Page 22 of Taming His Honeydoll
Sawyer chuckled. “Sometimes like that. Henry is your step-daddy, but I’m your real daddy. Does that make sense? And I’ll be here from now on.”
“Don’t start something you don’t intend to stand by,” Emma warned quietly. “He’s already had one dad leave him.”
His gaze locked with hers. “I’m not leaving,” he replied firmly. “Not ever.”
“That remains to be seen,” she said, then unsnapped her seat belt and opened her door.
“Be careful, that’s a really tall step,” he cautioned as he opened his own door and stepped out.
“I think I can handle sliding out of a truck.”
Once he was out, Sawyer opened the back door and carefully extracted Levi from his car seat while Emma took the backpack out of the other side.
Sawyer marveled at the tiny red tennis shoes that fit into the palm of his large hand. The feel of the little boy’s arm around his neck was trusting and sweet. When his little hand reached up to pat his cheek he melted.
“Daddy.”
“Levi,” he replied smiling down at him with his chest feeling like it was going to burst. He glanced up and saw Emma had come around the truck and was watching them. Moisture blurred his eyes for a moment and a feeling of completeness filled his soul. He hadn’t felt that since he’d gone into the service. He caught a flicker of something that looked like longing in her brown eyes before the shutters to her emotions slammed shut. Enigmatic and guarded were left in place.
“You ready?” His voice was gentle and soothing.
She nodded and came to his side where he tucked her under his other arm and they made their way to the deck where the others were waiting and watching them. He’d never met any of these people before today, yet it still felt like a homecoming.
He was grateful that they weren’t passing any immediate judgments, but he could feel their protective aura. It wove in and out and around all their relationships with one another. They were close knit. Welcoming to those they accepted, and protecting their own against those they didn’t. He was on trial, there was no doubt about that. That didn’t really bother him. The only person he needed to approve of him was Emma. Without her, nothing else mattered except his son.
***
EMMA WASN’T LOOKINGforward to the coming meeting. She was still reeling from the incident on the freeway and she knew without a doubt that it had been Marlene behind it. She wanted Levi and was willing to go to great lengths to get him. Emma shivered.
She wasn’t looking forward to laying open the ugly truth of what she’d gotten herself into but it had to be done. Tiredly she rubbed her temples, then carefully felt the bruising coming up around her eye.
The little bit she’d told Ty and Chessy about Marlene wanting to keep the house was just the beginning, apparently. She was still in shock regarding everything that had happened in just a few hours, but it had to come out. Levi was in danger.
Nat and April greeted them all, curiosity shining in their eyes as they flicked from her to Sawyer.
“Excuse me, please,” she said and smiled tentatively at April. “I need to use your potty services if that’s okay?”
“Of course, it is,” April replied, hooking her arm through Emma’s. “We just finished the guest bathroom on the ground level so I’ll show you where it is.”
“No more climbing the stairs,” Emma mocked lightly. She liked April. Nat’s wife was a beautiful, dark-haired girl full of energy and sass who loved bubble gum. Said it helped her think and also relieved stress.
Apparently, she was feeling some stress because the slender, slightly taller girl was popping her bubble gum as she led Emma down the hallway. Around the corner were three doors and she opened the middle door with a flourish. “Ta da! Isn’t it gorgeous?”
Emma nodded in awe. “It really is, April. I swear, you should have been a home decorator with all your skills.”
“Actually, most of the ideas in here were from Marsha,” April explained with a wink. “Your sister-in-law is very talented in retro décor.”
Emma flushed slightly and nodded. “I know, I love Marsha’s ideas. She’s done some great stuff at home...I mean at her and Oliver’s home.”
April touched her arm. “It’s still your home too,” she replied softly. “It sounds like you’ve been through a lot lately. Maybe some time spent with Oliver and Marsha will be good for you and Levi.”
Emma nodded. “See you in a minute.” She closed the bathroom door, not wanting to get into that right now. There was no way she could stay with Oliver and work her job. She had to get back to Bevier. Now that her pride was in tatters on the ground and the miserable failure of her life glaringly exposed, she might as well admit the truth about her fake marriage. Minus Henry’s real persona—that was his to divulge if and when he wanted to. She just hated to admit she’d screwed up royally.
Glancing at herself in the bathroom mirror brought a gasp. Who was that woman and what must Sawyer think of her? She had to give him credit for actually catching her when she jumped him at the hospital. Looking at herself, she wouldn’t have blamed him for running and screaming the other way.
Her hair was tangled and matted around her temples with dried blood interspersed here and there. There was some seepage showing through the bandage taped to her forehead, and one eye was swollen down to the cheekbone making her look like a tryout for a zombie walker. It was already turning black, purple and green above her eyebrow.
The front of her white hoodie had blood swatches on it and it looked like she hadn’t spewed all her throw up on the ground. She pulled it out and sniffed. “Oh no,” she groaned, tears filling her eyes. The hot tears burned the eye below the damage and she realized it was bloodshot. Sniffling, she tried not to cry.
