Page 40 of In the Lonely Hour

One Month Later

“How long you gon’ sit out here?” Andres asked, caressing her hand with his thumb.

“I just want to be prepared just in case she needs me.”

“So you’re going to sit in the car all day?”

“Just until Dior gets out of school.”

“Bae…”

“I know you think I’m overreacting but it’s my baby’s first day of high school.”

“We did everything we could to make today as easy for her as possible. She’s going to be okay, beautiful.”

Layla pouted as she looked over at him. Today would have been twice as hard if he hadn’t been by her side. She hadn’t heard from Carlos at all, but that didn’t surprise her. After their divorce, he didn’t hesitate to sign his rights over to Dior. It hurt Layla for a brief moment, but she knew she shouldn’t have been surprised.

Because the domestic violence charge was his first offense, his lawyer was able to get him off with anger management and probation. That didn’t matter because Andres and his brother took matters into their own hands. While Andres hadn’t specifically admitted to being behind the attack on Carlos that put him in the hospital, she knew he was responsible because Andres came home that same night with bloody and swollen knuckles.

They’d already discussed Andres legally adopting Dior, but they were taking things slow. Right now, their main priority was getting her adjusted in high school. Everything else could wait.

“Okay. We can go inside. I need to start packing anyway.”

“Good.”

Andres got out of the car and headed to Layla’s side. Carlos agreed to Layla keeping the house if it meant he didn’t have to pay her any alimony, and instead of staying there, she decided to sell it. The profit was more than enough for her to pay all of their bills for the next two years while she finished school to get her hospital administration degree.

When Andres first offered his home to them, Layla declined. Then, she asked Dior if she would be comfortable with it, and she was excited and looking forward to having the both of them around full time. She even asked if they planned to get married and give her a baby brother or sister, which totally caught Layla off guard. Still, she was happy that those were things Dior was looking forward to because they both, indeed, were going to happen.

Hand in hand, they headed into what would soon no longer be her home, and Layla was excited about this new phase in all their lives.

When she almost stepped on the box by the front door, she muttered, “Oop,” quickly as she released his hand. “What is this?” She lowered to open the box. “Is this what you came back to do before we left?” Layla gasped at the sight of the small sleeping Husky pup. “Dreeee,” she stretched, lifting the puppy up and hugging him.

“I figured since Tiny was the reason we met in the first place, getting a dog of our own could be a good start to our new journey.” She pouted as she ran her cheek across the dog. “I wanted to get one that was still small so Dior could train him and…”

Layla kissed his words away, wrapping her hand around the back of his neck to keep him right where she wanted him.

“You’re amazing, you know that?”

Andres smiled. “Just when I’m with you.”

Her head shook before she took his lips between hers again, not pulling away until the pup began to whine in her arms.

“Look at you, trying to take all the attention already,” Andres teased, causing Layla to laugh before she rubbed the top of the pup’s head.

“You have nothing to worry about. Under God and Dior, there’s nothing in my life more important and worthy of my attention than you.” She paused briefly before declaring for the first time, “I love you.”

His hand squeezed her ass as he moaned before capturing her lips again. “I love you too. Damn, I’ve waited so long to say that shit to you.”

When she opened her mouth to reply, Andres kissed her again. It didn’t appear to matter how often they made love now… it always seemed to be consumed by a fervent need to make itlast. As if they feared one day something would try to pull them apart again. But it wouldn’t. Ever. Layla would make sure of that.

That Evening

Swallowing hard, Layla stared at her phone as Carlos’s call went to voicemail for the third time. She hadn’t talked to him for a while and had no idea why he was calling her. No part of Layla wanted to believe he was calling because he remembered it was Dior’s first day of high school… but other than that, what could he have possibly wanted? When he called again, she inhaled a deep, shaky breath and answered.

“Hello?”

“Layla… hey.”

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