Page 28 of Every Single Vow
“I’m good. Maddox is waiting in the truck.” She taps her fingers on the island, hovering next to a barstool.
“Ivy.” I brace a hand on the counter. “Spit it out.”
“He kissed you,” she blurts.
“Was it that obvious?” I tease.
She laughs. “I thought he was going to swallow your face.”
I feign annoyance. “He thought it wasa nice touch.”
“It was a touch alright,” she quips.
I reach for a dirty cup in the sink, trying to keep myself from blushing. “You know Coop. He takes his roles seriously. Remember when he was Peter Pan in the high school play?”
“Oh my God.” She leans her head back on a laugh. “Ryder never let him live those green tights down.”
“Neither did I.” I grin.
Her smile fades, and her eyes turn soft. “You know, it wouldn’t be so bad if this was…. real.”
I freeze, my hands resting under the cold faucet. “Ivy….”
She lifts her palms. “I’m not meddling. I just want you both to be happy. And if this is something that would make you happy….”
I flip off the faucet. “You know I love him. He’s always been there for me, but I’m not….” I pause, trying to put how I feel into words. “He deserves the best.”
She tilts her head to the side. “And what makes you think you aren’t?”
My phone buzzes on the counter, dragging my attention away for a split second. When I see the name flashing across the screen, my entire body stills.
Bzzzz.Bzzz.
I blink, my vision growing blurry. I know I shouldn’t answer. I know he doesn’t deserve my time. My breath. But there’s always that little voice in my head. That voice that guilts me into picking up the phone. Guilt that eats at my soul.He’s in there because of you.
My shaky hand reaches for my cell, my pulse thudding as I hit accept. The recorded voice comes on the other end of the line.You have a collect call from Cove County Correctional Facility fromBilly Sterling.Press one to accept.
I grip the edge of the counter, while Ivy moves quickly toward me, her expression worried.
I bring the phone down, pressing the numberonewith an unsteady hand. Lifting it back to my ear, I hold my breath.
“Dakota.” His voice flows through the phone, the tone just as berating as it’s always been.
“Billy,” I grind out.
“Got good news.” He chuckles, the rasp causing my skin to crawl. “Daddy’s coming home.”
And just like that, when I thought everything would be falling into place, suddenly, it was falling apart.
Chapter seventeen
Cooper
Sixteen Years Old
The buzzer that sounds through the arena indicates the end of the ride. The bare back event just started, which meant Dakota was late. I scan the crowd from our seat in the bleachers, looking for long legs and a contagious smile. She was supposed to be catching a ride with Laiken and considering Laiken is already here, I’m assuming it didn’t pan out.
I lean forward to see around Maddox and Ryder.
