“I appreciate your blessing,” I start, my hand spinning my beer bottle slowly. I’ve yet to take a sip. “Birdie means a lot to me, so I haven’t wanted to push her.” I swallow and say the truth that’s been haunting me. “I haven’t wanted to push her and have her leave my life completely.”
Roger and Valerie look to each other, and for a moment, they have some silent conversation between the two of them that seems to confirm something.
That’s what I want. I want that deep connection with someone so that we can communicate by just looking at each other. I want to be able to be so intertwined with one another’s souls that nothing and no one could ever break the connection.
“I think,” Roger starts, rising from his seat. “You should sleep on the couch. No sense wasting more money on a car. We’ll go get yours in the morning.”
Roger claps me on the back, and Valerie fusses over making up a couch before I have a chance to even argue, and for once, I feel part of a real family again.
Chapter Eighteen
“Life is hard, but we have to keep going, keep waking up and keep putting one foot in front of the other.” – Jane
ELIZABETH
I run my finger over Rora’s cheek, watching as she sleeps soundly against me in a bed too small for both of us. She was so peaceful when she was sleeping, and her poor little body seems exhausted this morning.
She didn’t have another terror after I got here last night, and I was terribly grateful for it. But guilt was eating me up inside at the thought that she was going through that and I wasn’t here for her.
It’s not something I could control, but I still feel guilty.
Rolling out of bed, I adjust the oversized tee that nearly touches the bottom of my knees, it was more modest than most dresses I own. I flip my hair up into a bun on top of my head and check my phone, no messages from Derek.
I sigh as I walk to the bathroom, doing my business and splashing water over my face. I still have leftover makeup on from last night, but I don’t have anything to wash it off. I’ll have to ask Mom if she has anything.
Trudging down the stairs, I smile at the smell of bacon and walk to the island, but when I see the person standing there, my smile drops in surprise. “Derek?”
He spins, his lips splitting into a grin. “Good morning, beautiful.”
I must look like a fish with my mouth gaping open the way it was. I look around to see other things prepped for breakfast and wonder what time it is and how long he’s been up.
“What are you doing here still?” I ask, stepping around the island to get closer.
“Your folks let me crash on the couch.” He shrugs, turning to flip bacon and holding out his left hand to me. I take it wordlessly and smile at the ease of him pulling me close and slipping me under his arm.
“You didn’t have to stay,” I say, looking at where he’s cooking.
“I wanted to anyway; they just made it easier on me.” He looks down at me and turns the bacon on low. “How’s Rora doing?”
I nod. “Okay. She didn’t have another one after we got here.”
The concern in his expression nearly makes me melt into a puddle, and he gives me a soft smile. “Good.” His gaze roams down my body, and it’s then I realize I’m in a sleeping tee and… not much else. “You look stunning today.”
I scoff and wrap myself closer to him, wanting to feel his warmth and smell how good he smells, which is insane, by the way. “I just rolled out of bed.”
“Gorgeous,” he murmurs, kissing the top of my head and turning his attention back to the stovetop.
“Where are my parents?”
“Ah, they should be back soon.” He glances at his watch. “They left about forty minutes ago to get supplies for their boat?”
I nod my head. “Saturday. Every Saturday they go out on the lake.”
“Ah, yes. The sunburn fiasco.” I smile when he teases me, and then he says, “They invited me to come with you guys, but I don’t want to intrude.”
It was an opening, a good one too. I take a breath. And one I was going to take. “You should come.”
He nods and then says, “Then I will.”
