Page 88 of Keepsake

“And I’m never wrong,” he added. “Don’t worry about Dash. He’ll only be alone for a while. He won’t wreck the house.”

I raised from his shoulder to flash him a look, making him chuckle.

“And I can cook tomorrow.”

That caught my attention. “Really?”

“Don’t look at me like that. I can cook.”

A small smile spread over my lips. Alvaro’s palms covered my legs and slid up to my waist.

“I’ve gained weight, you know?” I told him.

He made a face, not sure how to reply to that, and I laughed at his confusion.

“That’s good. I struggle with eating when I’m not…” I cleared my throat. “Well. I can’t eat much, and I just feel even more tired, incapable of the simple of tasks.”

His eyebrows pinched together. He took my chin between his fingers and kissed me softly on the lips.

“I feel stronger and… a little less like Logan Hart.”

He hummed, one hand cupping the back of my neck. “If you’re not Logan Hart, who are you?”

My smile was small when I whispered, “My middle name is Magnolia, after my grandmother. She was soft and kind. She was nice.”

I hated how easily I cracked when I was with this man. It wasn’t just him reading me like a book, it was me who let him collect my truths without even stopping to protect my heart.

Alvaro’s eyes scanned my kitchen, zooming in on the magnolia vase tucked in the corner. I knew what he was thinking. I always kept fresh flowers at home. It was the only thing I couldn’t do without.

“Magnolia…” he hummed. “That’s sweet.”

I bobbed my head up and down. Yeah, having a flower for a name was sweet and wholesome. It was for nice girls with sweet voices. I liked that idea of being someone who people were drawn to.

“You’re sweet,” he said, reading my mind. “Your lips.” He took my lips in a slow kiss, making me tremble. Nipping my jaw, he said in my ear, “And your pussy tastes sweet, too.”

I was ready to ask why he wasn’t taking me right here on the kitchen counter, when a piercing scream interrupted my thoughts.

I quickly jumped from the counter, running to the living room.

“Look what he did!” Vienna screamed at the first sign of me.

My eyes darted from the wall to the crayons Lachlan was gripping. He drew all over my wall up to the height he could reach. A sun, a couple of stick figures and something else. I wasn’t sure what it was.

My mouth tried to break into a smile, but I schooled my expression. Alvaro came to the living room on my heels, taking the crayon from Lachlan’s hand and telling him it was wrong.

I stood there, in the middle of the room, looking at those bright colored drawings on my crisp, perfect wall. At that moment, I knew.

I had the life of my dreams.

WhenAlvarotoldmeto relax, he probably wasn’t thinking I’d go back to work.

I wasn’t good at relaxing, but I decided to act natural. Accept that being myself was enough.

And the Logan I was really liked her job.

I only had Vienna to pick up after drama class, so I took Lachlan with me to the office. I needed to collect a few documents and check out if everything was going according to plan with my clients. Maybe give them a call. It wasn’t anything I couldn’t do with him, but it still felt odd when I went through the glass doors with a toddler.

No one said anything as Lachlan and I crossed the atrium, sending a wave to the receptionist.

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