Holt scoffs. “You, stubborn? I’d never have guessed.”
I blow a raspberry, making him laugh. “Anyway, my sister finally knocked some sense into me, and I packed up my shit and…I came back. To Pine Creek Falls. To…you. If you’ll have me? I don’t mean, like, forever. Or…well, maybe, if that’s what happens, I guess, but I just want to give this a chance. If you want to too. Gwen offered to let me rent a room from her so you don’t have to worry about me moving all my shit into your house or anything, but?—”
“Sweetheart, take a breath.”
I suck in air like I’m dying.
“Now let it out.”
Exhaling, my shoulders relax from where they’d crept up to my ears.
“Good girl. Where are you right now?”
“At the airport. We just landed, and I’m waiting for my suitcases.”
“Okay, we’ll be there in half an hour.”
“What?”
“The girls and I are going to come get you. Don’t go anywhere.”
“I won’t.”
“G!” The little yell has me searching through the crowd. A flight just landed, and people are crowding around the baggage claim area.
“Leah, wait!” Holt shouts behind her.
Then a little body is slamming into mine, and I fall over at the impact. “Oof.”
Leah’s giggles have me laughing with her as we lie on the ground in a tangle of limbs.
I hug her to my chest. “I missed you, little monkey.”
“We missed you loads. Are you back for good?”
“Yeah, I think I am.”
“Daddy!” Leah scrambles off my chest, elbowing me in the boob in the process.
“Ouch.”
Holt comes striding up to me in the next second and holds his hand out to pull me up. Lauren steps in to hug me tight, and I squeeze her back.
“G said she’s staying for good!” Leah announces, her hand clasped in mine as she jumps up and down.
Holt’s bright blue eyes pin me in place. He’s got dark circles under his eyes, but he looks just as good as he always does. “Is that so?”
I shrug. “Yeah. Pine Creek Falls seems to have gotten its hooks into me.”
“Good.” He grips me by my chin and kisses the hell out of me. It’s the first time he’s ever been affectionate with me in front of the girls. I don’t take the gesture lightly. This means something major, and I have to be ready to take on all three of them.
It’s something I’ve been thinking about since I left Pine Creek Falls a week ago.
Kids were never in my long-term plan, but then again, I’d never imagined getting married either.
Holt and I will need to talk about it. I’m not sure if I want to get married, and I have no idea if he does. He’s already done it once; he may not want to go through it again. I know without a doubt I don’t want to have kids of my own. That’s not going to change at any point in my lifetime. But does Holt want more?
We’ve got a lot to discuss, but now that I’m back, we’ll finally have the time to talk about it.
