Page 59 of Don't Leave Me

“How are you so amazing?”

“At making gingerbread houses?” I peek up at him.

“At everything. You’re perfect.” He presses a soft kiss to the tip of my nose.

“I'm far from perfect, Peck.”

“Not in my eyes.” He drapes his arm over the back of my chair and plays with my hair. I love when he lets the strands move through his fingers over and over again.

“Aren't you going to keep going?”

“Nah, I’d rather watch you.”

I roll my eyes, but I can't hide my smile. I glance up to find Dad staring at Peck with a grin. I think he really likes him and that means a lot to me.

“Sir, would we be able to go take a peek in Soph’s house while we’re here?” Peck asks after almost an hour of watching me decorate.

Cody and Jax abandoned their houses long ago. Mom went to make dinner and Charlie and Wyatt went home for Charlie to relax for a little bit. Her back has been really hurting the closer and closer she gets to delivering. It’s just Dad and me still chugging along. Dad will be working on his house for days though.

“We can go right now.” Dad wipes his hands off on a towel and stands.

“We don’t need to go this second. I don’t want to interrupt you.”

“Peck, this won't be done for days. I had to promise Blake I wouldn’t get too far because he wants to help, but he also wanted to give our family some privacy to visit with you. I don’t mind taking a break and I’m sure Sophia would love to see the house.”

Chapter 27

Pecker

“I'm so excited!” Sophia claps her hands and jumps to her feet.

She hasn’t mentioned the house since Wes made a comment about it when we first met. I was beginning to wonder where her head was with it. Is she excited or dreading it, but I just got my answer.

I don’t know how I'm going to do it, but I need to figure out a way to move here. I can't take Sophia away from her family. Not when she’s been so happy since we arrived. If I thought she could light up a room before, I was wrong. She’s practically illuminating every room she walks into now.

Sophia takes my hand and threads her fingers through mine. She peeks up at me with a sweet smile on her face, but I can see the hesitation. She’s worried about me. She probably thinks I'm going to bolt.

“Peck, this is Charlie and Wyatt’s house.” Wes points to the house directly across from his and Blake’s. I wonder if they planned it to fit exactly between the two families’ houses. I'm sure they did. They’re too detail oriented for that to be an accident.

Sophia’s house is next to Charlie’s, closer to Wes’ house than Blake’s. He twists the knob on the front door and I'm shocked when it opens easily. I thought it would be locked. I’d be worried about something getting stolen or someone getting in here.

“The gate keeps people out. The entire property is fenced in. We couldn’t take chances with Wyatt living here, especially with Jax and Cody moving here soon. There are too many fans who would do anything to get to them,” he answers the question I didn’t even get a chance to ask.

We step inside the house and glance around. It looks like it’s the same set up as his house, but the inside is laid out slightly different. This one is more open and has bigger windows, making the space appear larger.

“I love it, Daddy,” Sophia whispers as she roams around the bottom floor.

She lets out the loudest squeal I’ve ever heard and races out of my sight. My brows crinkle as I try to figure out why she’s so excited. I don’t want to chase after her, but I like having her in my line of sight at all times. I got so used to watching her with Jimmy being a threat.

“She saw the chandelier.” Wes smirks. “She’s always begged us to put a chandelier in the dining room, but Addi didn’t want one. I think she picked this one out when she was around nine years old and has been telling me since then how much she wanted it in her dining room when she moved out.”

“How’d you find the same one? They still make them?”

“Nah, they stopped making it only a few months after she saw it. I ordered it the day she found it. I’ve been storing it at the warehouse we use for Kasey Construction since then.”

“Why?”

“Because it was something she loved. She made me promise I’d give it to her when she grew up, and there’s no way I was breaking a promise to my little girl. As your kids get older, theyget less excited about things you can give them. They realize they can buy their own things and they don’t need you anymore. She’s already grown and doesn’t need me, but it makes me feel a little bit better that I can give her something she’s always wanted.”

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