Total pages in book: 78
Estimated words: 77415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77415 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 310(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
He was facing away from me, so he obviously didn’t see my discomfort, otherwise he would’ve saved me.
Or, at least, that was what I told myself.
I looked over my shoulder and realized that no longer was Sean so far away. He was directly behind me…and I had nowhere to go.
He cornered me, and I started to panic.
“I’m not going to hurt you, honey,” Sean said, reading my dread.
I eyed him warily, turned around and stared at him.
“I know. But the last time you cornered me, you yelled in my face,” I winced. “I’m still really sorry, Sean. I never meant anything bad to happen to your family.”
Sean’s face showed pain at my words, but he surprised me when he apologized. To me.
“I’ve tried to do this a hundred times, but either it’s not the right time, or you look so scared of me that I don’t want to freak you out. Now that you’re married, I want you to know a few things.”
I bit my lip and nodded.
“I never should have yelled at you in the hospital,” he said. “I never should’ve done that, and I regret it every day. I was scared, and you were a convenient target.”
My shoulders sagged. “I know you didn’t mean it,” I lied.
He snorted. “You were always a shit liar, but thank you for trying to make me feel better about it.”
I smiled.
“While we’re apologizing, I’m also not mad at you for leaving me. You did us both a favor, and I should thank you every day for the rest of my life for putting me on the path to meeting Naomi.”
My cheeks started to heat.
“I was selfish. I should’ve never dated you. Every man I’ve ever gone out with was always compared to him,” I said, staring at the him in question.
My husband.
My husband.
I looked down at the ring on my finger and breathed out. “Sean?”
The big man looked at me, sorrow for what he’d made me go through written all over his face.
“Yeah?”
“Let’s put this behind us. I just got married. It’s time for a celebration.”
His grin was a combination of relief and happiness that looked good on him. “I think I can handle that.”
Sean gestured with his hand, and all of a sudden Jessie was back at my side. Sean slipped away, and I stared at the man who’d left me on my own to deal with a man he knew I was nervous to be around.
“You’re so going to pay for this later,” I told him.
His grin was nothing short of maniacal.
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Chapter 28
I’m unable to fully relate to someone until I hear them say ‘fuck.’
-Jessie to Ellen
Jessie
“I have everything I ever wanted,” Ellen murmured into my chest.
I grunted.
“Not everything,” I said. “Elle, it’s time to have that talk.”
She sighed.
“I don’t want to have the talk,” she started to pull away.
I held her to me, refusing to let her leave.
“You don’t have to become a doctor,” I said. “But imagine working with those babies every day.”
I felt her still.
“I saw your eyes light up,” I said. “Every single time you saw a new baby go home, I saw how happy you were. You get as excited for each of those babies when they meet a new milestone as you do when your own child does.” I paused and let my hand drift up her back. “I know that you want to do this, why don’t you do it?”
“My business…” She started to say.
I snorted.
“Your business can be run without you,” I told her. “It’s been doing that for quite some time. You haven’t actually gone to a client’s house and designed anything since we’ve been together, and the stuff you have on sale at your shop can be sold without you there. Hell, Justine has been doing it since you found out about Lydia.”
She pursed her lips and looked away. That’s when I knew I had her.
“Baby,” I said, turning her head to me. “Do it.”
She bit her lip.
“I’m scared.”
I ran my fingertip along the line of her forehead.
“Being scared is something we can work with. I believe in you, baby. It’s you and me now. I will catch you if you fall.”
“You think I will fall?” she teased.
I shook my head. “No. I think you will fly.”
Epilogue
I’ve mastered the art of bouncing back.
-Jessie’s secret thoughts
Jessie
Eight years later
“Mom!” My daughter came running into the kitchen, her hand covering her head. “Does this need stitches?”
Lydia lifted her hand from her head. The moment she did, blood started to ooze down along her hairline to the curve of her chin and to the newly tiled floor.
“Uhhh,” Ellen said, turning her head to the side with the tip of one finger. “It certainly looks like it. Why don’t you go get my med kit from the bathroom?”
Lydia trotted off only to come to a stop once Linc came barreling through the door.