I wasn’t going to let that happen.
She gave me a look waiting for my response.
“Tomorrow.” That’s all the time I would give her. “We will talk about ittomorrow,” I told her firmly.
Sounding none too happy but complying, she said, “Fine.”
The ladies swarmed her.
“Let’s go grab you something stronger than a soda,” I heard Alley tell Lake as they pulled her away.
Her response pleased me. “I can’t, I’m driving.”
I’d been to too many accidents where a drunk driver was involved. I’m sure Lake had as well. And I knew within seconds of watching her with Stormi, she’d never do anything to put her daughter in harm's way.
“We have hours left and fireworks still. It will take the edge off. One of the guys can take you home,” Alley told her before they disappeared into the house.
I sucked air in through my nose and blew it out. “I’ll be the only one to take her home,” I murmured.
Eyes were on me. I didn’t have to look to know all the guys were watching me.
“We’ll let you.Ifshe’s okay with it.”
I spun around to look at Rowan. I could tell it was him by his voice and the way he was studying me when my gaze met his.
“What the fuck?” Irritation radiated off of me.
“Hey,” he said. “I want nothing more than for you two to make amends and get a second chance. I don’t know what I would have done if Brinley hadn’t given us one. But take my advice. Listen to what she is saying even when she’s not talking or you’ll blow it. I know what I’m talking about.”
He was right. I knew he was, but that didn’t make it any easier to hear or think of her leaning on someone else. Someone that wasn’t me.
Where were you all the other years she needed you?
How could I ask her to trust me and confide in me when I’d left her? When I wasn’t there for her for so long?
Gyth slapped me on the back. “It’s gonna work out, man.”
“How do you know?” I asked him.
“Look around. Every one of us has been in your shoes and it worked out for us, so don’t doubt me,” Gyth told me.
“See what I mean.” We all looked at Kace then. “He really does give good advice and knows what he is talking about once in a while.”
Some of the tension left my body as I laughed along with everyone else.
They were an awesome bunch of guys and amazing friends.
My gaze tookin Lake and her daughter.
The bright smiles on their faces as they watched the firework show that Lyric and Bodie were putting on for everyone was awesome to see. Stormi sat between her mom’s legs on the blanket, both looking so happy.
Lake had stuck to her guns and wouldn’t utter another word about the phone call she got or anything she’d been experiencing. She was a phenomenal mother who put her child first and wanted her to have the best day. Watching her throughout the party with Stormi had been enlightening. I was seeing everything I was missing while around her and all my friends.
I was realizing what I wanted.
My ownfamily.
I’d never found anyone that made me want to settle down or who made me think about having children. With my eyes still on mother and child, I took a deep breath.
