Page 60 of Forever Player

“Willow, Maylee is my responsibility. I insist on giving you money for her, according to what I feel is fair.”

I nod. “Sure, Brett, that would be great. So we’ll go with you to New York. We will live together as co-parents and I can get back to work. I love being with Maylee, but I feel like I need to work at least part time to start feeling like my old self again. It’s been hard on me here. Everything is so far away. I’ve been a recluse.”

“Oh, Honey,” he says, wrapping me up in a hug. He holds me tight, and I place my chin on his shoulder and take in his scent of mountain freshness and something that is distinctly him, but it’s the way he holds me close that has me slightly undone. I feel safe in his big burly arms until I remember those articles, and the openness I was feeling toward him gets veiled in a sheet of protection. I pull away and he releases me.

“You want to go get ready for a day in Nashville?” he asks with a wide, hopeful smile.

“Sure, it would be nice to get out.”

I head upstairs and get ready while Brett changes Maylee’s diaper and gets her dressed.

When I come back downstairs Brett is dressed in a black merino sweater that hugs his muscles like a glove and dark jeans that look downright sinful. My heart gallops in my chest as warmth fills me, but I lock that feeling down because it’s better to be safe than sorry.

CHAPTERFIFTEEN

Brett

The last few days in Sugar Meadow went by in a blur. We enjoyed a nice day shopping in a mall in Nashville. We grabbed an enjoyable lunch and had easy friendly conversation. Do I wish there were stolen touches and hot kisses attached to that day? Yeah, that’s what I was hoping for, but I get Willow’s reservations, and I am here to show her, I’m a keeper. After packing her and Maylee up, we are finally at the airport getting ready to board a plane.

“This is crazy, Brett, I don’t know what I was thinking,” Willow hesitates, pausing on our way to get on the plane. She looks pale and she blows out a breath.

I leave the carry-on luggage I’m pushing and walk over to Willow, settling my hands on her shoulders. “This is going to be great.” I look into her gorgeous blue-green eyes, trying not to get sucked in by her beauty because she needs me to talk her down from her worries. “Maddie picked up everything we asked her to. I’ll have a designer come by this week so we can put the finishing touches on Maylee’s nursery. She will have everything she needs and you can get back to work and be with your friends like you wanted and . . .” I’m about to tell her that maybe we can try to be together in a real sense, but I don’t want to overwhelm her.

“What were you going to say?” she asks, and she looks me in the eyes.

“Nothing.” I shrug it off. “Just that this move is going to be really good for you and Maylee.”

Willow’s eyes are laser focused on me as she takes slow breaths. “I left my family, Brett.”

“You are my family, Willow,” I say those words and I sense she isn’t buying them, but I mean them with every fiber of my being. No matter what, I will always take care of this woman, even if she doesn’t want me.

“We barely know each other,” she backpedals. I hear the fear dripping from her every word.

“We haven’t known each other a long time, that’s true, but I know you. You are warm, kind, beautiful, you have an amazing heart, and despite the way you grew up, you aren’t repeating your parents’ mistakes because you want to do better for our daughter, and I appreciate that so much. You also know I am not going anywhere. I have your back and Maylee’s. I know I shouldn’t be saying this right now, but I think we could be great together if you’d give us a chance. I thought that after we were together that first night in New York and I have been thinking this way for the past fourteen months, even without knowing that Maylee existed.”

Her lower lip quivers. “This is a lot.”

“I don’t want to pressure you. I just want to assure you I am here for you. Whatever you need. I just need you to be open with me, okay?”

She nods. “Yeah, I appreciate it.”

Okay, she seems a little calmer and my insides relax.

“I got you, Honey,” I reassure her. She watches me like she doesn’t know what to make of me, and I get it. I have a reputation but I’m a changed man. People are allowed to change and I have to prove that to Willow.

“Okay, okay, this is fine,” Willow says, talking to herself.

“You’re going to be able to see all your old friends. Ellie lives in the building. This is going to be good, Willow,” I assure.

“I’m really excited to be able to see my friends. I haven’t met Patty’s baby girl,” she says.

“She and Maylee will be best friends.” That puts a smile on Willow’s face.

“This is good.” She nods like she is trying to convince herself.

“It’s going to be great,” I correct because I can see a future with this woman, and for me this is just the beginning. I was having my doubts about whether she shared my feelings, but when she looks in my eyes I see past her shields. I see a woman who is scared to give her heart, yet she has the biggest heart I’ve ever seen. The way she is with Maylee just proves it.

We board the plane and get settled in. I text my sister to tell her we are about to takeoff. Maddie is over the roof happy about meeting Willow and Maylee.

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