He watched for weaknesses.
Knew exactly how to wreck and ruin.
He knew Kallie was Shea’s weakness.
And without a doubt, he knew Shea was mine.
LAUGHTER BOUNCED OFF THE walls of Kallie’s room. Bold and bright enough to fill up all the aching spaces inside me. Enough to sustain and encourage when part of me wanted to break.
It gave me the courage to shun the creeping fear and push on with our lives.
The kind of life I’d always promised to give my daughter. Only now, that promise had extended to me.
I pushed all thoughts of Martin aside and smiled at April who tucked a big lock of curls behind Kallie’s ear, my precious child beaming with all the teasing April had been tossing her way.
“Oh right…I see how it is. The two of you just up and ditch me the second something better comes along.” My best friend shook her head in feigned offense and tucked a few more of Kallie’s shirts into her suitcase.
I knocked my hip into April, grinning just as wide. “You know you’re going to love it. This big old house to yourself for the next who knows how long? Maybe it’s time you started doing a little entertaining of your own.”
While we were away, April would stay here, taking care of my cherished home.
She straightened the pile and added more, shaking her head while she did. “Only if I can find a man hanging around Savannah that looks half as good as yours.”
Just the mention of Sebastian spiked my pulse, need fluttering low in my belly at the mere thought of him touching me again. “Um…you have seen my husband? I’m not sure that’s possible.”
Almost two weeks had passed since the last time I’d seen him. Every day had felt like forever and the next even longer. They’d finally wrapped up the tour and returned to California two days ago. First thing in the morning, Kallie and I would be boarding a plane to reunite with him.
Threads of anticipation and warmth weaved through my chest, an intricate pattern of desire and comfort.
Never would I have thought a man like him could have provided me both.
The man hard and rigid and bold, yet still so impeccably soft.
God, I couldn’t wait to get wrapped in the safety of his arms.
Over the last few months, I’d gained another best friend. I also gained some of my confidence back. Since moving back to Savannah, I’d known joy. A true sense of family.
But it was Sebastian who’d completed that family.
That didn’t mean my emotions weren’t all over the place. This morning I’d hopped out of bed more excited than I’d been in a long, long time, then this afternoon I’d fallen to my knees and hugged a quilt my grandmother had made to my chest while I’d wept. Leaving this house, even if only temporary, felt as if I were leaving a piece of myself behind.
But all great relationships required sacrifice.
And I would make this one, whether if it was for a moment or a lifetime.
Did I hope we ended up back here? In this home I loved with all of me? With the sound of Kallie’s voice and the laughter of the children we added to our family echoing through it?
Yes.
But the love I had for Sebastian was so much greater than any place, because there was no way what I felt for him could be contained by walls or floors or ceilings.
April chuckled as she organized more of Kallie’s things. “Nice. Go and get my hopes up and then turn around and burst my bubble by bringing me back down to reality. Some friend you are. Take all the good guys and don’t leave any for the rest of us.”
“Ha. That pack of wild boys? They are far from mine.”
“Oh, please.” She rolled affectionate brown eyes. “Any one of those guys would walk through fire for you. When did that happen?”
I gestured to Kallie who was lost in concentration as she strategically packed her backpack with things to entertain her during the flight. “I’m pretty sure it was Kallie who happened. She has every last one of them wrapped around her fingers.”