Page 129 of Whenever You Call

“O-okay,” she whimpered.

It took her only a few seconds to start moving, her little breaths coming in fits and spurts as she tried to get herself into the right position. Hannah’s mewls of worry beside me didn’t go unnoticed, but I ignored them, knowing she’d want me to focus on Bella until she was back down on the ground.

“Okay, Bella. I’m going to count to three. The moment you hear me saythree, that’s when you let go. Don’t think about it. You have to trust me and just do it. Do you trust me?”

She gave a small nod, and I made my count. The very second the word three came out of my mouth, Bella took a small breath, and she trusted me enough to jump.

Her tiny body landed in my hands within a second, and I took the brunt of it, catching her before pulling her into me and holding her tight as I closed my eyes and released a breath of my own. Her legs wrapped around my waist, and her head rested on my shoulder as I squeezed her tight.

“There you go, bug,” I whispered. “I’ve got you.”

I’ll have you for the rest of my life if your mom will let me.

“Bella, baby,” Hannah said in a rush of relief as she came to us, not wasting a second to peel her daughter off me to hold her for herself.

I passed her over and stepped back, watching as Bella curled herself around her mom like she’d not seen her for an eternity. While Hannah cried, Bella grew calmer, holding onto her mommy as Hannah spun them around, and Bella’s eyes met mine.

Even though my heart pounded like never before, I gave her a wink and a smile to let her know she wasn’t in trouble. Nothing bad was going to happen now, but when Hannah spun back around again, taking Bella out of sight and bringing her own eyes up to mine, I saw everything there waiting for me that she couldn’t say. Everything her heart didn’t want her to speak, but her head told her she had to.

This is our fault.

We let this happen.

We’re to blame.

My daughter feels abandonedagainbecause of us, Logan.

I need space. I need time. I need…

“No,” I whispered, shaking my head. Taking a step forward, I closed the distance, bringing my thumb up to wipe her tears away. “No, Hannah. I won’t let you do this.”

“We don’t have a choice,” she whispered back.

“Youalwayshave a choice now.”

“I’m a mom, and she’ll always come first, Logan.”

Our eyes lingered on each other’s, and my own pain mirrored back at me in her stare. She didn’t want this, neither of us did, but that old friend of ours, guilt, had returned, and the dark clouds had taken over everything that had once been good.

When Hannah turned away and began to cross the road with Bella in her arms, all I could do was watch, not knowing what the hell to do. Should I leave and respect her wishes, or should I follow her and fight?

There was only ever going to be one option, so I followed, crossing the road with her, following only a few footsteps behind.

“Wait!” Bella cried, her head suddenly lifting from Hannah’s shoulder as she looked straight at me, bringing her mom to a stop. Bella pointed back at the tree, kicking out of her mom’s embrace and forcing Hannah to let her slide down her body. “You have to get the cat, too, Mr. Logan.”

“Bella, no, we need to get you home,” Hannah said, reaching for her hand and holding it tightly like she’d never let go again.

They both turned to face me, and Bella stepped forward, despite Hannah’s firm grip on her.

Her eyes stared into mine with all the pleading of a broken child that could bring me to do anything. “Please. I think the cat needs a home, too. I don’t want to leave him behind. He’s somewhere around that tree. That’s why I climbed up there. I didn’t want him being lonely. Everyone deserves someone to love, even a grumpy cat. Please, save him. Save him like you save all those people who get poorly.”

My eyes rose to meet Hannah’s, only to see that she could barely look at me before I let them fall back down to Bella.

“Please, Mr. Logan…”

I nodded softly. “Okay.”

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. “I’m coming with you.”

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