Page 70 of The Last Thing
“Do you need more right now? I can bring some over. I need to change quick before I take you to school.”
Sophia shakes her head. “I’m all good for now. Thanks, though.”
Then she scampers out of the room again, and Hallie slowly makes her way toward the door.
Her hand stills on the doorknob, and she glances over at me. “Thank you.”
It’s so quiet I barely hear it, and she leaves before I can say anything, but it hits me straight in the heart.
It’s becominga routine for Hallie to go to her apartment for a bit after dinner, then come back and do Sophia’s hair before bed. Sometimes she also reads her a story. And when Sophia is finally asleep and I make my way out to the living room, she’s always sitting on my couch, usually reading something on her e-reader.
“What’s the book of choice tonight?” I ask, taking a seat next to her.
“A romance for the Baker girls book club. We finally finished going through Jade’s backlist, so we’re digging through her friend Zoey’s books now. They’re really good so far.”
“Justin’s wife Jade? She’s an author?”
“Yep. That’s how they connected. Justin narrates books. And is on the cover of a bunch too.”
“Wow. Authors, narrators, football players. Any other high-profile people you know?”
“I know the Metros newest pitcher.”
I gape at her. “The New York Metros… You know Jamie Henderson?”
She laughs and sets her e-reader aside. “Not well, but yeah. I’ve met him a couple of times. He and his girlfriend rent the apartment above my old one in the city. My parents own the building. But that’s not actually how I met him. You do realize he’s from Ida, right? Mark’s cousin is a friend of his, and Jade knows his girlfriend.”
I blink at her in disbelief, and she laughs again.
“You’re the small-town boy. Shouldn’t you know this is how they work? And Zoey, the other author, is from Lacy Creek.”
“Wait. Seriously? What’s her full name?”
“Zoey Holloway.”
“She was a grade ahead of me in school.”
“You really need to get back in the small-town groove. You’re out of touch.”
I grab her legs and swing them onto my lap, massaging them. Another part of our routine, though I can tell she’s trying not to get too used to it.
“You’re probably right about that. After Sophia was born—hell, when my ex was pregnant with her—my sole focus became being a provider or caretaker. I stopped going out with friends orreally doing much of anything. And once I had Sophia… I made her my entire focus. When you said that, I wanted to deny it, tell you how wrong you were. But there was truth to your words. Soph is my life. I’ve let go of a lot of myself without realizing it. I don’t want to do that. Because you’re right. She deserves to see the fun side of me.”
“It came out over the weekend.”
“Because of you. You… give me the safety to let that side of me out. To find it again. Thank you for that.”
Her gaze lingers on me. “It’s the least I can do for all the ways you take care of me.” She nods toward my hands on her legs, then her eyes go to the refrigerator. “It might seem like nothing to you, but you stocking up on the foods I can easily eat means a lot to me. It’s so simple, but it’s also thoughtful. If we’re admitting things, I didn’t want to believe your words about taking care of me could be the truth. It would’ve hurt too much if they weren’t. But I’m glad they are.” Her eyes meet mine. “No one besides my parents has ever taken care of me like this. Thank you.”
“You don’t ever have to thank me. It’s my honor to be the man who gets to do it.”
She stares at me for a moment, then in a swift movement, pulls her legs from my hands and climbs onto my lap.
Dragging her fingers through my hair, she stares down at me, emotion brimming in her eyes. Then her lips land on mine in a desperate kiss. The first one she’s initiated since the night we met.
I lose myself in her lips and tongue. In the passion she pours into me.
The sinful groan I let out spurs her on, and she grinds against me, kissing me deeper, almost frantically, like if she stops, I’ll disappear.
