Page 150 of Lace 'em Up

Until King wraps an arm around my middle and leads me onto the back porch. The sun is setting in the distance, turning the hills into a sea of gold. A large oak stands tall and center stage in the yard, casting a smattering of gorgeously patterned shadows on the grass.

“Look at me, princess,” he says softly.

I drag my eyes from the sight of that gorgeous tree and turn to the man next to me.

“How are you doing?” he asks, gently brushing his fingers along my side, over my shirt, beneath which the bruises from Phillip that have turned a ghastly mix of purple and blue.

“I’m fine,” I say softly.

“Because you look lost, princess.”

“I’m—” I exhale. “I haven’t had a holiday like this before.”

His expression is impossibly gentle. “Like what?”

“Loud and with the scent of good food filling my nose. Chaos but somehow everyone getting along and helping and teasing each other and—” I shake my head. “It’s a perfect day, and”—ugh, I can’t believe that my eyes are stinging—“I guess I just…miss my dad.”

It snuck up on me.

This feeling of sadness.

It’s been so long since my dad’s been gone that I didn’t think I felt the loss any longer, not in any heavy, meaningful way. But I?—

“He would love them,” I whisper. “Love your mom and how beautifully she raised you. Love that crazy Zoom meeting we had with all of your siblings where everyone was talking over everyone else and no one could hear anything and…he’d love you mostly because of the way you look at me.”

Now that we aren’t pretending.

Now that our cards are on the table.

Because King looks at me…like I am the center of his universe.

“Princess,” King murmurs, those eyes warm pools of blue seawater. “God, how did I get so lucky to find you?”

I settle my head against his shoulder. “I like to think that I was the one who ran into your arms.”

He chuckles. “I think you’re right.”

We stand there, watching the sun set until the noise inside grows and we go back in.

It’s still chaos and loud and there’s a battle over yummy carbs.

But we manage to salvage a couple of Everything cookies and a slice of pie to share.

Because it’s us.

Versus the world.

For as wonderful as yesterday was…

Today’s been a shitshow.

I’m sweaty and discombobulated and have been dealing with a thousand last-minute details and crises.

All while trying to get gala glam for our event.

And fake lashes aren’t cutting that.

Sighing in disgust at the glue-on that’s sitting diagonally across my lid instead of rounding beautifully at my lash line, I rip it free and toss it in the trash.

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