Page 58 of Mr. Almost

“Please, this is really important to me. If you want, you can even invite Chloe. It’s probably best anyway. The more people you and Ari are comfortable with, the better.”

“Chloe is all I have other than Ari. She’s it,” I admit.

“You have me too, Liv.” He reaches out, holding my hand.

He has been here. I’m still not convinced it will last, but I do believe he will at least always take care of Ari. Isn’t that what I always wanted? Can I really refuse and keep my daughter from people who may love her?

I can’t.

“When were you wanting to do this?” I ask after a moment of silence.

“As soon as possible. Honestly, I don’t know how much longer I can keep my mouth shut.” He shakes his head with a pained look on his face.

“I never asked you to do that,” I remind him.

“I know, but I needed to convince you that I am here to stay before I let them descend. They are going to want to be a part of her life. I just didn’t realize how hard it would be not talking about her.”

I smile ruefully. “Right? I’m better about it now, but when she was a baby, all I wanted to do was talk about everything new she did. It drove my study group in college crazy, but they just didn’t get it.”

A sad smile crosses his face. “I wish I could have been there.”

“Me too, but you’re here now,” I say quietly before taking a deep breath. “Set it up, and we’ll be there. Let me know when, and I’ll ask Chloe if she would like to come.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I just hope it goes as well as you think it will.”

His mother didn’t take it well, so I’m a little concerned about his friends. Max is also my boss, but I guess, in a way, Mason is too. I hope it all works out.

A smile crosses his face. “Thank you, and trust me, you have nothing to worry about.”

I give him a small smile, hoping to hide my nerves.

Guess we are jumping into the deep end now.

MASON

Livvy paces in front of me in the kitchen of my home. “What if they don’t like us?”

I finally convinced her that she would feel better if they were encroaching on my place instead of hers. Hers is like home base. Safety for her. I didn’t want to take that away.

Plus, I’m hoping to get her more comfortable here. After admitting she hates her place while drunk the other night, I have wanted to move her in here. I have to ease her into it, though.

I’m a patient man.

“They are going to love you two,” I reassure her.

Her eyes widen. “But what if they don’t?”

I walk around my kitchen island and place my hands on her shoulders, holding her still and look her in the eye. “I promise you, they will love you and Ari. They are going to fall head over heels in love with her and want to spoil her rotten.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I do. Now take a deep breath for me.”

She does as I ask, and I smile. “Good girl.”

Her eyes flare at the term of endearment. Interesting, I’ll have to remember that for later.

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