Chapter 36
Hugo
My lips hoverin the space behind her ear. "Hold me to it."
She stills. "What?"
Urging her onto her back, I brace myself on a forearm so I can look down at her. Dark hair fanning my pillow. Rosy-cheeked and pink-mouthed. "Hold me to every word of it."
"Hugo..."
I hate that she doesn't believe it's possible for me to want her this badly. And Peanut, too. "My words aren't empty, Mallory. I don't say things I don't mean."
Maggie's death was a tragedy, and a second tragedy was the way Mallory was treated afterwards. Cast aside, blamed, forgotten. Grief makes people do terrible things, but it's no excuse. Only a reason.
And then there's Peanut's biological father, leaving Mallory and his child behind. I'd hate him, but the truth is, I'm thankful. His selfishness, myblessing.
"You're going to let me be there for you, ok? You're going to hold me to my words, alright?"
It's crazy, and it's fast, but it's everything I've been standing in place for. I wasn't frozen.
I was waiting. For Mallory.
Chapter 37
Hugo
Haveyou heard I'm going to be a grandmother again?"
I stop short in the entrance to the kitchen. Mallory stumbles against my arm, and I immediately wrap it around her waist, steadying her.
My mother stands in the middle of the room, her hands on her hips, staring at me expectantly.
Vivi strides in from the living room, Everly and Knox in tow.
"What?" Vivi demands when she sees my expression.
"You're having a baby?" I ask.
"What the...? No."
"Mommy's having a baby?" Everly looks up at Vivi, then down to Knox. "Mommy has a baby in her tummy."
Vivi looks at me like she's prepared to take her meat cleaver to my neck. "Hugo, what the hell is wrong with you?"
"You, Hugo," my mom says loudly, drowning outVivi's assurance to Everly that there isn't a baby in her belly.
"Ohh," Mallory says. "Hugo went to my appointment with me today."
"That, and he kissed you on the sidewalk for all the world to see." Mom crosses her arms and gives me a defiant look, like she's waiting for me to feed her a bullshit excuse.
What's the use? I can't deny a thing, not when it comes to Mallory. There really is only one option at this point.
I spin Mallory, hold her in both arms, and dip her backward. She gasps in surprise for a brief moment, and then my lips are on hers, drinking the rest of her surprise. Her arms go around my neck, holding on.
"We get it," Aunt Carmen says as the kiss continues.
I draw Mallory upright. Her cheeks are pink, her hair is askew. She clears her throat and I fix her hair.
