Page 100 of Sweet Escape
“I’m not in any place to date, but thanks for the offer.” Nia flashes a forced smile. “I’ll just have to live vicariously through you two.”
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Sarah says. “We haven’t even had our first date.”
“And judging by those text messages, you’re not going to make it there.” I giggle.
Wilder eyes me curiously.
“Girl stuff,” I say.
“Got it. We’d better get out of here before this melts.” He slides his hand down my arm to intertwine our fingers. “You ready?”
I say my goodbyes and head out to Wilder’s truck, reflecting on whatgot me here and how far we’ve come in the last six months.
They say hindsight is twenty-twenty, but I never gave it much thought until now. I don’t know that I’ll ever be in a place to forgive Jake and Amber for what they put me through, but at least I found out before I tethered myself to him more permanently. I’m grateful he never slid a ring onto my finger, and I’m even more relieved to know it’s not his baby I’m carrying.
Wilder
Laughter drifts into the barn from somewhere nearby, two voices I could recognize in my sleep. One is a high-pitched giggle and the other is a lighter, more resonant tone. I peer toward the pasture where Emmy Lou and Olivia are sitting on one of Mama’s handmade quilts outside the fence, the horses grazing just beyond the gate. I snap a quick photo on my phone. I want to memorize this view and keep it forever. Emmy squeals, her little hands clapping gleefully as Olivia places a daisy crown on her head.
“You too, Livie!” Emmy says, glancing at the pile of daisies between them.
Mesmerized, I lean against the doorway, crossing my arms over my chest. Liv smiles, then effortlessly crafts a matching crown for her own head. I thought she was beautiful before, but the way she looks at my daughter leaves me speechless. She tilts her head to the side, listening intently to whatever haphazard sentences my daughter’s able to string together like it’s the best story she’s ever heard. It’s clear Emmy’s smitten, too, and I can’t say I blame her. Olivia is something special.
“Daddy too?” Emmy asks.
Olivia giggles softly. “Think your daddy would take his hat off for us?”
Emmy scrunches up her nose and shakes her head.
Olivia boops her and says, “I bet he’d do anything for you, Emmy girl.”
Olivia weaves together a third flower crown while Emmy plucks the petals from the leftover daisies. When she’s done, she lays it on the quilt, leaning back on her hands as she glances out over the ranch. I know she loves the views here—she’s told me as much—but it’s nothing compared to the one I’m staring at. I’ve been standing here for far too long already, but I can’t seem to look away. It’s like the first hint of sunshine after a lifetime of storms.
Emmy crawls into Olivia’s lap and rests her head against her shoulder, her little hand twirling a lock of golden hair. Without hesitation, Olivia returns the embrace, her hand gliding over Emmy’s back in a painfully sweet gesture that looks as natural as breathing. Emmy closes her eyes and sighs. When Olivia turns her head and places a chaste kiss against her temple, I can’t stand back and watch anymore.
I wordlessly sink beside them and pull off my hat.
Olivia smiles softly. “I was wondering how long you were gonna stand there.”
“You saw me?”
“No. I felt you.”
Emmy’s eyes blink open as she nuzzles against Olivia’s shoulder. She glances at me with a small smile. “Hi, Daddy.”
“Hey, baby girl. This for me?” I ask, holding up the flower crown.
She nods sleepily, and I place it on my head. “What do you think?”
“Pretty,” she says through a yawn.
I peer over Emmy’s head. Olivia’s got the most beautiful smile spreading across her face.
“Hear that?” I say. “I’m pretty.”
Olivia purses her lips to stifle her laughter. “Didn’t need the flower crown for that,” she whispers. I watch the joy disappear from her face as she stares out into the distance, still cradling my daughter in her arms. “Do you think we can do this?”
“Do what?”
