Page 48 of Seeking Happily Ever After

She let herself cry until, finally, there were no more tears and she dropped backward so she was lying on the wooden deck, flat on her back.

The moment she closed her eyes, a wet tongue licked at her face with the enthusiasm only a puppy could have.

Steph squealed and sat up, wrapping her arms around Tinker Bell, who’d grown remarkably larger since she’d seen her last. “Oh my goodness.” She laughed. “Aren’t you the sweetest thing. And you’ve grown. You’re going to be a big girl.”

“Hey. Don’t give her body issues.”

Steph’s head snapped up to see Travis, looking every bit as sexy as the last time she’d seen him. Only this time, he was once more dressed in his usual cowboy boots, worn jeans, and a T-shirt. He looked down at her with a cocky grin, but it dissolved into a frown of concern when he saw her.

“Hey.” He crouched down so he was eye to eye with her. “What’s wrong? I didn’t mean to…are you okay, Steph?”

His voice was so tender, and the hand that reached out to wipe a lingering tear from her cheek was equally tender, that it caused a fresh round of tears to well up in her eyes.

Still with the puppy in her lap, Steph buried her face in Tinker Bell’s fur. “No,” she said. “I mean…yes. I’m fine.” She looked up when he put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s just a lot built up and…well…I think I’m lonely.” It was the most simplistic thing she could think to say. But she couldn’t bring herself to rehash everything with Nick and Char and the baby. Besides, she didn’t know what she should say about that situation, so it was probably easier not to say anything. Besides, shewaslonely. And when, a moment later, Travis moved so he sat next to her on the porch and slipped an arm over her shoulders as if it were the most natural thing in the whole world, she suddenly didn’t feel quite so lonely anymore.

His arm was warm, and reflexively, she snuggled into him. Travis wrapped his other arm around her and stroked her hair while the puppy bounced around them and alternately licked at their hands and tried to bite at their clothes. Finally, Tinker Bell managed to get her tongue in her ear. Steph squealed and laughed and tried to pull away to wipe her ear, but Travis held her fast. When she turned to look at him in question, the intensity in his gaze took her breath away and the laughter died on her lips.

He shifted a little so he could put one hand on her cheek. Travis held her in place and lowered his face to hers in a kiss that erased every single trace of loneliness she’d ever felt in her entire life.

ChapterFourteen

No.No. No.

This wasn’t happening. It couldn’t be happening.

Charlotte worked hard to make the smile she’d pasted on her face look as natural as possible when she returned from the bedroom, where she’d called Nick in a panic.

She didn’t want to worry him while he was in the city and so far away, but there was no other option. She was here. In their home. And she wanted their baby.

Their baby.

It was the first thought that popped into her head when the woman who’d introduced herself as Jessica said she was there for her daughter.

No.

Amelia washerdaughter. And Nick’s. Mostly Nick’s. But still, Charlotte’s too. Sort of. In a roundabout way.

But most certainly wasnotJessica’s daughter.

She’d given her up. She’d abandoned her. She couldn’t have her back. Not just like that. Not if Charlotte had anything to say about it.

“Well?” Jessica turned around, her hair swinging behind her.

As much as Charlotte didn’t want to notice—or care—shereallydidn’t want to care—Jessica was pretty. She was petite, almost tiny. And she had a fragility about her. She wore very little makeup, which only made her look younger. And more innocent than she currently did. If it was even possible.

And Nick had been with her. They’d dated. Or not really, according to Nick. They weren’t really in a relationship, but she had met when Nick was in hisparty phase,which had ended abruptly when Amelia came into his life. He’d told her that Jessica was still in that phase. A drug addict with no capacity to take care of a child. This woman in front of her didn’t look like an addict. Sure, she looked tired and worn out, but that didn’t make her unfit.

“Will Nick be home soon?” Jessica prodded when Charlotte didn’t answer. “With Amelia?”

Charlotte had panicked when Jessica told her she was there for her baby, so she’d said the first thing she could think of: Nick had the baby with him in the city. She’d hoped that would be enough to get rid of her. It wasn’t. She’d insisted on waiting.

“It could be a few hours,” Char said. “I just spoke to him and he’s changing his plans, but it’ll take some time to get back home. It is a bit of a drive.”

Jessica sat, uninvited, on the couch. “I’ll wait.” She offered Charlotte a small shrug. “I don’t really have anywhere to go, you know? I just came for Amelia.”

Again, Charlotte’s gut clenched. And she was thankful she’d sent the baby with Katie. She’d be safe there and it would buy her some time before Nick got there. Thinking of Katie, she needed to text her to let her know that—

“Are you Nick’s girlfriend?”

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