Ready for You (Ready #3)(82)

I turned around, and he must have read something in my expression. Maybe it was because he’d been in my shoes before because his eyes suddenly went wide.

“Oh! You’re gonna…oh! Here? Okay. Shit. And we keep interrupting. Yeah, that sucks. Okay, uh…I’ll go make Leah hurry up.”

He dashed out of the kitchen, and within a few moments, Leah was flying back into the living room, flashing me a huge grin as she found her seat. I took a deep breath and came back into the room.

“Okay, so what I was saying was, Mia and I really appreciate each and every one of you, which is why I wanted all of you to be here.”

I hadn’t even turned to her. My hand had barely made a single twitch to move to my pocket when Logan’s cell phone went off.

“Motherf*cker,” I cursed under my breath.

And now, I was cursing in front of my widowed mother.

Awesome day.

“Sorry! I’ve got to take this. It’s the hospital.”

I waved him off, and he dashed into the office for privacy. Two minutes later, he returned. He broke the news that there was an emergency at the hospital, and he’d been called in. Clare rushed into action and offered to drive him. Within minutes, they’d kissed everyone and rushed out the door with the kids. Mostly everyone followed their leave, and soon, Mia and I were left with Declan and Leah, who are both dragging their feet.

Leah gave me an apologetic hug as I shook my head.

“It’s okay,” I whispered in her ear. “There’s always the Super Bowl.”

~Mia~

I bent down and picked up the pillow off the floor. I placed it back on the couch, fluffing it as I did. Next, I refolded the blanket the kids had pulled down to make a fort in the dining room, and I draped it over the arm of the chair. Stepping back, I admired our cozy little living room. Looking back, I remembered what it looked like when I’d first moved in—a couch covered in plastic and a pile of wood flooring. Now, it was warm and inviting and more than I could have ever imagined. I’d never imagined this house becoming my home in so many ways.

I’d bought it as my huge step out on my own. I’d thought I needed to be on my own to find myself. It had turned out that I wasn’t searching for myself. I had been searching, reaching, and clawing my way back to Garrett. There were pieces of myself I still had yet to discover, but I hadn’t done it alone. Coming back here to this house, this city, and this man had helped make all of that possible. I was whole again because he helped make it possible.

I no longer dwelled in the past, afraid of my future. I had no idea what our future would bring, but that was part of life, wasn’t it? The great unknown. I knew there would be more tears, more struggles, and more heartache. But with them, there would also be tears of joy, happiness, and love. Life was a balancing act. Sometimes, there were moments that tipped the scales, and we found ourselves walking in shadows, but as long as we had those who loved us, we’d always find the light again.

“What are you thinking about?” Garrett asked against my ear as his arms wrapped around my waist.

“How wonderful you are,” I said with a grin as I snuggled up against his warm body.

“Mmm…is that so? I think you should show me.”

His hands tightened around my waist, and he spun me around until we were face-to-face. His eyes glimmered, and his mouth was curved into a wicked grin.

“Oh, yeah? And how exactly would I do that?” I asked, feigning innocence. I might have batted my eyelashes for effect.

His hands went to the hem of my dress, and he started to pull it up, higher and higher, until my black thigh-highs were exposed.

“Fuck, it’s a really good thing I didn’t know about these when my mother was here.”

A giggle escaped my lips. “That would have not happened while your mother was in the house!”

He gave me a dubious look. “Do you not remember the many study sessions in my room or that time in the garage when my parents were inside making dinner?”

My cheeks instantly heated at the memory. He always had been a bit of a daredevil.

“Okay, point taken. But we’re older now and responsible!” I added.

“Mmm…challenge accepted,” he purred in my ear as he curled his palm around my backside.

“You’re seriously deranged.”

“That’s why you love me,” he said.

His lips met mine, and his hand slid up my thigh and over the lacy edge of my thigh-high. He pulled my leg around his waist. He lifted me and carried me over to the couch, and as my head hit the freshly fluffed pillow, the doorbell rang.

“Seriously? I just can’t catch a break today!” Garrett cursed, causing me to snort out a laugh.

I stood, adjusting my dress and smoothing out the wrinkles, and I walked the short distance to the front door.

“It’s probably Leah or Liv. They must have forgotten something,” I suggested.

I looked around for any missing toys or Tupperware. I didn’t see anything, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t anything lurking around. There were tons of hiding places.

As I pulled open the door, a gasp escaped my lips, and I froze. There, standing before me, was someone I hadn’t seen in years, someone I hadn’t expected to see again.

“Dad!” I exclaimed as Garrett’s hand curled around me.

He didn’t look anything like the man I remembered. Standing before me was someone I would have never recognized as my father if I happened to pass by him on the street or in a congested crowd.