Page 52 of A Better Place

We walk up the stairs to Carly’s house just as the front door bursts open, revealing a Santa-hat-wearing Jack, smiling big in our direction.

“Welcome!” he shouts. He walks the few steps down and engulfs Lily in a hug, lifting her off the ground a few feet before setting her back down, causing me to look over in confusion.

“Uhh, Lily, meet Jack. Jack, meet Lily, my daughter?”

“Duh.”

Lily starts laughing at the look on my face. “Dad. Jack and I talk all the time.”

“What?”

“Grady may have given us each other’s phone numbers,” Jack explains.

Like father like son.

“It’s good to see you, in person, I mean.”

“You too, Jack.” Lily pulls away slightly from Jack, looking up at his face, then grips his biceps. “Dang, boy. You’re way bigger than I thought you’d be.”

He laughs then bends his arm, flexing for her.

“That’s right.”

“But yet, just as much as a goofball as I have come to expect.”

“Wait. I’m still confused.”

I’m waiting for an explanation when the words are frozen on my tongue. A feeling of awareness skates down my spine, and I look over to the door. Standing on the front step, leaning against the wooden pillar, is my girl. She’s in flannel pajamas, as is Jack. Nothing could be more perfect. She couldn’t be more perfect. My beautiful, once-broken girl. How she was broken I still don’t know, but I will. Because I know deep down in my gut that she is. But I also know that I’m piecing together all those broken pieces.

Forgetting the questions I still have about how Lily and Jack know each other, I stride to Carly. I stop at one step below where she’s standing, making it so we’re almost the same height. I wrap my arms around her and bury my head in her neck, inhaling deeply.

“Merry Christmas, beautiful,” I murmur.

Her body shivers, and she whimpers quietly before leaning back slightly and looking up at me, those deep brown eyes filled with wonder and affection, cheeks a little rosy from standing outside in the winter cold. She bites her bottom lip, and I almost groan. What I wouldn’t give to be the one who’s biting her lip, or… well, a lot of other places. My mind is quickly jetting off into territory it absolutely shouldn’t when our children are standing six feet away, but I can’t seem to help myself.

My eyes remain on her mouth until she releases her lip. I’m so close to her I can feel the breath that expels from her lungs against my lips. I inhale her breath deeply, soaking in all that she’s willing to give me. Each moment we’re together she graces me with a tiny bit more of herself, and as much as I want all of her heart… all of her mind… my body is aching for hers.

I don’t know if that makes me an asshole or not, but it is what it is. My dreams at night are filled with visions of her. And more often than not, I find myself waking up with my hand in my boxers.

But I wait. I wait because she’s worth it. I wait because there’s no one else for me but her, and I’m willing to give her the time she needs, deserves.

“Merry Christmas.” Her voice. Damn. Her voice is silk and sweet. It’s seduction and goodness. I’m so lost to this girl, running through the maze blindly, not even caring to find my way back.

“Dad?”

“Yeah?” I ask, not looking away from Carly.

“Dad!” Lily shouts, laughing.

“What baby?”

Carly raises her eyebrows at me.

“Oh shit! Yeah. Okay. Lily, come here. Meet my girl, Carly. And you apparently already know Jack.”

Lily walks up to the stairs and pushes me out of the way. I feign being wounded and stumble down a step and over into the banister. The girls — and holy shit, I just said the girls, meaning my two girls — both roll their eyes and laugh at me. Then I see something that will be branded into my soul for eternity and thank God for that.

Carly takes Lily’s face in her hands, Lily’s hands going around Carly’s wrists.

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