Page 73 of I'm Yours

“Yeah, your mom mentioned that. Told me a little bit. I’ve seen pictures.”

“She had a huge heart for women’s causes. She had a friend in college who was hurt… physically assaulted by a boyfriend. Katherine was there for her. She’d volunteer her time at shelters, donate what she could. That was her passion.”

“She sounds like a wonderful person.”

“She was. She had her faults just like we all do. But she was a good mom. Loved Emmy.”

“Can I ask why you didn’t have more?”

“You can ask anything, Sadie. But to answer your question, it was because of the postpartum. It was hard on her. We were happy with just Emmy.”

“I see.” I wonder if that means he would want more children. And there I go… running to catch up, just like he said. Rushing things.

“Yeah.”

“I’m here, Reed. For whenever you’re ready.”

“Is it a problem if I’m ready now?”

“For what?”

“Everything.”

I roll to my back and smile to the ceiling, placing a hand over my racing heart. “It’s not a problem.”

“Good. I want to take our time, though. I meant it when I said I’ve carried you with me, Sadie Jones.”

“I’ve carried you with me, too.”

“You were right earlier, when you said we don’t know each other as adults.”

“It’s weird, right?”

“A little,” he admits. “We missed things. Things I’m sure neither of us understand.”

Like pole dancing. Stripping. Me being engaged to Billy.

“Like you owning a wilderness store. Never thought I’d see the day.”

He laughs, a deep chuckle in my ear that has me rubbing my legs together. “It was… different. Owned it with my best buddy, though, so it was fun. I think he’s coming out soon. He talked to me about it a while ago about spending some time here toward the end of the month.”

“Fun.”

“He’ll want to meet you.”

“Really?” I squeak. “So he knows about me?”

“Yeah.”

Wow. I don’t know what to say to that. I want to ask if he was close with Katherine and if I’ll be “the other woman” in his eyes but I don’t have the courage to. At least not yet. “Does he still own it?”

“He does. He’s got good managers, though, he needs a break because he’s getting burned out. I’ve tried to convince him to come to Lakeside for years. Now, I think he’s visiting mainly for Emmy.”

“She does tend to get people wrapped around her finger.”

“Ha!” he barks out a laugh. “That she does. Knows it, too. Little stinker. I swear she can just bat her big brown eyes at anyone and they’ll succumb to her every whim. He’s the worst, though. Can’t say no to her. If she wants to put makeup on him and paint his fingernails, he’d let her. Not that I have much room to talk.”

I giggle. “Your friend… what’s his name?”

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