Page 90 of Finding Hayes
“I know. She’s just shooting her shot. They have nothing, and I think her attorney just realized it.”
She looked up at me, eyes wet with emotion. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this.”
“You didn’t drag me into anything. This is exactly where I want to be.”
“You’re a damn good husband.” She smiled. “But since I’m home alone tonight, how about you let me have another letter to read?”
She was relentless about these letters. They made me look like a weak pussy, the way I whined about missing her and begged her to call me.
“Why are you so obsessed with those letters? It’s just more of me wondering where you were.”
“Not true. There’s so much in those letters. I like hearing what was happening in your life after I left.”
“Worst year of my life,” I admitted. Savannah was gone. River and Romeo were sent away to juvie hall. My sister and I were almost sent to foster care and then lived apart, with me staying with Nash and his father and Saylor staying with River and Kingston’s grandparents.
“I know. But it helps me understand what you were going through.”
I groaned. “You haven’t snooped at all since I’ve been gone?”
She knew they were in a box on the top shelf in my closet. But that wasn’t Savannah’s style. She wanted me to give them to her.
She took her wrist and turned mine over before pressing them together. “Peas and carrots, hubby. I wouldn’t read them without you being okay with it.”
“How’d I get so lucky to marry you?” I whispered against her ear.
“I didn’t give you a choice,” she said, as she pulled back and smiled up at me. “But maybe this was all part of our journey, huh?”
“Maybe it was, Shortcake.”
Because I’d do it all again, if I ended up right here with her.
twenty-four
. . .
Savannah
“This is so cute,”I said, as I stood on a step stool and held one end of the banner as Saylor held the other.
We were throwing Demi a baby shower at Saylor’s bookstore, Love Ever After. It was attached to Magnolia Beans, Demi’s coffee shop, and Peyton had been carrying over all sorts of pastries and getting things set up. Emerson loved to bake, and she brought in towers with cupcakes and some kind of unicorn Rice Krispies Treats. Ruby was placing linens on the tables that we’d rented for people to be able to sit and eat. Janelle had brought all the florals over from Magnolia Blooms, and Midge had just arrived and was setting up little grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup in clear cups along the rectangular table on the back wall.
“Thank you for following my directions about wrapping the sandwiches in the cute wax paper that I ordered with the little boxing gloves on it.” Peyton studied the sandwiches and then looked up at Midge.
“Well, you didn’t give me much of a choice, did you? And Ithink pictures on wax paper that you’re going to throw away is kind of stupid,” Midge snipped. She owned the Golden Goose Diner, and I’d known the woman my entire life. She was hilarious and quirky, and I’d always liked her.
“Hey, it’s a baby shower. We don’t go to negative town. And we’re all about the themes here.” Peyton put her hands on her hips.
“We’re also all about the love here,” Saylor said. We both stood back to admire the banner we’d just hung that read:Celebrating our little Golden Boy!
It was a boxer-themed baby shower because Romeo was a fighter, even though he no longer did it professionally.
“These tattoos are hilarious,” Ruby said, holding up the temporary tattoos we’d sprinkled on the tables for people to take.
Ride or die. Brothers till the end. Loyalty always. Forever my friend.
“It was Beefcake’s idea,” Emerson said. “He’s always talking about how he’s going to get a matching tattoo with all the guys, so he’s convinced Romeo and Demi’s little guy will get one with him, too.”
“That’s so cute. I love that they all have the same tattoo.” I started placing the floral arrangements that Janelle had dropped off on the center of each table.
