Page 117 of Crave Me

“So, we’ve got a little announcement to make,” I say, my mom slapping a hand over her mouth as she gasps. Hope fills her eyes, and I know that she has wanted this for Hannah and me for so long. It’s going to kill me when she finds out the truth.

“Hannah and I have been keeping a secret, and we don’t want to hide it anymore.”

I lift up our hands, turning Hannah’s to show off the thin, ornate, gold wedding band that adorns her left-hand ring finger.

“We got married!”

“Holy shit!”

“What the fuck?”

“What?”

“Oh my god!”

“Wait, are you serious?”

Everyone has something to say, and I watch as Hannah’s eyes get big. I move my hand around her little waist, pulling her flush against me. My thumb rubs aimlessly over the bare skin there and I don’t miss the way goosebumps scatter across her body or the way she shivers in my arms. I lean in to whisper in her ear.

“Smile, wife. We need to sell it, remember?”

Epilogue

Dallas

5Years Later

Holding my wife’s hand tightly in mine while I drive, nerves and excitement pulse through me.

“Are we really doing this?”

“We’re really doing it, princess. Are you excited?”

“I am, but my god, I’m nervous. What if she doesn’t like us?”

“She will, baby.”

I pull into a large government building and put my car in park. Turning to face Blaire, I grab her face in my palms.

“Listen to me, we’re ready for this. We’ve gone through all the training, and you’ve been through this, you’re ready. And you’ve gotten me ready. Is it going to be perfect? No. But it’s going to be ours and we’re going to make a difference no matter the outcome. You understand?”

“I love you.”

“I love you, princess.”

We walk into the building and meet the case worker. After going through all of our paperwork and a briefing, we’re led to a room where a nine-year-old girl sits alone at a table, writing on a pad of paper. We walk in, Blaire leading the way, when she perks up in her seat and looks at us.

She has the lightest blue eyes, strawberry-blonde hair, and is very thin. I’m already thinking about all the food items I want to stock in the house to make sure she has access to everything she needs. I know the neglect was bad.

“Hi,” Blaire says hesitantly, “I’m Blaire. This is my husband, Dallas.”

“Hi. I’m Nadia Hope. Which is silly because Nadia means hope.”

We both chuckle at her and I relax further. We take our seats across from her and she returns to her notebook.

“So, I’m going home with you, huh? Since my parents died?”

“That’s right. You’re going to come home with us. We have a room all set up for you that’s all yours. And lots of people who are excited to meet you when you’re ready.”

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