Page 32 of Worth the Vow

Me: We did. No sex, I don’t want any of his money, other than what he already pays me, and whenever this ends, he can’t keep the kids away from me as a weird penance.

Arianna: You were thinking he might?

Me: I don’t know. I just wanted to be sure. I love those kids, Ari. I’d be shattered if I couldn’t see them anymore.

Arianna: You’re more of a mom to them than their actual mom.

Natalie: Doc’s siding is red. Who the hell chooses red siding?

Claire: That was only about three minutes. Her skills remain unmatched.

Me: You’re not gonna actually DO anything to him, right? I mean, he’s a jerk, but I’d prefer you staying on this side of the prison glass.

Natalie: I won’t do anything to him.

Claire: We should probably specify some things, Nat. Don’t touch him, his family, his friends, his car, his work, or his home.

Natalie: I can work with that.

Arianna: Just to be proactive, let’s start setting aside a little money each pay period for Natalie’s bail.

Natalie: Probably wise.

“Kate, can I ask you a question?” Sienna asks as we’re sitting down for dinner that evening.

“Sure, sweetie.”

“Aspen asked you if you love our dad, but you actually didn’t answer,” she whispers, looking over her shoulder to see if Aspen is listening.

I sigh, looking at Dominic for some help, but he’s stoically watching me, and waiting for my response. “Well, sometimes people get married for reasons other than love. This is one of those times.”

“Do you think you could love our dad?” Sienna asks, her eyes full of pain and turmoil.

Dominic finally speaks. “Right now, we’re focused on getting Kate’s health back on track. No matter what, we’ll always care for each other.”

“I guess that’s okay,” Sienna mutters, frowning before looking down at her lap. She blows out a loud exhale.

“What’s going on in that head of yours?” I ask.

Sienna shrugs. “I want Daddy to be happy. I want him to find someone who loves him and makes him smile.”

Dominic stands from the table, going to kneel by Sienna. “I don’t need that in my life, sweetheart, because the love I feel from you, your brother, and your sister overflows my heart. I wouldn’t change anything about our family, because I love it exactly as it is.”

“So that means you do love Kate!” Sienna gushes immediately, her joyful eyes dashing between the two of us. “Right? Because she’s a part of our family too!”

Dominic stares at me, a hint of a smile on his face. “Right.”

His look is different. Almost peaceful, like maybe he believes what Sienna is suggesting. I feel emotion overwhelming me as I think back to everything that happened today. I try to stifle it before Dominic notices my eyes filling with tears, but of course, he sees right through my ministrations as I focus on putting my hair up in a messy bun.

I don’t notice he’s moved until he’s crouched next to me. He’s like a stealth ninja sometimes. One hand comes up to grab my neck, his thumb resting against my pulse point, which beats wildly. The position seems too intimate for our situation, and I immediately try to pull away, but Dominic maintains his hold.

“It’s okay to be overwhelmed, Katharine,” he whispers, and my eyes whip to his. “It’s okay to not have all the answers. We’ll figure this all out as we go.”

“I never have the answers. I’m used to that,” I blurt out.

He gives me the same smile as before. “But you don’t have the answers for us.”

“There is no us,” I stammer.

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