Page 70 of Buried Dreams

“I may not be the boss of you, but this is mine.” I grab her ass with both my hands. “And these are mine.” I grab her tits, teasing her nipples. “And this…” I move my hand down to her mound, and she jumps off my lap.

“I get the picture,” she hisses, “and you have to get bagels in the toaster.” I get up, pulling her to me, and her chest crashes into mine as she wraps her arms around my neck.

“I love you, baby.” I smile down at her. “More than yesterday and less than tomorrow.”

“I love you more,” she replies as Saige enters the room.

“I’m done,” Saige announces. “Now can we go?”

“Yeah,” I say, letting go of Everleigh but bending and kissing her lips. “I’ll start the bagels.”

“I’ll go make the bed, and I might have to stop at home and get a change of clothes.”

“Need you to pack a bag,” I say, and she looks at me. I know she wants to argue with me, but with Saige in the room, she doesn’t dare.

“I’ll think about it,” she mumbles before walking out of the living room and grabbing her coffee on the way out.

“I’ll get the bagels,” I offer, grabbing my own cup of coffee and taking a seat. “You get the cream cheese.”

She walks to the fridge, pulling out the tub of cream cheese and also the strawberries and blueberries. “Is Everleigh going to sleep here again tonight?” Saige asks me, and I look over at her.

“I was hoping she would,” I reply. “Is that okay with you?”

“She’s nice,” Saige says. “You like her a lot, don’t you?”

“I do.” I put the bagel in the toaster and then turn to look at her. “I love her.” Her eyes go big. “And I want her with me all the time. Just like I want you here with me all the time.”

“Mom said you always loved her.” Saige shocks me. “Says Everleigh was always the one you were in love with, even with her.” I take a deep inhale, wanting to call Karla up and tell her what a fucking moron she is, but I have to take care of this first. “Did you love Mom?”

“I love your mother because she gave me you,” I answer her as honestly as I can. “I’ll always love her because she’s a part of you. And I love you with my whole heart,” I explain softly. “Just the way I have loved Everleigh.”

“I’m happy she’s here with you when I’m not here,” she says. “You were always lonely when you called me.”

I shake my head. “I’m always happy,” I deny. “I wasn’t always lonely,” I tease her, and she points at me.

“You’re lying.” She giggles. “Just like Everleigh said.”

“I can see the two of you are going to gang up on me,” I accuse when the bagel pops out of the toaster.

“Nah.” She shakes her head. “I’m always going to be on your side.” I look over at her. “You’re my dad.”

“You bet your ass,” I say. She walks over to the sink with the strawberries, opening them and letting the water soak them.

“What are we doing?” Everleigh asks, walking into the kitchen wearing exactly what she was wearing yesterday.

“Dad says you’re moving in,” Saige announces, and I see Everleigh’s mouth hang open. “It’s good because he’s lonely,” she continues, the color in Everleigh’s face draining, “and now with you here, he won’t be lonely when I’m not here.” She turns off the water. “Which he totally lied to me about, but I caught him like you said.”

“I wasn’t lying.” I turn to spread some cream cheese on the bagel.

“He’s doing it again,” Saige teases. “See?”

“I see.” Everleigh walks over to me and puts one hand on my back. “Are you lonely without her?”

I look at her, seeing she’s teasing me. “Now that you’re moving in”—I turn it back on her—“I’ll be less lonely with you here, but I’ll still miss Saige.”

“I’ll still call you every night, Dad,” Saige offers. “And when I go away to college, now you’ll have Everleigh to take care of you.”

“Off to college?” I shriek. “You aren’t even in middle school.”

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