Page 27 of I'm Yours

He shakes his head. “Thought we established there’s no need for apologies. But maybe once things calm down a little bit and I’m settled, we can get together and you can give me that update on your life?”

My breath stalls and my nose stings. It’s clear he’s asking as a friend but I lost my heart to Reed years ago and never got it back. I can’t stop myself from hoping that maybe one day there could be more. “Are you… really?”

“Yeah. Of course.”

“It won’t be weird?”

“Weird? Probably.” He smirks. “But, I’m living here again. For good. You’re a business owner,” he says like it’s part question but one that he knows the answer to. I nod and he continues, “So I assume you’re not going anywhere either, right?”

“Right.”

After a few beats he adds, “Gotta say, I really didn’t expect to see you still living in Lakeside.”

“Where did you think I’d gone?” I almost laugh. It’s not as if my list of options was long. Or even short. One. I had one option. Whether or not my mother was sick is beside the point. I had no money for college, not that I had the grades to support extending my education or a desire to do so. But no money also meant no way to move. I discovered that my life was in Lakeside whether I wanted it to be or not, and in the end, I wanted it to be. I like it here. It’s my home.

“I don’t know. Married to Billy?” His voice is quiet, barely above a whisper but not angry or irritated. Which is good. If he was upset about it he’s not showing it. Not that he would have a right. I also don’t really like the way my heart hurts at the thought that he doesn’t care that I almost married someone else. I didn’t necessarily jump for joy after he married Katherine. Crap, even my internal thoughts are all over the place. I can hardly focus on the discussion we’re having.

“Nope.” That’s all the answer he’s getting. For now, anyway.

“Well, then, I will ask again. I would like to get to know Sadie Jones, the adult business-owner and teacher of dancing, including teaching my mother to dance on a pole.”

I push down the excited butterflies that flutter in my stomach. “Okay.”

“Okay.” He smiles that smile and I realize I’m in a hell of a lot of trouble.

Chapter Eight

Reed

“Daddy!” Emmy jumps into my waiting arms, wrapping her tiny little legs around me.

“I missed you today, Emmy.”

“I didn’t miss you. I had fun!”

I press a hand to my chest while keeping hold of her with my other arm. “Wound me. That’s harsh, baby girl. Harsh.”

She giggles and hugs me again before wiggling to be let down. I reach down and hold her hand and walk across the parking lot crosswalk to my pickup. A quick glance tells me that several moms are staring at the two of us but I do my best to ignore them, rather than tell them to mind their own business. I knew Emmy and I would be talked about with her not having a mother and me moving back to town, considering that eighty percent of Lakeside’s population is generational. I also have changed quite a bit over the years. When I lived here, I was smaller and free of tattoos.

I get her situated in her car seat and once we’re on the road, I look at her in the back seat. She has a wistful smile on her face, but she looks like she’s been through the ringer. Her braids are no longer neat, rather little hairs are sticking out everywhere, and her outfit from this morning is askew. There’s smudges of dirt on her cheeks and what looks like ketchup on the corner of her mouth. “Rough day?”

“Recess is serious business, Daddy.”

“It looks like it. Wanna get that wood chip out of your hair or is that part of your battle scars that you’re going to show Grandma and Grandpa?”

“I’ll show them. They’ll be proud of me.”

Proud of her for looking like she needs a good long bath? Actually, that’s probably not far off. My dad is a firm believer in making sure that kids spend plenty of time outdoors and the dirtier they can get the better. She just secured her place in his will for sure.

Emmy starts talking about her day unprompted and makes sure to tell me that she and her new bestie need a playdate really, really soon and that it’s not fair if we have to wait for it to happen. I have no idea why she thinks that’s unfair, especially since I didn’t argue with her about it and this is the first I’ve heard of it, but I’m not about to start an argument with her.

“I’m sure we can arrange that.”

“Oh, yay! Thank you, Daddy!”

“You’re welcome, baby. Glad you found a new friend.”

“She’s mybestfriend,” she corrects me haughtily. “And guess what?”

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