Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 128156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128156 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 641(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 427(@300wpm)
“I can believe you’re here. I—” and then I spot movement over his shoulder.
Payton, Cam, and Ari stand there with their arms linked, my girl tucked under Ari’s on the end, a watery smile on her face.
Her beautiful, perfect face.
“Ah,” my dad murmurs softly. “I see.”
The corner of my mouth tips, and I lock eyes with him briefly before looking back at the girl who has changed things for me.
Who has changed me in general.
“Come here, Angel.” I hold my hand out, eyes only for her.
Slowly and with the pretty little blush I love so much slipping over her cheeks, she walks this way, her smile going shy as she reaches my side and looks over at my dad.
“You’ve met, Paige, Dad.”
“Of course I have, and I already hugged her hello when she and the girls picked me up at the airport, but”—he looks between us with a smile—“now I understand why you started tearing up when we pulled into the parking lot,” he teases, staring at her like she’s the piece of the puzzle he’s been missing.
“I knew how much having you here was going to mean to him. It might have gotten to me a bit,” she admits with a little laugh.
“If I know my son, and I like to think I know him pretty well”—he grins, leaning toward her—“I’d say it means about as much as knowing you’ll be there, too.” He says this like he’s sharing a secret she’s not aware of, soft and only intended for her ears, even though I can hear him, too.
Her eyes find mine and I’m overcome with the need to tell her that his words are true. That it does mean just as much but in a different way, maybe even more in its own sense of the word.
“Well, Son, I just wanted to see you and check where your mind was at this evening.” His eyes ask the question, just in case I don’t want it spoken aloud.
“I’m better now,” I admit and it feels like the truth. Seeing him, hugging him.
It was more than I could have asked for and at the perfect moment.
See, always there when I need him. Without fail.
I want to be like him.
I almost get choked up all over again.
“I hate to leave you already, but I’m old.” He grips my shoulder with a smile. “I went straight from work to the airport, so I’ve gotta hit the hay. There’s a room with my name on it down the street, so I’m going to go get settled.”
I nod, giving him another hug. “Follow me back to Mason’s and I’ll get you my keys. You can use my truck while you’re here.”
“No worries!” Cameron rushes, and then she’s right there, stuffing Payton’s keys in his hands. “Your things are already in the trunk and Payton doesn’t need it, so it just makes the most sense.”
“Okay.” He chuckles, giving me a wave and saying his goodbyes to the girls before climbing into the driver’s seat.
A long exhale leaves me, and I smile at the girls. “Tomorrow is going to be fucking crazy.”
They squeal, jumping in for a hug that I happily return.
“What the fuck?!” is shouted and we all look over to find Brady standing there, his arms open wide and a grin on his face. “I want in on this.”
We let go, smiling as we head back to the building, but just as the girls start down the little walkway, Paige digs her feet into the cement, tugging me to a stop.
I raise a brow, and she chuckles, tipping her head, her long, blond hair falling over her shoulder. She nods to the left, pulling me that way.
“What are you up to, Angel?” I grin, wrapping my arm around her and tugging her close.
Man, nothing can get better than this night, than this time in my life.
“A walk.” She grins. “It’s a nice night for a walk, don’t you think?”
“I think any night and anytime, anywhere is nice so long as you’re there.”
Her giggle fills the air, and I dip my face into her neck, tickling and teasing.
She laughs louder, pulling away and spinning, walking backward to who the hell knows where. “Someone is playful.”
“Run, baby, let me catch you and I’ll show you how playful I can be.”
Her tongue slips between her teeth and she smiles. She shakes her head like I’m silly, but then she breaks into a sprint.
My chuckle is low, and I pause, watching her get a little farther away. Right when she’s about to turn the corner, I take off after her.
My feet carry me toward her like there’s an invisible tether pulling me in, and she hears me coming, shrieking lightly when my feet pound the pavement just before she reaches the parking lot leading to the practice stadium.
She spins right as I reach her, yelping as I take her off her feet, tucking my hands tight along the underside of her thighs. Her ankles lock around me and she weaves her arms around my neck. “Very smooth, Harper.”