“I love it out there,” Olivia said, approaching me. She stared outside. “It’s so peaceful. Even in the winter.” She chuckled.
I swallowed hard. “I can see why.”
“I called you back here because we haven’t really had much time to talk, and I wanted to give you something.” She handed me a wrapped gift. “I thought it would be best if you opened it in private.”
I made no move to open the gift, though, because I had a feeling it would make me emotional. And I’d told myself that I wasn’t going to cry today.
“Maddox?” Olivia called, pulling me from my thoughts. “I’ll never be able to replace your mother, and I wouldn’t try. But I love you like I gave birth to you, and I made her a promise to be there for you, to take care of you. I intend to keep that promise.
The first tear fell, then the dam broke. “You talked to my mom?” I asked.
“We talked often. One of the things I never did was blame your mother for Ryan’s actions. We weren’t together when he met your mother. And when I did take him back, I took him back knowing that you were going to be a part of our lives. I wouldn’t change that for anything in this world. You are my son, just like Broderick, just like Ryker.”
My throat was thick with emotion, but I finally opened the gift. Inside was a framed picture of the three of us—me, Mom, and Olivia. I remembered the day well. My first photo exhibit at a local gallery in Charleston. I brushed it with my thumb, over my mother’s face. We were smiling, happy. Mom and Olivia had their arms wrapped around me, holding me. The symbolism of the image was almost too much to bear, but I loved it all the same.
I met Olivia’s teary eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered.
“You’re welcome, baby. Whenever you look at this picture, know that I’ve got you—we’vegot you.” She pulled me into her warm embrace. And I let her. “I love you, son.”
“I love you too, Ma.”
Olivia insisted I eat another slice of pie before I went to Sloane’s house. I didn’t know how I’d eat another piece of food for the rest of today, and tomorrow too. But I would do my damn best to eat Sloane’s dessert.
I knocked on the door and waited. The door swung open, and Sloane was standing there in a Santa hat and, pretty much, nothing else. My gaze raked over her body, from her stilettos to her lace panties to her fur-trimmed red bustier.Shit.
She smirked. “Ready for dessert?” She leaned in and kissed me, grazing my bottom lip with her teeth before tracing it with her tongue.
“Hell yeah.”
Holding up her phone, she played some remixed TikTok song and said, “Then, bring that dick here.”
I tugged her to me and lifted her over my shoulder, smacking her ass lightly. She cracked up, and as soon as I entered her place, she slammed the door shut.
