Page 38 of Simply You & Me

"Nice move asking Dino first, though. Brownie points," Tate praises, nodding thoughtfully. "So, what do you say Rory, can Zach, Julian, Wyatt, and I date your momma?"

Rory's head tilts, her tears drying thank fuck. "Like Layla's mom and dads?"

"Yeah, Peanut. Not as serious, though, not yet. That means hanging out with us more and us spoiling you and your mom." Her eyes light up at Zach's easy description of what a relationship would mean.

"Why is nobody including me in this conversation?" Addie huffs, crossing her arms.

"In a minute," Julian shushes her and trains his gaze on Rory. "What do you think, little angel?"

Oh, that's a cute fuckin' nickname. I wish I had thought of it first.

"Sure! That would be so awesome. I love hanging out with you guys, and Mommy seems happier, too." Rory bounces in her seat, excitement bubbling out of her.

"So now that we have your daughter’s permission..." Addie blushes at the intense attention on her now. "Can we officially call you our girlfriend?" My tone is mildly teasing because I can't help but feel worried about the way she's fidgeting on the ground beneath me.

Zach stands and kneels in front of her. Gripping her chin, he demands softly, "Answer Wyatt, Doll. Can we be yours, and you be ours?"

I watch, fascinated and a little sweaty, as she gulps. Locked in Zachary's hold, she whispers, "Just us though, right? Nobody else? No other… no other women?"

I would laugh if I didn't think it would put me back in hot water. The idea that we would want another woman is unacceptable. This just means we will have to prove our devotion and adoration to my baby girl.

"Just us," Zach growls, tightening his hold on her chin.

"Say yes, Mom!"

My bark of laughter is immediate, and I can't help but snatch Rory from beside me and wrap her in a bear hug. Her giggling draws a soft smile from Addie, and her tense frame finally relaxes in Zach's hold.

"I'd like that," she says with a big-ass smile.

Julian whoops and scrambles across the living room to steal her from Zach's hungry gaze. He smothers her cheeks in kisses before Tate shoves him away and wraps her in his arms. I'm too far away to hear what he murmurs into her thick brown hair, but I don't care as long as I can hear her laugh again.

Tossing Rory over my shoulder, I grin at her squeals and approach Addie. Tate grips her waist and hoists her to her feet. Attempting to angle myself so Rory doesn't kick her mom, I drop a kiss on her lips, enjoying the stretch of her smile against mine.

"Ewww!" Rory groans with her hands pushing off against my back. I chuckle as Julian snags my bestie off my shoulder.

Yeah… this is what our family has been missing.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Adelyn

"Are you okay, Mom?"

No. I'm not okay. Like at all. But I can't say that to Rory. "I'm fine, honey." I gag again, shoving my nose into the crook of my T-shirt. God, have tacos always smelled this bad?!

"You don't look okay," Rory says hesitantly where she sits, watching me stir the taco seasoning into the beef. Narrowing my eyes at her, I raise a brow. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry. You just look like you might… you know… puke."

Even the word makes me shudder. It's times like this where the awful reminder that I'm truly not mother material tries to beat me down. Hell, Rory takes one look at me and knows something's wrong or different all the time. Sometimes, I swear she knows what's going on with me before I do.

I just… she deserves better. She deserves her real mom and dad, the ones who were wrapped around her little finger from the moment she tried to scream the hospital down.

I will never fault my parents for being distracted during Rory's first two years of life. Babies take a lot of attention, and I suppose they already had a kid who could take care of herself.

No. I'll never blame them for what happened in high school. They didn't know, and I never told them. Plus, I figured out how to cope on my own. My thigh throbs in reminder. I couldn't tell my parents what happened to me, but I learned to release and control my pain by myself.

"Mom?"

Jolting, my shirt falls from my nose, forcing the rancid smell into my nose. "Ugh!" Hidden away once more, I turn stiffly to Rory. "Sorry, I zoned out. I'm okay. Does this smell weird to you?"

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