Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 138683 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 693(@200wpm)___ 555(@250wpm)___ 462(@300wpm)
“You ready, Little Dove?”
“Yeah, I’m most definitely ready.”
THIRTY-FOUR
MILO
I pulled into the park’s parking lot the way I’d done what seemed like a thousand times over the years, and I took the spot two spaces down from Paula and Gene’s Range Rover.
But this time, it was entirely different.
I was doing it with Tessa at my side.
No pretenses as to the way we felt.
Reaching over the console, I took her hand and ran my thumb over the ring she wore on her finger.
She shifted her attention my way, that affection flooding out on this promise that we hadn’t made aloud, but it was there.
Always.
The two of us.
The truth that this wasn’t faked. Hell, it’d probably never really been from the get-go. It’d been fated or some shit, not that I believed in any of that, but I’d also never believed that I could feel this way again, either.
Never thought my heart might soar at the sight of a beautiful girl.
Never thought my spirit would clang against its confines when she touched me.
Never thought anyone could help me heal from the loss.
But there she was, smiling at me in all her soft support.
Red hair wisping around her face, her fucking adorable nose and those tempting lips and those eyes that saw things that could never remain hidden from her.
The thing about Tessa was her beauty was written in her being.
In her sweet, giving spirit and her gorgeous, vivacious soul.
“Funny how I was terrified to introduce you to my kids as my fiancée, worried I was going to cause them more pain in the end, and now today…today, I get to mean it.”
“Mean it?”
“Yeah…because it doesn’t have to be a lie anymore.”
Confusion marred her expression, though the gentlest tease was playing around her mouth, her tone entirely joking. “Are you asking me to marry you, Milo Hendricks?”
“Yes.”
I said it simply.
Wholly.
Her sweet brow drew tight when she caught up to the seriousness of what I was implying. “What are you saying, Milo?”
“I’m saying that I want this forever. You and me and my kids. I want to promise you always, Tessa, when I didn’t think I had always to give.”
She threw herself at me then, kissing me fast and hard before she ripped herself away. Without saying anything, she straightened herself out, clicked open the door to the rental SUV, since mine was in the shop, and began to climb out.
What the hell?
Then she tossed me a grin as she hit the ground. “That was a yes, in case you didn’t know it.”
A chuckle rolled out because Tessa McDaniels was something.
Something special.
Something amazing.
Something extraordinary.
And she was mine.
I killed the engine and followed her out, rounding to the front to take her hand.
My kids saw us first this time, and they came clambering off a jungle gym and beelining our way.
My chest expanded to bursting.
Tessa’s hand squeezed mine, feeling it, too.
Impossible but right.
Scout was all grins as he came barreling up, his messy brown hair bouncing around his face, his smile so wide as he ran with his little arms thrown over his head.
Hitting me with a thud, he threw his arms around my thighs. “Dad! Dad! Dad! You got here with my Tessa!”
Tessa let go of a surprised sound, and she leaned down and curled an arm around him just as Remy came up behind him.
More reserved, the way she was, but different this time, too.
Like she could feel the blaze of hope that shone down from the endless expanse of the blue, blue sky.
Rays streaking through.
Chasing away the shadows.
“Hi, Dad,” she said quietly when she wrapped her arms around me, and I was sinking to my knees and taking Tessa with me so we could wrap my children in our love.
I kissed the crown of Remy’s head, holding her close, my other arm locked around my son as I breathed out in relief. “I missed you two.”
“We missed you both a lot,” Scout promised. “Every second, just like I said.”
All of us stilled when the darkness descended, and I gritted my teeth to keep from spitting my anger at Paula. To keep from shoving what she was doing in her face. But it was Gene who spoke. “Can we have a word with you, Milo?”
His frame was rigid, and Paula was positively quivering with hate.
A frown took to my brow as I eased back. I gave them a tight nod. “Sure.”
Tessa glanced at me in confusion, with her support, with that belief that promised we had this.
“Why don’t you two take Tessa over to the playground so I can talk with your grandma and grandpa for a minute?” I suggested, though it was firm.
Worry trudged through Remy’s spirit, her hesitation full, though she nodded. “Okay.”
Tessa pushed to standing, and she stretched out both hands. “Come on, let’s see how high you two can climb on the jungle gym.”