Page 144 of Down & Dirty

“You seemed to think so,” I said, working hard to keep the expectation out of my voice. If this wasn’t what she wanted, that was okay too.

Her eyes closed, the air slipping out of her as she swayed beside me. “Thanksgiving.”

I nodded, even though she couldn’t see it. “And then at Christmas you said you liked it here.”

When her eyes opened, they landed on mine and the low angled light made her crystal blue irises glow. Skylar was stunning every day, but after missing her for weeks, it almost hurt to look at her.

“Before you decide if you still do, can I show you something?”

There was apprehension on her face, but she nodded and I held out my hand. I tried not to let her see me wince when she took it, her ring finger still bare.

I led her into the house, past the piles of supplies and cans of paint and spackle. She carefully picked her way through the living room, peeking through the doorway to the kitchen before I guided her up the stairs.

Our footsteps echoed around us as the walls lit up in orange and yellow, and my heart beat an unsteady rhythm when I reached for the first door. Skylar was biting her lip, her cheeks stained with a red that could have been from the cold outside. But I think she was as nervous as me.

As I slowly pushed through the doorway, I told her, “I know it seemed like I wasn’t listening to you. I sure as hell didn’t show you I was. But I promise you the only thing I ever wanted was us.” Her eyes scanned the room, growing wide and round as her mouth fell open. “All of us.”

“Cory,” she gasped, letting my hand slip free as she stepped further inside. Painted a cool sky blue with a racecar bed and an art table in the corner, Micah’s name was hung on a triangle banner over a dresser. A photo of the three of us was propped up on the corner.

Sky spun in place, her hand on her throat. “I can’t believe you did this.”

“Why not? I love Micah too.”

Water shimmered in her eyes. “I know you do, but,” she looked down, swallowing. “I get that he’s not yours.”

A fire burned in my chest. Micah might not be my son, but he was a rad little human and I’d missed him just as much the last few weeks.

“I don’t need Micah to be mine, Sky. He’s a part of you, and I love every fucking thing about you. I feel lucky that youbothcame into my life.”

I took her hand again and tugged her out of the room. We went past the bathroom and I threw open the door at the top of the landing. Crisp white walls and shining hardwood floors surrounded us in the master, but when I turned around, Sky’s eyes were glued to one spot in the room.

The wall of photos had been one of the first projects I’d finished. I’d needed it, coming in here every day before I left to remind myself of what we’d had. Of what I was fighting for.

“This is us, baby,” I said, pointing to the wall of photos.

Selfies from last fall. Blurry shots I’d snapped with my phone. Her face in the morning light. My chin above her head when I’d cut myself out of the frame trying to take a picture of the two of us. A shot she’d taken of Micah and I playing Legos in her tiny hotel suite.

A tear streaked down her face as her eyes flicked from one image to the next.

“I quit racing. Because risking all of this was the most arrogant, selfish thing I’d ever done. And I promise you, I will never,ever, make you doubt how much I want this life with you again.”

She was shaking her head, her breath coming out in choppy bursts.

“And if you don’t want to live in Maine, that’s fine. I’ll sell this place and buy another one. Because wherever you and Micah are, that’s my home.” I stood in front of her, taking her hands, the tremble in them matching mine. “You’re my home remember, gorgeous? Please let me be yours again.”

CHAPTER 48

SKYLAR

The air felt thin, like no matter how quickly I inhaled, I couldn’t get enough of it. Cory’s big, rough hands had closed around mine, shaking like he was scared of what I’d say to all of this. He’d been so anxious to show me what he’d been up to, he hadn’t even asked me why I’d come.

Fear swirled in his gaze, and I realized a part of him thought I was here to end things. Given how our last couple of conversations had gone, that was a logical conclusion. I’d said the words. I wasn’t wearing the ring.

But even before I’d seen what he’d done here, I’d made up my mind.

What he’d just shown me only made the words harder to get out, because no one had ever done anything like this for me before.

I brought his hands, one at a time, to my lips and kissed the back of his knuckles before I let him go.

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