Page 98 of Stuck with my Boss Daddies

It didn’t matter if she ran. It didn’t matter if she was scared. It didn’t even matter if she didn’t choose any of us.

Because this wasn’t about possession.

It was about love.

And we weren’t going anywhere.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Sadie

Page Turners smelled like home.Not my home, exactly, but the kind of home I imagined having when I was younger.

One filled with the scent of old pages and cinnamon tea, a place where the air hummed with quiet conversation and the occasional delighted squeal of someone finding the perfect book.

The bell over the door jingled as I stepped inside, and a warmth settled in my chest, as if the bookstore itself was reaching out to embrace me.

I’d always loved this place, but I had to admit, it was looking better than ever these days.

The new owner really was incredible.

Aurora stood behind the counter, bouncing baby Evie on her hip while she flipped through a book with her free hand. She glanced up at the sound of the bell, her face lighting up when she saw me.

“Hey, stranger. Haven’t seen you in a bit.” She closed the book and set it down, shifting her baby to her other arm. “How’re you feeling?”

It was the same question I’d been asked a dozen times in the past week, and yet something about the way Aurora said it made me want to answer honestly instead of brushing it off.

Maybe it was the easy way she held her child, the gentle sway of her body as if she’d been made to carry love like this.

“Better,” I admitted, stepping closer. “Still tired, but I think that has more to do with everything going on in my head than anything physical.”

She nodded like she understood completely, and maybe she did. “Yeah, that kind of exhaustion runs deeper. Tea helps. So does a really good book. Luckily, I have both.”

I smiled, letting the warmth of the space sink in. “I was hoping you’d say that.”

Aurora gestured toward the back where a cozy reading nook was set up, then turned to a small side table where a pot of tea steamed. “Come sit for a bit. No rush. You know this place is magic… sometimes just being here helps.”

I followed her, sliding into the corner of the overstuffed couch as she poured two cups of tea. Evie nestled against her, gurgling happily, and I couldn’t help but stare.

“She’s getting so big.”

“I know, right?” Aurora chuckled, pressing a kiss to her daughter’s head. “I swear she changes overnight. Sometimes I blink, and she’s a whole new person. It’s terrifying and amazing at the same time.”

I let that settle over me, the weight of my own thoughts pressing harder against my chest.

“You look like you’ve got something on your mind,” Aurora said, studying me carefully as she handed me my cup. “I mean, besides the obvious.”

I stiffened slightly before forcing myself to relax. “The obvious?”

“Sadie, come on.” Aurora gave me a knowing look. “Small town, remember? People notice things. And I might not know every little detail, but I know enough. I also know what it’s like to be in your shoes. Scared, uncertain, wondering what the hell your life is going to look like now. Not sure if Medford is even home.”

I swallowed around the sudden tightness in my throat. “And did you figure it out?”

Aurora exhaled softly, shifting Evie slightly so she could reach for her own tea. “Eventually. And it turned out better than I expected. But it took time. And a lot of freaking out.”

I let out a breathy laugh, staring into my cup. “I think I’m still in the freaking-out stage.”

“That’s allowed. The freaking-out stage can take as long as you want.”

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