“Areyouokay?”
His brows flickered, giving him away before he answered. “I was so damn scared.”
Her heart gave another tug, and she leaned into his chest, wrapping her arms around his middle. “She’s okay, Eastern.”
“And so are you. Thank God.”
He nuzzled her hair, and she wanted to drown in all that was Eastern. In his warmth and strength. In the crisp scent that was all his.
“I love you, Sadie.”
Her breath caught, and it took a moment for her to move. For the words to replay in her mind a couple of times and her head to leave his chest. “You love me?”
“I love you so much that when I couldn’t reach you and Avery, it felt like the floor had been ripped from beneath me. Like my very foundation had crumbled.” Tears filled her eyes as he cupped her cheek. “I love you, Sadie Sandler. You don’t have to say it back right now—”
“I do,” she whispered. “I love you. I recklessly fell for you a long time ago. I love so many things about you…the way you see me. The way you love and protect those around you. The way you raise your daughter. But I also love you for a million reasons I can’t even begin to explain.”
He swiped her cheek with her thumb, blue eyes so intense they reminded her of the ocean. “Really?”
“Yes.”
His lips crashed to hers, and she felt all the things she’d been searching for since returning to Misty Peak. Love and safety and a complete abandonment of every fear and frustration. In hiskiss, she found everything she’d been missing in all her years with Scott.
She ran her hands over his chest, wanting to pause this moment and get lost in it. To bind herself to the man she loved.
It was only the soft sound of footsteps down the hall that had her pausing. Sadie pulled back from Eastern, a grin on her face, as Avery bound into the room. Her smile was wide as she leapt onto the bed and threw her arms around both of them.
“Whoa, princess, careful of Sadie.”
Avery’s smile dimmed, and Sadie was quick to shake her head. “No. I’m completely fine. Ilovebig cuddles.” Then, to prove her point, she tugged Avery back into her arms so tightly that she screeched.
“How did you sleep?” Sadie asked.
“Good. I dreamed of chocolate chip pancakes with maple syrup.”
Sadie laughed while Eastern gave her a skeptical frown. “Is that your way of asking for pancakes for breakfast?”
“Yes! With chocolate chips and maple syrup. Youdidsay that today could be a special day of staying home and being together. Special days always involve pancakes.”
Sadie nodded. “She’s right, they do.”
“Oh, and there was ice cream in my dream,” Avery added. “Strawberry and caramel and chocolate ice cream.”
Sadie’s lips twitched. Who needed painkillers when you had this kid to distract you?
“Really?” Eastern asked, more skepticism in his voice now. “Anything else?”
Avery’s little nose wrinkled. “Milkshakes. Definitely milkshakes.”
“That’s it!” Eastern grabbed Avery around the middle and tossed her onto the bed before tickling her sides and tummy.
Avery’s laughter filled the room, and suddenly everything about this moment, about this entire morning, healed any part of Sadie that still felt pain or fear from last night.
Today waseverything yesterday hadn’t been. The three of them stayed home from work and school and spent the day together, making pancakes, going for a walk, playing outside, and now they were making hot cocoas before they watchedEncanto, one of Avery’s favorites.
Even though they’d had a great day, Eastern could tell his daughter was exhausted. The kid would probably fall asleep before the movie was half over.
He wanted more days like this. Slow days where they just did nothing but spend time together. After yesterday, it was what they all needed.
