Page 59 of Somewhere We Belong

“Good! We colored an apple and a bear, then we talked about numbers,” she said excitedly. “Then played T-ball for PE.”

“That sounds exciting!” I grinned at her enthusiasm.

“Momma, come on, we have a surprise for you!” Sol took my hand leading me to the house.

“Wait, Sol,” Colt called out. “Keep Mommy busy for five minutes!”

Colt ran past us, going inside the house, leaving Sol to lead me back to her little pig, that I had to admit was adorable as hell. Hula Hoop was the size of a puppy and Sol told me she would get to the size of a dog, giving me facts about pigs becoming pets just like dogs recently. I listened in fascination, wondering where she had learned all this from.

“Ready!” Colt yelled.

Sol dragged me back to the house, down the hall where all the rooms were, into a bedroom that I had assumed was the guys’ room. The bed was enormous and as I passed it, images of all the debauchery I could conjure up ran through my mind.

“Here, Momma! Surprise!” Sol yelled, as we walked through a bathroom door and I was shocked.

The room was lit with candles, a romantic glow painting the room and Colt stood next to a big tub that was filled with bubbles, a table on the side with snacks and a glass of wine.

“You guys did this for me?” I asked in shock, trying to keep my cool and not cry.

“Sol said you liked baths, but your tub isn’t deep enough,” Colt said sheepishly. “So, we thought since you had been working a lot, we would let you relax while we cooked dinner.”

“Yeah, we went to the store and picked out bubbles and wine and I told Colt you like to read, so we got you this!” Sol picked up a book off the table and it was the book I had picked up to read the blurb on, when we went to the pharmacy.

“T-thank you,” I sighed, keeping my tears back. “I love it.”

I knelt down, hugging Sol, as I looked up at Colt. He gave me a small smile, and butterflies flew around in my stomach.

“Come on, Sundae, let’s let your momma relax and we can come get her when she is done,” he said, holding his hand out to her.

“Ok, Momma, relax and we will be back!” Sol pulled Colt to the door.

“Oh, there is a robe, and I will leave some clothes on the bed for you,” he said, before Sol shooed him away and they closed the door.

What was happening? How did we end up here? I glanced around the room as I let myself cry again. Dammit, I must be close to getting my period because I was crying way too much, but how could I not cry? A man I thought hated me a month ago was planning surprises for me with my daughter.

I think it was time I stopped running and have that talk with them. This felt serious, like we were inevitable. We had been living life for the perfect opportunity to be together, and I was done wasting time.

18

theodore

My muscles protestedas I lifted the saddle off of Maleficent. She huffed as I rubbed her back, then rubbed my hands up and down her mane. The last few weeks, she was my saving grace, as my mind was a chaotic mess of emotions with Nova at the epicenter of it all.

I thought when we all said we were ok with pursuing her that it would ease my anxiety, but it had only increased since we left everything out in the open. The beginning of the school year was busy for Nova and Sol, showing me that Nova really didn’t have breaks for herself. She was constantly working, providing for Sol, something that, ideally, two people should share the burden of.

The more the days passed by, I worried she would change her mind. She would talk herself out of whatever this could be, even though each time I kissed her I felt her need burning just like my own. But the longer I went without seeing her, the more I worried that I had imagined her need and longing in my head.

It was a dirty day on the ranch, which gave me an excuse to use the back door to the cabin and not have to run into Colt who was starting to give me the look I hated. He was fiveseconds away from sitting me down and making me talk about my feelings that I didn’t even understand.

Unlocking the door as quietly as possible, I snuck into the house, removing my boots and muddy jeans at the door. I faintly heard Colt in the kitchen cooking what smelled like Italian. My stomach grumbled as I realized that I hadn’t had lunch. I would definitely hear about it later. Once my muddy clothes were off, I slipped into the room, closing the door softly behind me.

A gasp made me turn around quickly to see Nova in just a towel by the bed. My eyes widened as I blinked a couple of times to make sure I wasn’t imagining her in my bedroom, naked with nothing but a towel between me and her.

My brain was stunned, no matter how hard I tried to get words out, I got distracted by her legs or the curve of her neck or the tops of her breasts peeking out. My mouth watered with the need to taste her even though I had never been with a woman.

“I’m sorry,” she squeaked, grabbing the clothes on the bed.

“I didn’t know,” I said, turning around to leave.

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