Page 73 of Yuletide Acres

I will make up for all the years my beautiful Sunshine Girl spent lonely, filling her days with memories to warm her soul. Just like she’s warmed mine.

* * *

Iknock on the door to the guest room before letting myself in. “Marissa is passed out. Too much excitement and sugar would be my guess.”

“She’s the most amazing little girl, Dylan.” Poppy is sitting cross-legged on the bed, looking through a box of my family photos. “You have a beautiful family.”

I sit next to her, wrapping my arms around her waist. The loneliness is wafting off her in waves now, and I only pray I can love her enough to mend some of the hurt. “I have a great family. I’m so sorry about your parents. Your foster parents.” I take a deep breath, searching for the strength I need to utter the next line. “I’m so sorry that I left you.”

Poppy gazes down, chewing her lip. “It seems like everyone does. That’s why I don’t talk about it. I’m a mood killer.”

“No, you’re not. I wish I had known. I would have done things differently.”

Her fingers trace my beard before pressing a kiss to my mouth. “Don’t ever say that. Then you wouldn’t have had Merry or Marissa. Everything happens for a reason.”

I’m beyond tempted to get down on one knee and ask her to marry me. Right here, right now.

The only thing holding me back?

Her saying no.

Her not wanting me as much as I want her.

“Can I ask you something?” My entire body cringes at my next question.

“Sure.”

“How far along were you?”

“Thirteen weeks. Thirteen lived up to its reputation, I suppose.”

My foot taps the floor with an erratic rhythm. “And the attack happened a few weeks after I left, right?”

Her eyes widen as she realizes the direction this discussion is heading. “Dylan, please let’s not talk anymore about it.”

“I have to because I need to know. You lost our baby because of the attack, right?”

She chews her lip; her face one of abject sorrow.

“Damn it all to hell,” I hiss, burying my head in my hands. Deep down, I suspected it after she admitted to being attacked. The timelines were too similar. Too close.

Her arm wraps around me, her head resting on my shoulder. “Don’t do this to yourself. You didn’t know. I’ve shed enough tears for the both of us over our baby.”

When she forces my chin up, her gaze reacts to the tears in my eyes. “I’m sorry, Poppy. I’m so sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. A bad man did a bad thing. It had nothing to do with you.”

“If I’d been there—”

“It would have happened, anyway. He attacked me right outside the ladies’ room. You couldn’t have done anything. Please stop.”

That’s the thing about the dam breaking. Once it’s breached, you have to wait out the pain. The ironic part? I came in here to comfort her and yet here she is, her arms wrapped around me as I come to grips with how much Poppy suffered in my absence. Her gentle voice soothes me as her fingers trace over my scalp. I’m not sure if it’s five minutes or fifteen before I feel like myself. But not once did her embrace loosen.

“Are you okay?” she questions, pressing her lips to mine.

“So much for me helping you feel better, huh?”

Poppy giggles, tightening her embrace. “You can owe me.”

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