matter what happens, I’ll always be here. You can do this.”
He wrapped his arms around me, his face in my chest. “Because of you.”
“You give me too much credit. Now sit down, please.”