Page 103 of Never Really Over

I chuckle and shake my head. “You’re a saint, Bridget.”

“Don’t I know it.”

For the next thirty minutes, we walk around every inch of Natalie’s house and with Layla by my side, I don’t feel weak. Her hand in mine gives me the strength I need to be in Natalie’s space and not curl up in the corner and cry.

“She had great taste,” Bridget says carefully.

“She did. She loved decorating, especially for the holidays. She’d go all out.”

“I can picture it,” she replies, looking around.

“I know Dalton said it already, but if you’re ready to sell it, I’d love to make this our home. If you haven’t decided what you’re doing with the living room furniture, we’d like to roll that into the purchase price. The appliances, too. We have our things from the Chicago apartment, but we’ll put those in the basement since it’s already finished. I want to make this easy on you, because I know we are kind of pressuring you into this and I feel bad about that but the baby is coming and as much as I like Dalton’s parents, living there isn’t ideal. Here’s our offer. I think it’s above market value, but we can add more on since we want to keep some of the things.”

She hands me a piece of paper and I look at Dalton, who’s smiling like a loon.

“You gonna tell her no?”

“She’s a force, huh?”

“You said it, not me,” he says, laughing. He hands Poppy to Layla and moves to stand in front of me. “What do you think?”

I look at Layla and she gives me an encouraging nod.

“Unofficially, the house is yours, pending whatever we need to do to make it official, that is.”

Bridget rushes over and gives me a tight hug. “Thank you,” she whispers.

“You’re welcome. Do right by it.”

“We will. You have my word,” Dalton promises.

Hours later, we’re back at my house, Poppy, Layla and I gathered together in the living room, playing and watching a cartoon movie that Poppy could care less about but Layla and I are engrossed.

Layla’s leaning against me and I’m stretched out on the couch when Poppy climbs up to cuddle with us. She sprawls out on Layla’s chest, playing with her hair and sticks her thumb in her mouth.

I kiss the top of Layla’s head and she sighs.

“Everything,” she whispers and I know what she means.

I open my mouth to reply and my phone chimes with a text. What I see on the screen makes me laugh out loud.

“What is it?”

“He’s such a tool.”

She takes the phone from my outstretched hand and starts laughing with me. A picture of Dalton glares back at us, he’s wearing the most ridiculous outfit I’ve ever seen. One of those shirts that look like a tux but is actually just a t-shirt, holding a huge bouquet of fake flowers and an actual pin with the words ‘World’s Best Man of Honor’ pinned to the front of the shirt.

In the text he sent accompanying the photo:I love being right.

Chapter Twenty

Layla

In CaseYou Didn’t Know

“Needyou back in my bed soon, Layla,” Colt growls through the phone.

I could play coy, like I don’t want that more than anything, and it might even be fun to tease him. But I don’t have it in me.

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