Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
“I cooked her pancakes…” He pauses. “She asked.”
Rylee chuckles and the sound rings through my body.
“Yes. Nutella and ice cream as well,” she confirms as Winter nods and runs over. Her little arms hug me then she begs me to pick her up. I do, and when she’s on my hip, both her hands come to my face. “You want to come to Gramma’s?” she asks.
I see Rylee flinch at the question.
“No, not today. I have some people coming over later.” Her bottom lip pokes out at my words. “But maybe I can stop by later and bring you and Mommy dinner. If Mommy is okay with that?”
“You’ll have company,” Rylee says.
“They can stay here. I’d like to spend as much time with Winter as possible.”
She studies the floor for a moment, taps her foot, and brings her gaze back to me. “That should be fine,” she says reluctantly, then looks at Winter. “Come on, Summer is probably waiting for you.”
I carry Winter out, following Rylee to her car. She opens her car door, so I can put Winter inside. I kiss her cheek, then shut the door.
“Thanks,” I state, being thankful for the time Rylee is giving me with our daughter.
“It’s not a problem,” she replies, then reaches for her own door. I reach out, stopping her from opening it and look at her.
“I want to talk to you about having her more often.”
She blinks at my words, then shakes her head. “That’s a little fast. Can you not just accept what I am giving right now?” she asks.
I let go of her hand and shake my head. “I’ve missed so much.”
“That is not my fault. If you would have come back…” she bites back at me but trails off as well.
“I couldn’t. If I did, I would have destroyed you.” I tell her the truth.
“You wouldn’t have. I’m stronger than you think, August. I’ve survived a lot while you’ve been gone. You getting married, and God knows what else ... I’ve survived.”
My fingers want to reach out and caress her face, grip it and hold it between my hands and tell her she is still the most beautiful thing I have ever seen, but I can’t.
“It was your choices that sent you away, and now it’s my choice to decide about Winter. She may be part of you, but she is all me, August. All. Fucking. Me. And I would slit your throat before I let you take her from me. Do you fucking understand?” Her teeth grind the last words out.
She’s hot, so fucking hot when she’s angry.
“I understand.” Her jaw loosens. “But that doesn’t mean I have to listen. I’ll see you tonight, Rylee,” I say, stepping back.
“August.” I wave and keep walking. “August, don’t be a dick.”
I chuckle at her words until I get to the house and open the door. When I turn around, I see her getting in the car and pulling away.
“This is…” Mary looks around, her eyes going wide as she does. “It’s beautiful, August. It really is.” She pauses when she gets to Winter’s room. “You made her a bed?” Shock is evident in her tone. “You haven’t done that in a long time,” she says with an uneven voice. “It’s beautiful, as I am sure she is.”
“She is. Winter has my eyes.”
Mary smiles, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. Her son runs up the stairs and straight into Winter’s room. He’s older than Winter, not by much, but looks so much like Mary.
“Come on, Oliver, you have your own room, too.” I open another door down the hallway and show him his bedroom. It’s not much, but what she sent over I set up, so he had a place of his own. Oliver is a good kid. Quiet and shy but good.
Mary stands next to me, her hip touching mine. “I don’t know if this is the right thing to do,” she voices her concern.
“It is, I’m sure of it,” I tell her.
She looks at me, her brows pulled together. And before she can say anything else, I walk off.
Chapter 18
Rylee
He’s true to his word, showing up for dinner with food in his hands. He brought Winter’s favorite, butter chicken. He walks in after I open the door for him and places it on the table.
“Is she here?” he asks, looking around.
I nod to her bedroom door, but before I can call her, Winter comes running out and straight into his arms. I feel on some level she knows exactly who he is because she has never taken to anyone the way she’s taken to him.
I go into the kitchen, getting plates out, as she starts telling him about her day and what she did. He glances at me every now and then but listens to everything she has to say with intent and never interrupting her.