Asher sinks deeper into his pillows, exhaustion pulling at his features, but relief flickers warm across his face.“I’m glad you’re both here.”
“I’m glad you’re okay,” I say, exhaling slowly, the weight pressing on my chest finally cracking open.“And I’m sorry.”
Asher tilts his head, brows pinching.“What for?”
“I let you down, bro. I should’ve checked the damn tree.” The words scrape out of me, raw and heavy.
“Stop it. Right fucking now.” Asher’s voice is hoarse but sharp, cutting through the guilt like a blade.“I checked the damn tree myself. But the fire was unpredictable that day. You jumped under a freaking falling tree on fire for me. The last thing youneed to do is apologize.” His jaw tightens, eyes shining.“I’m the one who should’ve made sure it was safe. I put you in danger.”
I shake my head, stepping closer.“I’ll always jump through hell for my men,” I tell him quietly, meeting his eyes without flinching.“Especially my brother.”
Asher swallows and nods. And something in me unclenches again, slowly, steadily, like a wound beginning to knit.
CHAPTER 23
Summer
It’s Saturday evening, and Ethan is taking me out to dinner at an Italian restaurant before we go dancing at Midnight Rodeo. I look at myself once more in the mirror, hands smoothing down my beige jumpsuit, long sheer sleeves, a soft golden belt at my waist, and my brown cowgirl boots that shouldn’t work with the outfit but somehow do. My hair hangs in loose curls, pinned on one side with a gold comb. I slip on my brown wool trench coat and wrap my golden scarf around my neck, the fabric warm against my collarbone.
“Mommy, you look beautiful.”
Mia toddles over and throws her arms around my legs.
“Thank you, pumpkin.” I crouch down, brushing a curl from her forehead.
“You going out with Efan?”
I nod, though my heart squeezes. How do you explain dating to a four-year-old without confusing or scaring her?
“I like Efan,” she says brightly.“He has superpowers.”
A tiny laugh escapes me.“He does,” I whisper, because honestly… he kind of does.
She tilts her head, blue eyes full of pure innocence.“Is Efan my new daddy now, Mommy?”
My stomach drops to the floor. I inhale slowly, praying for the right words.
“Right now,” I say gently,“Mommy and Ethan are just dating.” Even as I say it, I know it won’t fully make sense to her, but it’s the closest thing to truth she can understand.“I’m getting to know him, spending time with him… and I really like him.”
“Oh.” She looks down at her socks, picking at a loose thread. Her voice softens.“I really like Efan.”
“I really like him too,” I say, tapping her tiny nose.“And I’m pretty sure he loves you very much.”
She nods, but something in her shoulders shifts, small, quiet longing.
A thought presses into me, heavy and unwelcome.“Do you miss your daddy, pumpkin?” My voice wavers; I don’t want the answer, but she deserves the space to say it.
She shrugs.“Ava has a daddy. And Landon has a daddy too…” She lists her little friends from kindergarten.“They asked me if Efan is my daddy because he comes take me from school sometimes.”
Guilt stabs me clean through. This little girl, my little girl, deserved a good father who showed up. And even though I know it’s not my fault… somehow it still feels like I’ve failed her.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart,” I whisper, forcing a smile.“I bet your daddy misses you and thinks about you all the time.”
I hate lying. But I will never let her feel unwanted.
“You think so?” she asks, wide-eyed.
“I know so.” I nod firmly.“And you know what? Why don’t we call him tomorrow?”
