Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81182 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“Walker,” I say quietly, and he shakes his head, cupping my face in his hands.
“It’s not even up for discussion, baby. I’m here and this is where I’m staying. And when the doctor says it’s safe for you to fly, I want us to go to Florida to look for a house, so we can get settled before the baby gets here.”
“Were you going to discuss this plan with me?”
“We’re talking about it right now.”
“What if I don’t want to leave yet? What if I want to stay here in London for a few more months?”
“Do you want that?”
“I don’t know, but I’d like to be included when you’re making plans for our life going forward.”
“The plan is you and me together. The rest, we’ll figure out along the way.”
“You’re so frustrating.”
“You love me.”
“I know.” I drag in a breath. “I just don’t want you to make all these changes or miss out on things because of me. I don’t want you to resent me.”
“You forget, I manipulated this whole situation, Hanna. Every change I made is a change I wanted. You and this little one are my life. You are my home. The only thing in this world that I need is you.”
“Don’t be sweet when I want to be annoyed with you, Walker.”
“How about you just stop being annoyed with me, Hanna?” He drags me forward. “Thinking I could have lost you put everything into perspective. There is nothing more important than you.”
“Okay,” I reply quietly. I mean, what else is there to say? He’s right. There is nothing more important to me than him and the little life growing inside me. And at the end of the day, as long as I have them, I have everything I need.
I look at the front door when there is a knock. “I got it.” He carefully moves me off his lap after giving me a swift kiss. When I hear Douglas’s voice as he opens the door I get up and smile when I see that Blair and the girls are with him.
“We brought lunch.” Blair says, stepping into the house as both Vi and Elsie hug me at the same time.
“Thank you.” I say quietly while Walker leads them to the small round table in the kitchen.
“How are you feeling?” Douglas asks as I give Blair a hug while the girls begin unpacking the bags they brought with them.
“Okay, mostly just tired.”
“That’s to be expected right?” Blair asks and I nod.
“Yeah, it’s got nothing to do with the concussion.” I assure her and her shoulders relax. Since Walker didn’t tell Douglas what happened until the morning that I was released from the hospital, he and Blair showed up at the house around the same time my parents arrived. And having learnt the news that we’re pregnant a few days prior, they were extremely worried about me and the baby.
“Good.” She gives me another hug then glances across the room at Walker who is chatting with Douglas now. “Is he doing any better?” The question spoken only loud enough for me to hear has my gaze going to my man.
“No.” I tell her honestly and her face softens. “He want’s us to go to Florida to look at houses when the doctor clears me to travel.”
“Already?” She sounds hurt and I get it, I wish I could pack up my family and move them all here or move her, Douglas, and the girls back to the US with me.
“Yeah, and even though I hate the idea of leaving you guys, I’m wondering if the change of environment won’t help him get his mind off everything that happened.”
“It might.” She wraps her arm around the back of my waist laying her head on my shoulder. “Everything will be okay.” she whispers.
“I hope so,” I whisper back.
CHAPTER 27
walker
Jerking awake, with my body covered in a fine sheen of sweat and heart pounding so hard that I can feel it ricocheting off my ribcage, Hanna stirs at my side brining reality back into focus.
For the last six weeks, I’ve been waking up in cold sweats, panicked and convinced she never woke up and that the last few weeks have been nothing but a dream. It’s a nightmare I can’t seem to shake. I move my hand to rest over the tiny bump of her lower stomach that seemed to appear overnight a couple of weeks ago, and it has only gotten bigger since then. I concentrate on her and the feel of it under my palm and wait for my heartbeat to return to normal.
I thought once the doctors told us she was okay, I would feel some sense of relief, but it hasn’t happened. My worry for her and overbearing protectiveness is the one thing she and I argue about, but that’s what happens when your whole existence is wrapped up inside someone else and you’ve experienced the fear of truly thinking you might lose them. One of the only things that has brought me any peace is that Josh is in jail and is going to be there for a long time after admitting to killing his mom. He’s still stuck to his story that he didn’t kill his aunt and part of me believes him. Not that I forgive him in the slightest because Hanna, who had no part in his family drama, was harmed by him when she apparently walked in on the scene between him and his mother. Something she still doesn’t remember.