Page 95 of Everlasting Love

“What the hell? This is ridiculous. First, you gave me barely any notice. You increased the rent. You’re still charging me rent, and I’m not even living there, and now you’re telling me it’ll be another two weeks?” I snap, dragging my hand over the top of my head.

“Settle down, big guy.” My eyebrows shoot upward. “I can’t help that the contractors are running behind schedule, and even though you’re not living in the apartment at the moment, I still have mortgage repayments to make, so for you to expect a handout is deplorable.” What in the actual fuck?

I grit my teeth. “I’m the deplorable one? Feel free to rent the apartment to someone else, I’m not coming back.”

“Are you telling me you’re going to break your lease agreement?”

“As far as I can tell, you’ve already broken the agreement,” I snarl.

“But …” I press the red button and jam the phone back in my pocket. I was already thinking about finding somewhere else to live, but now the decision is made.

“You okay?” Toby’s concerned voice breaks through the red haze and I turn, sliding back into the booth.

“Yeah. I’m gonna need to find a new place to live. I think I just broke my lease.” I exhale a long breath, releasing the sudden tension. “I was going to look for a place with a backyard for Violet and Jasmine anyway. This just forced my hand.”

Crinkles form around Peta’s eyes. “You finally made a move.”

I glare at her. “Not that it’s any of your business, but yeah. I made a move.”

“Good for you.”

“Thanks,” I grunt.

“I doubt Rose will mind if you stay longer while you look for a place.”

“I don’t think she will, but Vi and I need our privacy. We keep forgetting where we are and end up getting caught by Rose or Lloyd.”

Toby loses it, slapping his hand on the table as he rocks back in the booth. “I’d love to be a fly on the wall.”

“Yeah, well … I feel like a damn teenager.” Not that I was ever caught making out with a girl by my parents but I can guess what it feels like now.

Once Toby calms down enough, he turns thoughtful. “There’s that new development over on the east side. It would be closer for Violet to get to work.”

“I checked them out the other day. The yards are too small, and Jas would have to move to a different school. She likes it where she is and has a solid group of friends.”

He nods thoughtfully. “Well, if you need any help, let me know.”

“Thanks.”

I closethe laptop with a heavy sigh and drop my head into my hands.

“Everything okay?” I look in the direction of Rose’s voice as she breezes into the kitchen.

Rose has been nothing but gracious to me, opening her home at short notice, providing storage space in the garage, and she’s been nothing but understanding every time she catches me making out with her daughter. I should probably do her the courtesy of keeping her up-to-date with my plans. I point to the laptop. “I’ve been looking for a new place,” I explain aboutmy landlord and the increase in rent as well as the contractors running behind schedule.

She pulls out a chair opposite me and places her glass on the table. “You know you’re welcome to stay here indefinitely, Shane.” She looks down at the glass and traces her fingers along the rim. “I assumed that since you and Violet weretogethertogether you’d just move in here permanently.”

My heart misses a beat, as it does whenever Jasmine wraps her arm around my neck, and I drop my gaze from Rose’s for fear she’ll see that I’m barely holding in my gratitude. I swallow thickly and clear my throat. “Thank you, I appreciate that but I don’t want to impose any more than I already have.” I grit my teeth and run my hand over the top of my head. I remember the day Toby took Rose to lunch and asked her permission to propose to Cassia. He was quietly shitting himself and at the time I thought it was amusing. Toby’s fantastic with words and he struggled when it came time to talk to her and while I’m a man of few words, I should probably discuss my plans with Rose. “Do you have a minute?”

“Of course.” Creases form between her brows but she gets more comfortable in her chair. “Do we need a drink? You sound serious.”

I stand and head to the kitchen to make a coffee for each of us and return to the table, Rose watching my every move. I sit and stare into my coffee, the steam rising into the air and try to formulate my words. I lift my eyes to find Rose watching me with a glimmer in her eye. “I love Violet and Jasmine with all of my heart.” She nods and her lips widen slightly. “They shattered the armor I’d created to protect my heart and have wrapped themselves around it. I can’t imagine my life without them in it. I’m not as good with words as Toby, but my plan is to make them mine one day. I’m not sure when since I don’t have a home at the moment.” I shift in my seat and wrap my handsaround my cup. “They mean more to me than my own life and I want to give them the very best of everything because they only deserve the best. They make me want to be a better man, and I’m determined to be the best husband and father I can possibly be. I promise I’ll always treat them with the utmost respect and kindness. I’ll always consider their needs before my own, and I’ll love them with everything that I have.” When I look back up at Rose, she wipes at her cheek, her lips quivering.

She reaches across the table. “I don’t know how you can say that you’re not good with words because everything you just said was perfect. I really couldn’t ask for a better man for my girls, Shane. I’ve never seen them happier or more settled than they’ve been since you’ve been in their lives. I’m thrilled that you’re going to be joining our family, and I’ll be incredibly proud to call you son.”

The backs of my eyes sting, and my nose tingles. I drop my eyes from hers and work hard to hold in my emotions. “Thanks, Rose, but I know I’m not good enough for Violet. I still have a lot of stuff to work through, but she makes mewantto work through it so I’m the best person I can be. I promise I won’t ever let them down.” I hope she understands how seriously I take that vow.

“I know you won’t, Shane.Ibelieve in you. Violet and Jasmine do, too. Now you just need to believe in yourself,” she says with a soft motherly smile.

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