Page 155 of Stay With Me
“Tripp?” she murmurs with her eyes still closed.
“You’re okay, love. Just gettin’ you into bed.”
“I’m so sleepy.”
“I know. Do you want under the covers or should I bring in an extra blanket?”
“Yeah.”
I chuckle and decide to grab her one from the linen closet so I don’t have to move her.
She snuggles into her pillow as I tuck her in and a cute little moan escapes her throat.
“Night, Sunny.” I brush hair off her forehead, then lean down to kiss her there. “Sweet dreams.”
She’s silent as I tiptoe out of her bedroom and close the door.
With it being Christmas Eve tomorrow, she’s not working and can sleep in if she needs to. She’s had a busy month, and I know she could use the extra rest.
Once I get our food in the fridge, I take a few minutes to tidy up the rest of the house. Looking around at the decorations we put up a few weeks ago, a part of me is sad we’ll have to take them down soon. The memory of that day is a good one, considering she had just moved in a week earlier and we were still adjusting to the awkwardness. Bringing out all my bins and getting the tree set up while watching one of her favorite holiday movies was a nice ice breaker to put us back in the friendly hangout zone.
Every time I’m near her, I’m tempted to pull her into my arms and kiss her senseless. I can’t help wanting to touch her in some way, even if it’s just holding her hand or rubbing her back. Forgetting how it feels to be with her isn’t something I can do, and sometimes I can’t hold back.
Two weeks ago, the sheriff announced Travis as a suspect in the robberies and break-ins and it seems ever since then, she's more determined than before to keep me at a distance beyond friendship. She thinks my being associated with her will somehow put a bad light on my family because of his bad reputation. With her dating history being tied to him, she’s really stretching the line between his criminal behavior and it somehow affecting me, but still, I’m trying to respect her decision.
No one outside of my family and her dad knows the baby is his, and if it were up to me, I’d keep it that way.
It wasn’t much of a shock to learn Travis was into some sketchy shit, but him breaking into her apartment is where I’m confused since he didn’t even take anything. The only thing that’d make sense is if he thought it’d rattle her up enough to run back to him for safety.
Well, good job, motherfucker. It brought her tomeinstead.
Even if we aren’t “dating” per se, she’s here in my house and in my life.
That’s all that matters.
But he’s only a suspect, and now he’s missing.
They released some of the footage they got from the break-ins where you can see the license plates of the car he runs back to afterward. Dumbass isn’t even smart enough to know to cover his plates because there are cameras everywhere now.
I hope he stays gone and then she’ll never have to tell him.
As I stare at the ultrasound photo, I feel a warmth of pride and hope. I want to be a part of the baby’s life as much as Magnolia will allow and if she lets me, I’d be here for every step and milestone.
I snap a photo of it and then send it along with the video I took earlier to Noah, my brothers, and parents. Looking at it, I get an idea for the scrapbook I started weeks ago. Even if all I can ever be is “Uncle Tripp,” I want to document everything.
Wilder
You sure that kid’s not yours? It’s got a big head just like you.
Waylon
And it has a little peen like yours, too.
Tripp
You dipshits, that’s the leg. And how would you know?
Landen
