Page 25 of If You Love Me

She ran full force into my arms, and I scooped her up, locking her into a tearful embrace.

“Hi, baby…” I whispered. “I’m so happy to see you, Summer.”

“You came back,” she repeated through her sobs. “Is this for real?”

I gave a tearful giggle as I placed her on her feet and kneeled in front of her.

“It’s real, baby. I’ve thought about you every single day.” Cupping her face, I kissed her forehead. “Mommy is sorry she missed so much of your life. I know I can’t make up for the time we’ve lost, but I promise to be here for everything moving forward. I’m never leaving you again.”

She smiled as her little hand touched all over my face and hair like she was trying to commit me to memory.

The clicking of heels broke my gaze as someone else entered the house and closed the door. My eyes landed on the beautifulwoman standing next to the door, nervously picking at her hands. She wouldn’t look at me, but her eyes searched the room until they found my husband’s.

I stood to my feet. “Who is this?” I asked, my eyes never leaving the woman.

“That’s what I was trying to tell you,” my husband said from behind me. Tyrion slowly went over and draped an arm around her.

“Ev… this is Iona… my fiancée.”

8

Iona

So this was her.

The infamous Evenie Lewis.

I could see why Tyrion had such a hard time moving on. She was absolutely beautiful. I mean, there was also the fact that she was his missing wife that kept him from moving on, but the woman was gorgeous. She stared at me for the longest time before turning her gaze to Tyrion. The hurt in her eyes was clear.

“Fiancée,” she whispered.

“I was gonna tell you, Ev,” Tyrion said. “Everything just… today happened so fast.”

She pursed her lips, tears brimming in her eyes.

“Why don’t I cook us something to eat,” Mrs. Pauline suggested. “Cairo, come help me in the kitchen.”

I could tell she didn’t want to be a part of this conversation by the way she ushered her husband out of the room.

“Daddy, is Mommy gonna stay here?” Summer Rose asked.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea,” Evenie said.

“But you can’t leave. I just got you. Daddy, don’t let her go!”

She ran over to her father, giving him the saddest puppy-dog eyes. He looked down at her. Forever the sucker, I could tell he was going to concede.

“You can stay a couple of days, can’t you?” he asked his wife.

“You can sleep in my room,” Summer offered. “We can have a sleepover.”

Evenie’s face softened as she looked at Summer but hardened as she looked at me.

“I guess since this is no longer my home, I should ask if you’re okay with that,” she said to me.

I pulled back the frown I felt about to pop up. She didn’t have to put me on the spot like that. Of course, I couldn’t look like the bad guy and say no. Missing wife and mother be damned. I didn’t want another woman under the same roof with my man, especially one who clearly still loved him.

I smiled. “Of course it’s fine. I think it’s a great chance for you and Summer to spend some time together until we can work out something more permanent.”

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