Page 43 of Flirt

“He wasn’t happy with us interrupting, but Brie was holding her own. He strikes me as the type of man who doesn’t take rejection well.” Dad’s expression showed he didn’t care for the man’s attitude.

“I’ll handle the good doctor if I need to,” I said and turned toward the door.

“I don’t think he’ll be a problem. She pretty much put him in his place. You need to worry more about fixing your problem with Brie than the doctor.” I glared over my shoulder, and my dad smiled. “I’ll look forward to welcoming a daughter-in-law and granddaughter into the family soon. Since it seems my son finally has his head out of his ass.”

“Even so, it might take a while,” I answered as I reached for the door handle.

“My money is on you. Never seen you fail when you wanted something bad enough. Can’t imagine you’d start now.”

I shook my head. “Yeah, but I have never fucked something up this bad before.” I pulled the door open and walked out of the room. My dad’s words on being ready to welcome Gabriella and Sawyer into the family was pretty much his stamp of approval. His last statement though, was a direct hit. He was right; I had never failed when something mattered to me. Gabriella and Sawyer definitely fit in that category.

Chapter Sixteen

Gabriella

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“Ican’t wait to seethe babies. Maybe Sami and Luna will let me hold one. Do you think they will? Did Ally get to hold her brother? I wish we had a baby. I would hold it all the time. I’d be the bestest sister. Can you have another baby for us?” Sawyer had been talking nonstop in her quest to know everything about the babies since I picked her up at Eleanor’s house. It at least kept her from noticing my swollen eyes and the splotchy skin on my face. The result of crying the entire way home from the hospital and more than a couple splashes of cold water could fix.

The tears had flowed down my cheeks the whole way home. By the time I parked my car in the garage, I was drained, mentally and physically. I couldn’t recall ever experiencing every emotion imaginable in such a small space in time—shock, anger, annoyance, betrayal, sadness. After I went inside the house, I blew my nose, splashed cold water on my face, and prayed I could keep it together long enough to collect Sawyer. Eleanor wasn’t as easily fooled, and when she stared at my face and lifted a brow, I gave a shake of my head. Thankfully, she took the hint and hadn’t asked any questions in front of Sawyer.

Once Sawyer and I were home, I held my emotions in check and went through our evening rituals. After a snack and Sawyer dressed for bed, though still going full steam ahead, she was blissfully unaware I was hanging on by a thread. I only needed to get her into bed, then I would spend some quiet time and wallow. I would get everything out of my system to include Max Browning.

I tucked the blanket around Sawyer and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Love you, sweetie.”

“You didn’t answer my questions,” Sawyer said instead of responding with her usual ‘love you more.’

“What questions?” I asked, realizing I had been inside my head rather than listening to my daughter.

“Do you think Sami and Luna will let me hold the babies? Ally probably got to hold her brother.”

“I’m not sure, sweetie. That is up to Sami and Luna, but if they do, you have to be super careful with the babies.”

“Did Ally get to hold him?” The child was relentless.

“She did, but I’m sure it was under the watchful eye of her mother.”

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