Mindy is sitting on the couch holding Maverick, who is indeed sleeping. She smiles warmly at me as I close the door gently. I hand her the book and sit down on the couch a few feet away from her.
She rises, disappearing down the hall. When she returns, she's empty-handed and looks so happy.
"Hopefully he will get some sleep. We've been up off and on since three this morning and I really need him to figure this whole sleep thing out," she says, yawning on cue.
"Sweet boy, he doesn't know how our world works yet, Mom," I tell her.
She gives me a deadpan stare. "He's about to learn."
I giggle and she plops back onto the couch, propping her feet up on the arm of the couch. She immediately grabs the book I handed her and reads the back.
"Oh my God, this is the one you were telling me about! I can't wait to read it when Mav is feeding or sleeping."
"It's so good. I can't wait until you read it and we can chat about it," I squeal.
"This is the Indiana Jones meets Jungle Cruise book, right?" she asks, staring at the pretty pink cover.
"Yes! It's my new favorite book ever. Torri Heat wrote it! She wrote the other book I had you read last year at Halloween, too. The one about the cursed house. Jinxed."
"Oh, I'm so excited. I loved that one!" Mindy flips open to the first page and begins reading it immediately. We spend thenext two hours, in mostly silence, reading books and eating snacks until Linc comes barging in, interrupting our peace and tranquility.
He stops abruptly when he walks in the front door, staring back and forth between me and Mindy.
"Do I even want to ask?" he says, closing the door behind him.
Mindy grins. "Lilly brought me a new book and let me start reading it in peace." She holds up Delirium, showing him the pretty pink cover. He simply shakes his head and heads down the hallway to check on Maverick. He returns carrying the baby, talking softly to him and smiling down at him.
"Hand him here," Mindy says, closing her book and setting it on the coffee table in front of her. Linc sets Mav in her arms, and she pops her titty out to feed him. Mav latches immediately and Mindy stares down at him with so much love and adoration.
"Doesn't that hurt?" I ask.
"It's not the most comfortable feeling ever, but it isn't morbidly painful either," Mindy answers.
I open my phone and check for any messages from Cass. No new updates. I don't bother inquiring with Linc because I know he either doesn't have any information, or the information he does have, he won't be able to share it with me anyway. I don't know who all went with Cass, I just know he left with Scott. I have a pretty good idea that he's searching for Gater. Or he found him. Either way, I'm certain that loose end will be tied up by the time he's done.
My mind feels a bit more at ease knowing that Gater won't be a problem around here much longer. It feels like I can breathe again. Feel safe alone inside of my home again. Even without confirmation, somehow it feels as though the threat has been mostly neutralized.
Mindy finishes feeding Maverick and Linc steals him away immediately, disappearing down the hall. Mindy shakes herhead with the biggest smile on her face. "He's such a good daddy," she says, still smiling.
"I'm so happy for you, love," I say with admiration. She's happier than I've ever seen her.
"I never knew that life could be this good. Staring at the perfect tiny human that we created...it's awe-inducing. It makes my heart feel like it cannot possibly hold anymore love, like it will overflow and burst at any given moment."
"How does it feel to get everything you never knew you wanted?"
"It feels like a dream. But, enough about reality. About this book! I can't wait to see what happens next!" she chirps.
"I have a feeling I'll be getting a text from you in the middle of the night when you finish it, won't I?" I ask.
She nods with a grin. "Oh, yeah. Forsure."
"I think I'm going to set the wedding date for October. I know it'll start to be getting cold in Oklahoma then, but I just feel like with everything that has happened, I'm ready to just be Cass's wife," I admit.
"It's your day, love. Do it. We've got most of the details ironed out and the guest list is small. Did you decide if you're doing a reception when you get back?" Mindy asks.
I nod. "Yeah. I think I want to do that. We can host it at the bar or the clubhouse, whichever Cass wants. I'll let him choose that."
"Perfect. I'll get my sister to keep Mav for me so that I'm not having a baby in a bar," Mindy giggles.
