I’ve hugged her a million times before now, but this is the first time I’m hugging her knowing who she is to me.
I feel the drop of something wet against my head and her soft whimpers. “I know, Sweet Girl. I know,” she whispers in my hair.
Pulling from her embrace, I shout, “Not it for telling the kids about Elise.” I want no parts in that mess.
Dad pinches the bridge of his nose, “I’d never make you have such a difficult conversation. The days of you having to be the parent are done, Ry.”
Smiling, I nod. There’s still much more to understand, but for now, I’ll take my win. My dad andgrandmotherare both here.
27
WYATT
The week flew by, Ariah’s dad came home yesterday, and she spent some much-needed time with him and her siblings. I’m sure if we didn’t have this planned, she wouldn’t have left the house at all this weekend.
At the reminder of our pending date, I begin pacing the room. My nerves won’t settle. I’ve been like this all damn day.
I’m picking Ariah up in the next hour to take her on our first of many dates.
I’m not exactly sure why I’m nervous. It’s not like I haven’t been out with her before. This time just feels different. I need to make sure it’s special because she’s everything.
From the first moment I saw her over all those months ago, and every interaction since— I’ve known.She’s it for me— for us.
“You got it, Wy. Don’t stress it. What you have planned is going to blow her mind. But you know, even if it were just the two of you sitting and watching a movie, she’d love it because it was with you,” Sebastian encourages, distracting me.
For a guy who’s so anti-love, he sure is good at laying it on thick.
Shaking out my shoulders, I quirk a brow, “Thanks, Casanova,” I joke. “Seriously though, Seb. Thanks for helping me organize all of this.”
He pats my back, “No thanks needed. I only helped facilitate. You came up with the ideas. Now go get your girl.”
“Ourgirl,” I correct.
I think Sebastian will be harder to bring around than the other two assholes. Those two are skeptics— Seb’s jaded. That’s a whole different ocean to cross.
He gives me a small tight smile and mumbles, “Our girl,” before heading down the hall, probably to our room in The Tombs.
Pulling my phone from my black denim jeans pocket, I see I have thirty minutes to grab Ariah and make it to the airstrip.Time to get my ass in gear.
* * *
“I can’t believewe’re going on a private jet,” Ariah squeaks, her excitement palpable from the passenger seat of my car.
Peering from my periphery, I take in the denim skirt, slightly riding up her fishnet-covered voluptuous thighs. My gaze flicks back to the road before taking another peek at her Pearl Jam cropped-tee. She’s fucking breathtaking.
“Eyes on the road,” she demands, and I focus back on the street.
“You’re just so distracting,” I admit.
She softly laughs, “I’m not distracting enough to warrant us veering off the road. Eyes facing front.”
“I should’ve accepted Thomas’s offer to drive us instead of having him drive behind, but I wanted you all to myself.”
Her smile grows. “And where are you taking me?”
I love seeing her like this— carefree and laughing. She always looks like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders, and ever since we got her back, there’s a darkness that never used to be there.
Turning to her, I smirk, “It’s a surprise.”
