Page 67 of Endlessly Yours
“I don’t always feel like it. Alice… I think Alice is doing okay.”
“She loves you.”
“She loves you too,” I blurted.
“Yeah, that kid has me wrapped around her finger. Hell, so does Cameron, even though I want to growl at her.”
“Sometimes I need to growl at her too. But her therapist and I are working on it. One day, she’s not going to roll her eyes at me. However, that day will probably be on her 13th birthday when she turns into a teenager, and suddenly, it’ll be a whole new set of eye-rolling.”
“You know, that’s going to happen.”
“I went from zero to teenager in a blink, and I’m kind of sad I didn’t get the baby years.”
“Did you ever want to be a mom?” he asked softly.
“Maybe. I mean, I always thought I would. Once I found the right guy.” I quickly looked down at my tablet, trying not to meet his gaze at that.
“Amara and I had wanted kids, and then she got sick, and kids didn’t happen. But I figured I’d be a good dad. At least I’m a decent uncle with Faith, and I guess with my cousins’ kids. They all call me uncle. It’s a little too difficult to figure out family connections the other way.”
I met his gaze then and leaned forward, brushing my lips against his.
“You’re a great uncle, and you’re amazing with the girls. Honestly, I don’t know how I would be functioning right now without you or the Wilders.”
“You make me happy, Rory,” he said reverently.
My heart thudded in my chest. “Yeah?”
“Yes. I didn’t realize how unhappy I was, even if I thought I was doing okay. So thank you, for making me happy.”
I sighed into him as his lips brushed against mine. “I don’t think we’re going to get any work done,” I teased.
“I don’t think so either. Come on, let me take you to bed.”
“I do like the sound of that.”
“And then, one day, I’m going to actually take you out on a date.”
I held both of our wine glasses as he took our tablets, and I frowned.
“What do you mean, we eat together often, you’re here most nights, I thought we were dating?” I asked, suddenly feeling awkward.
“Rory, yes. I think we’re beyond whatever the name is, considering how many nights I spend here. But I rarely get to actually take you out. Just the two of us.”
“We went rollerskating with the girls.”
“Yes, and had greasy chicken sandwiches and onion rings, and it was the best food I’ve had in a while as long as you don’t tell Kendall that.”
I snorted. “I promise.”
“And we went to that baseball game, and we eat at the Wilder Retreat often, and we do all of that, with the girls. And I think it’s about time I spoil you. Just saying.”
I smiled then and let him kiss me softly until my toes curled.
“Come on, let’s get upstairs.”
We set the wine glasses in the dishwasher, turned off the lights, and I let him carry me upstairs, knowing the girls were safe, and I was in the arms of the man who literally swept me off my feet.
Maybe, just maybe, I was doing this whole life thing right.
