Total pages in book: 40
Estimated words: 38335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 38335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 192(@200wpm)___ 153(@250wpm)___ 128(@300wpm)
Swallowing past my emotion, I open my mouth to speak, but he continues to ramble over me.
“I’d offer to come to the U.S., but I can’t uproot Poppy from school. However, we did talk about coming down to visit if that’s what it takes to keep you, and—” He falters mid-sentence, looking at me for the first time since entering the house. “Why are you in your robe?” he asks, his brows furrowing in confusion. “Don’t get me wrong. It’s a nice robe. Really fucking nice,” his voice drops an octave, those words falling on a deep rumble. “But not the kind of thing I would expect you to wear to the airport.”
Now it’s my turn to be confused. “Why would I be going to the airport?” I ask, managing the question through my burning throat.
“Because you have a flight that leaves in two hours,” he says, as if he’s stating the obvious.
I shake my head, having no idea what he’s talking about.
His scowl deepens further. “You called Poppy and told her you were leaving. She—” Realization dawns on his expression, his eyes briefly falling shut. “That little shit.” He whirls around, looking behind him. “Where the hell is she?”
“Who?” I ask, feeling more lost than ever.
“My sister! She was right behind me.” Growling, he storms to the door and flings it open.
There, bundled on my doorstep in her pajamas, is the sweet nine-year-old girl who holds my entire heart.
She flashes Mike her gap-toothed smile. “Figured I’d hang back and give you some privacy.”
Mike doesn’t share her amusement. “You lied to me,” he accuses, sounding more shocked than enraged.
“I didn’t lie to you. I tricked you, and it was for your own good,” she says, stepping into the house. “Did you say what we discussed on the way here?”
His eyes narrow. “Yeah, and thanks to you, I now look like an idiot.”
“I doubt that’s because of me.”
A laugh bursts from my lips before I can stop it. Leave it to Poppy’s sharp wit to make me laugh at a time like this.
Walking over, she wraps her arms around my waist. “Hi,” she whispers, her voice softening.
“Hi.” I hug her back, feeling my broken pieces starting to mend. “I’m sorry I left without saying goodbye.”
Guilt has plagued my heavy heart all night over that, but I needed to talk to Shane before I saw her again so I could have all the answers she deserved the first time.
“It’s okay. It wasn’t your fault.” The look she gives Mike makes it clear whose fault she thinks it is. “Any chance I can use your bathroom?” she asks, doing a little dance. “We sorta left in a hurry.”
Mike lets out a low grunt. “And whose fault is that?”
Poppy just shrugs, completely unbothered.
Smiling, I point down the hall. “Third door on the right.”
“Thanks.”
She disappears around the corner, leaving Mike and me alone. I take in his disheveled appearance and ache to touch him, but I remain where I am.
“Did you drive here like that?” I ask, gesturing to his unlaced boots.
He nods, looking a tad embarrassed. “Like she said, we left in a hurry. I didn’t want to miss you leaving for your nonexistent flight.”
Hope flutters in my chest, a delicate yet powerful sensation. “Did you mean what you said?” I ask, my heart suspending between fear and longing as I search his gaze. “Do you love me and want me to stay?”
He doesn’t hesitate with his answer. “Yeah. I meant it.”
A sob catches in my throat, sending a fresh wave of tears cascading down my cheeks.
Mike closes the distance between us and pulls me into his arms, their warmth a soothing balm. “Don’t cry,” he murmurs, kissing away my tears, his lips erasing each one with a gentle touch. “I’m sorry, so fucking sorry, for causing this.”
I shake my head, refusing to let him shoulder all the blame. “No, you were right. I shouldn’t have said anything, especially in front of Poppy. I was just so caught off guard by Shane’s call. I had all these emotions rushing through me, panicking at the thought of leaving you guys, and I just—”
He silences me with a kiss, anchoring my soul deeper to his.
I surrender to it completely, my hands threading into the messy strands of his hair as my entire world shifts back into balance.
In his arms, the fear of the unknown ceases to exist, leaving only the promise of tomorrow.
His lips slow their restless assault as he rests his forehead against mine. “Stay,” he pleads, his intense eyes peering onto mine. “Let’s see where this goes.”
“Well, I kinda have to now,” I say, my tone teasing as I curl my arms around his neck.
Amusement dances in his expression as he pulls me in even closer. “Yeah? And why is that?”
“Because I bought the store.”