He grins. “Yeah, I think Hannah might like to read a book with us, huh, Luck?”
Oh. I smile at Lucky, nodding, and she flashes an adorably toothy grin.
“I think Hannah should choose the book, what do you think, Lucky Duck?”
Lucky nods excitedly, crawling across the bed and jumping off with a light thud, and I follow her to the big bookshelf full ofbooks. Surprisingly, she takes my hand in hers, causing my breath to catch in the back of my throat. I try to play it cool, unaffected, watching on as Lucky points to one of the books with a little girl and a duck on the cover.
“This one?” I pull the book down from the shelf.
She nods and turns, tugging me back to the bed where I notice Happy relaxing back against the pillows, watching on with a wistful smile, looking unfairly hot and beautiful all at once.
Lucky climbs onto the bed, nestling onto the pillows next to where Happy has made himself comfortable. She pats the space on the other side of her, silently inviting me. And I try to act casual, but honestly, this moment right here might just go down as one of the best first dates in the history of dating.
CHAPTER 22
HAPPY
Lucky has been asleep since the third page. But I haven’t had the heart to tell Hannah. Honestly, I just like watching her read, seeing her facial expressions change as she switches characters, listening to the inflection in her voice adapt to each emotion in every scene. Who knew a book about a girl and her duck could be so goddamn riveting. Hannah’s a natural, and I know if Lucky had been able to stay awake through the story, she’d be pleading for another, and then another, and then just a couple pages of one more before I’d have had to put my foot down.
Watching Hannah with Lucky tonight, seeing Lucky open up to a new person the way she did so easily, I’ve never witnessed that before, and it did something to me that I can’t even begin to comprehend. I’ve never felt it before. I’m pretty sure I know what it is. And it’s new to me. And it’s scary and exciting and everything in between, but I’m so fucking ready for it.
“Oh, she’s asleep,” Hannah whispers, pulling me from my thoughts.
I act surprised, looking down at Lucky, at her long lashes fanning over her chubby cheeks, at the soft rise and fall of her chest. My baby. And it’s these moments, when I see her at hermost vulnerable, so damn innocent, that I realize if it ever came down to it, I would burn down the whole fucking world, destroy everything in it without a second thought, if it meant keeping this little girl safe.
“I hope it wasn’t my storytelling,” Hannah whispers, looking genuinely concerned.
“Don’t take it personally.” I smile down at my girl, gently trailing my thumb over the curve of her cheek. “Mom gave her some medication before we got here.”
I glance up to find Hannah looking at Lucky, a soft smile ghosting her lips. “She looks like you.”
I sniff a laugh. “She’s my mini me, with her mama’s attitude.”
Hannah’s smile falters and she meets my eyes, sadness in her gaze. “Does Lucky remember her mom? Does she talk about her?”
I nod, shrugging a shoulder. “Only when I bring her up. But it’s something her therapists are working on with her. Talking about her mama and what she remembers, thegoodmemories. We want to make sure she holds onto those as long as she can.”
Hannah’s smile returns, and she looks back down to Lucky, carefully reaching out and grabbing the Bluey plushy, placing the dog right up against Lucky’s cheek. And I grin, because this is exactly what I’ve always wanted for my girl. I’ve never admitted it. For so long it’s just been Lucky and me, and I’ve played it off like that’s all we need, just the two of us. Because I never thought it would be possible to find someone who would love me, let alone love meandmy daughter. But I think I might have found her. And she’s here, right in front of me. And right now, all I’m thinking is how best not to fuck it up.
Hannah moves carefully off the bed like she’s trying not to make too much mattress movement, placing the book back on the shelf with the myriad of other story books Lucky has read so many times she’s practically memorized all the words. And Ituck Lucky in, pressing a soft, lingering kiss to her cheek with a whispered, “Sweet dreams, Lucky Duck.”
Dimming the lights a little more, I press the button for the white noise machine that plays soft ocean sounds, leading Hannah out of the room and pulling the door almost closed behind us.
When Hannah starts to head toward the stairs, I intercept, snagging her hand and tugging her across the landing to my bedroom door.
I turn to face her, my back to my door, taking her other hand in mine and grinning mischievously as I use my ass to push the door open, waggling my eyebrows suggestively. “Never had a girl in my bedroom before.”
Hannah’s eyebrows knit together, and she glances from me to the stairs and back again. “Happy… y-your mom?”
“She’s gone.” I walk backwards into my room, pulling her with me.
“She left?”
I nod. “Yeah. She texted me. She usually leaves when I’m putting Lucky to sleep.”
Hannah gazes up at me, and I tug her even closer, our fronts touching as I stare down into her eyes.
“Thank you for doing that,” I say, nodding my head back in the direction of Lucky’s room. “She likes you.”
