Page 120 of Between Desire and Denial
Through the door, she continued to talk, “You should sell. Paradise Grove homes are probably a couple million.”
“And I’d risk triple that to make sure you’re okay. Scratch that. My whole bank account, Honeybee.”
I heard a chuckle and then a sniffle before she said, “You know, if we’re going to really do this whole together thing, we might need to talk about your frivolous mentality on finances.”
“True. I spent five figures on baby gear just now.”
“What?!” she screeched before I finally heard the lock click. I took a step back, and she opened the door with a towel wrapped around her hair and body. “Why are you buying all that? We haven’t even been to the doctor.”
“Honeybee.” I took her face in my hands and brushed my thumb over her nose that was tinted cherry red, her eyes puffier than usual. “Because I wanted to.”
“You’re planning way too far ahead,” she said, but her hands were around my wrists now. “We have months and months to get things, Dimitri.”
“There’s a lot. We need a crib, stroller, rocking chair. Something called a MamaRoo. Some bassinet that detects the baby’s needs, but I’ll be up—”
“Dimitri.” She stopped me with a hand on my chest. “You know you’re so over-the-top that most people wouldn’t be able to handle you right?”
“Are you saying you can’t?” I frowned at her, my heart dropping at the thought.
She shook her head slowly. “I’m in here crying about how I’m going to handle it all, but you know what you continue to make me realize? I don’t have to handle it alone now. You’re here. You want to be. And I want you to be here too. With me. For as long as you want.”
“Which is going to be forever, Honeybee.”
“Good. Because today was freaking hard.” She took a deep breath and pulled me close. “I’m scared about what’s to come, but I’m not scared about you anymore.”
“I’m here, Olive. I’m not leaving. We’re going to get through it. Together.” She frowned but nodded at me, tears threatening to spill over her pretty eyes.
“I believe you, Dimitri. I freaking believe you. I’m just scared of everything else in the future. So make me forget today, make me forget my fear, if only for a little while.”
I pulled her to our bed and unwrapped the towel from her to see her skin glistening almost a golden hue, still dewy from the moisture in the air. That night, I didn’t fuck or screw her. I loved her softly. Cherished every part of her.
The secret society had their own code, and I think I made one of my own that night. I vowed to protect her, to love her, to do anything forher. Even if it meant ruining every single thing I’d worked for.
Chapter Forty-Five
OLIVE
It wasanother week of me visiting my brother in the hospital and of Dimitri and I laying low around town. He stayed close to me and reassured me everything would be okay. We talked about telling our families about the baby once we went to the doctor and knew he or she was healthy.
I wanted to keep the news to ourselves for now and Dimitri agreed, saying that when I was ready to share with more people, I’d know. I realized that he wanted me comfortable at all costs and I had been. I’d feared having a family because I’d lost so much of mine at one point.
That didn’t mean I couldn’t rebuild it or that I couldn’t create a new one. I saw the strength in myself now, saw the support I had around me, and knew I deserved a family if that’s what I wanted now.
My brother was a part of that family I wanted. I wanted him out of the hospital and getting well. I hurried to get ready the day before the board meeting and was ready to drive to the hospital when I glanced out the window and saw my brother sitting in front of the porch on our steps.
I ran out there. “Knox, you’re out of the hospital? They didn’t call!” I leapt over the broken floorboards to hug him. “How are you? When did you get out? Are you okay?”
“One question at a time, Olive Bee.” He chuckled. “I was released this morning. Told them not to call anyone. I needed a minute to think. It was early. I’m eighteen, so technically an adult and they didn’t mention my release to Dad. Don’t worry. I went home. No one’s there.”
“He contact you?”
“No.” Knox took a deep breath. “He won’t Olive. It wasn’t good before…”
He didn’t finish his sentence, and I didn’t know how to ask him the rest. I put my hand on his arm and murmured, “You can tell me when you’re ready.”
“I should be ready now.” His jaw flexed while he combed a hand through his curly hair. “I’m not proud of what happened. I’m not even sure— I’m sorry we put you through this, Olive.” His voice broke off, and his face crumpled as I sat down next to him on that porch. He cried on my shoulder, and I wrapped my arm around him.
It was just a moment. A single moment in time that I knew I would never take for granted. My brother was home, and he was breaking in front of me, but he was here, where we could figure things out together.
