SADIE

I took the Zip-Loc bag of ice from Trevor and put it on my left eye. “Thanks.”

Mom and I had gotten into a fight. A real one. The screaming turned into pulling hair, and pulling hair turned into throwing punches. When Dad walked in the door from work, he pulled us apart. I was done. So done with her. I had to leave since she wasn’t going to. I looked at Jason as he came through the doorway with my suitcase.

“You guys really don’t have to let me stay here.” I had nowhere to go until the small guest house on Dane’s property was finished, but I hated intruding on Jason and Trev. I could pull from savings and stay in a hotel or find a place to rent for the time being if I had to.

“It’s not a big deal. We have the extra bedroom.” Jason smiled at me. “Besides, I know for a fact Dane was planning on getting that little house done soon.”

“I told him not to worry about it. I want him focusing on everything else right now.” I pulled the ice from my eye. “How bad is it?”

Trevor made a face. “It looks pretty bad. Dane is going to flip. You know how protective he is.” He rubbed the back of his neck and glanced at his watch. “Maybe you should tell him, that way it’s not a shock to him.”

“And say what? I acted like a child and punched my mom so she punched me back?” I felt like an idiot. I should’ve just left the house instead of adding fuel to Mom’s fire. But she was asking to meet Tate, and I said no. Things just escalated from there.

“Just tell him that you and your mom got in a fight and you lost your temper. He will understand, but him seeing you with a black eye will worry him if he doesn’t know what happened. You know his mind goes to bad stuff.”

I set the ice down and called Dane.

“Hey,” I said when he answered. “So, I probably can’t go with you to sign Tate up for school tomorrow.”

I heard him yawn. “Why not?”

“Did I wake you up?” I looked at the time and cursed when I saw it was midnight. “Shit, sorry, Dane.”

“It’s fine. I’m not asleep. I’m pacing.”

“Oh. Why?”

“I don’t sleep very well. I pace until I fall asleep.” He yawned again. “Now, why aren’t you coming tomorrow?”

“I have a black eye. Well, not yet, but it will be by morning.” I was embarrassed and disappointed in myself. I was going to miss my son’s sixth-grade registration because I had a damn black eye. But I couldn’t go. It’d embarrass him. I couldn’t let him be labeled as the kid with the mom with the black eye. I groaned and leaned back into the couch.

“First, why don’t you do that contouring shit and cover it up with makeup, and two, why the fuck do you have a black eye?”

I smiled a little at how much he paid attention to how I did my makeup.

“I can try. And…I punched my mom in the face so she punched me back.”

There was a moment of silence before he burst out laughing.

“Does she look worse than you?”

“Yeah.”

“What did you guys fight about?”

“She wanted to meet Tate and I said no.” I noticed Trev and Jason weren’t in the room anymore. “It’s her fault. All of this.”

“Sadie,” he said calmly. “Come home.”

“Huh?”

“Come to the house. You can sleep on the air mattress.”

“I’m at Jason and Trevor’s. I’m okay.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that I want you here, but okay.” He yawned again.

“Y-You want me there?”

“Yes. I figured you’d know that by now.” I heard a puppy barking a little through the phone. “Shhh, Scout.” I heard some shifting. “Scout and Juno-Bear are like my shadows.”

“But what about Tate?”

He sighed. “I guess we should wait then. I swear I’m getting your little house done by the end of the week.”

I laughed. “I’ll really be fine. You have bigger things to focus on.”

I closed my eyes. “So, I’ll do that contouring shit and see you in the morning?”

“Yes. And be prepared for some questions from Tate. He’s been reading your diary.” I heard Dane let out a gasp of air then a groan. There was a loud pop, some scared puppy barking and a thud as if the phone hit the floor.

“You okay?”

He groaned again. “The dogs pounced on me then took a bite out of the air mattress.”

I laughed. “Guess you’ll be sleeping in the couch. When will your furniture be in?”

“Tomorrow, hopefully.”

“I should probably go take a shower and get some sleep. But I don’t want to stop talking to you.”

“I don’t want to stop talking to you, either, but you need sleep, Daisy.”

“You need sleep too, baby.” I yawned.

“I don’t sleep much.” He yawned. “No, you two can’t sleep on the couch with me.” I heard the puppies whine and Dane huff.

“Me either.” I stared at the bag of ice that was now melted. “Can I ask something that’s probably crazy?” I got up and threw the bag away.

I found my keys.

“Sure.”

“Can I come…” I felt myself blushing. “Can I come over and see you? Even if it’s just five minutes. I need your arms around me. I won’t come in.”

“Daisy, I’ve already invited you over.” He chuckled.

“I know, but Tate…”

“Is in bed. I will just meet you outside. Okay?”

I couldn’t stop smiling. “Okay. No laughing at my eye.” I hurried out to my Rover. “I’ll see you in ten minutes.” I got in and cranked the engine.

“I’ll be waiting outside.”

I hung up, put on my seatbelt, and headed to his house.

WHEN I PULLED into the driveway, he was waiting for me on the front porch. Both puppies were on their leashes and wagging their tails.

“Where’s Boy?” I asked as I walked toward him.

“Boy is in bed with Tate and Sassy is in bed with Millie.”

I stopped in front of him and smiled appreciatively. No shirt and his sweats were…yum.

I bent down and pet the dogs. Juno-Bear, my new baby, licked my hand.

“I think we ended up with the two mischievous ones.”

I stood and smiled. “How was he tonight? I know you said he started reading my journal. I left him a note to read it when he was ready. I don’t want hide anything from him.” Tears filled my eyes. “I’ve been such an emotional mess, and I don’t know how to just feel okay.”

He pulled me into his arms and put his chin in my head. “It’ll take time. It’s okay to not feel okay, Daisy.”

Damn, his arms. His skin. The way he smells. I melted against him.

“Everything will work out.” He kissed the top of my head.

“I know, and I’m trying to be patient, but it’s hard.”

“Nothing that’s worth it is easy.”

I smiled against his skin. “I know.” I looked up at him so I could see his baby blues.

He moved hair from the side of my face where I had the black eye and tucked it behind my ear. “It doesn’t look too bad.”

“Liar.”

He laughed. “I hate that you and your mom are fighting, but I’m proud of you for sticking up for our son. He’s not ready to meet them.”

I nodded and sadness weighed heavy on me. “I hate it, too, but I want to do everything right for him. I need him to trust me before I let him meet the ones who pushed for the adoption.”

He kissed my forehead and nodded in understanding. “You need to go get some rest, Daisy.”

“One second longer.”

He kept his arms wrapped around me. “I love you, Daisy, and in time so will Tate.”

“I know.” I moved a little so I could see his face. “Thank you. For everything.”

I wanted to kiss him. So. Fucking. Bad. But I knew us. We’d kiss, we wouldn’t be able to stop, and we’d end up in my Rover. We weren’t ready for that. We were getting a chance to make this work and to do that, we had to fall in love in reverse.

I looked at my hand that was over his heart and tattoo. I felt so small compared to him, but I loved how he towered over me and held me. I never felt safer than when in his arms.

I moved my hand and kissed the daisy tattoo. I backed away and smiled. “Goodnight.”

He grinned. “‘Night, Daisy.”

I watched him go inside with the dogs before leaving.