Page 43 of Let Me Love You
My amusement turns into a moan as he slips off my shoes, rubbing his thumbs into the arches of my feet. “Ooooh, that feels good. Keep doing it.”
“So tell me about your night,” he prods.
“The girls got shitfaced, and we watched a movie, ate a bunch of junk food, and then I came home.”
“No alcohol for you tonight?”
“Nope.” Thankfully, because of my epilepsy, I don’t usually drink anyway, so he isn’t suspicious. Neither were the girls when I declined the tequila shots that started our day. The fewer lies I have to tell everyone, the better. I shouldn’t be lying in the first place. I rest my head against the armrest on the opposite end of the couch and close my eyes, fatigue taking over me.
Seriously. I’m freaking beat.
“Do we know when Colt will find out if he’s the dad?” Mack asks.
Keeping my eyes closed, I answer, “No idea. Ash said he received his subpoena earlier today. He’ll meet the baby when they do the paternity test.”
“Does hewantto be a dad?” Mack prods.
I open my eyes again and meet Macklin’s gaze. “I think so.”
“And Ash? Would she want to be a stepmom?”
“She loves kids. I think she wishes all Colt’s kids would’ve been with her, ya know? And it’s not like I have any advice. It’s different with you and me. Colt’s”—I lift my hand and do air quotes—“kidisn’t even one yet. The baby’s going to need a mother figure, but I’ve never had to take on that role. Hazel and Miley are more like friends than anything else.”
And it’s true. My relationship with Mack’s daughters started pretty rough, but we’re close now. Friends. And honestly, it’s all I could ask for anyway.
“But for Ash, she’d have to play mom,” Macklin concludes. “Is she ready for it?”
My teeth dig into the inside of my cheek as I shrug, unable to form words even if I wanted to.
Is she ready to play mom?
AmIready to play mom?
“Whoa, what’s wrong?” Macklin demands, sensing my shift in emotions. It's not difficult. I’m all over the place.
“Nothing’s wrong.” I cover my face with my forearm and take a slow, controlled breath.
“You sure?”
“Yeah. Just tired.” I will my tears away, move my arm, and meet Macklin’s concerned gaze. “Can we snuggle and watch a show?”
A beat of silence passes as he watches me carefully.
“Please?” I whisper.
Giving in, his chin dips with the smallest of nods, and he tugs me up. I rest my feet on the coffee table next to the romance book while Macklin turns on a documentary and hooks his arm along the back of the couch. I snuggle into him and close my eyes.
How the hell am I going to tell him?
14
BLAKELY
“You sure you want to do this?” I ask, climbing into Theo’s car.
“Duh.” He flips his hat backward and pulls out of the driveway, resting his hand against the headrest on the passenger side. “Was the realtor nice on the phone?”
“I think so? I dunno? I’ve never dealt with a realtor before.” I shrug, puffing out my chest and sitting a little taller in the passenger seat. “I feel so grown up.”