Tumble (Dogwood Lane #1)(83)

She pulls away, knocking the hair that’s stuck to her tears out of her face. Her eyes shine with a mixture of happiness and more tears, as if she can’t figure out which way to go with it.

“Dad found you,” she says.

“He did. He ran into me just as I was leaving.”

“Where were you going?”

I smile at her. “I was coming back here. Hoping you would accept my apology for leaving.”

She doesn’t answer me immediately. She just places her hands on her lap and looks at me.

“Mia, I’m sorry,” I tell her. “I don’t know what else to say to you.”

“Why did you have to go?”

I try to think of a way to put it so she’ll understand. “Do you know how Aerial told you not to put your hands too far apart on your back handspring, but you did it anyway because you think it’s easier?”

“Yeah.”

“It’s kind of the same thing.” I rock back on my heels so I can see her better. And so she can see me. “When you become an adult, you don’t just have all the answers. Sometimes things are still confusing, and you don’t know what to do or you think you know things better than others. And you do what kids do—you do it your way until you fall on your face. Does that make sense?”

“Kind of.” She yawns.

“I needed to go to New York to end that part of my life. I needed to realize I’d done everything I needed to do there and that everything I wanted in life was right here. In this house.”

A slow, sleepy grin stretches across her cheeks. She yawns again. “So you aren’t leaving again?”

I help her back under her blankets and kiss her forehead. “I’m not leaving again until you guys make me.”

“Good,” she says. “Because it really messed Dad up.”

I can’t stop the laugh that slips by my lips. “Oh, did it?”

“Yeah. He was being a baby. You should’ve seen it.” Her lashes flutter a few times before they land closed. “I knew you’d come back.”

“You did?”

“You told me you’d take me to Manicure Day. I knew you wouldn’t lie to me.” She yawns. “But I might need ice cream tomorrow to really make sure I’m okay. It cures everything, you know.”

I tuck the blankets around her, trying to manage my emotions. “Thank you for having faith in me, Mia.”

“You’re welcome,” she whispers as she falls back to sleep.

I stand in her room a long time, listening to her breathe. I’ve done nothing in my life to deserve having these two love me, but I’ll fight like hell to earn it going forward.

Leaving her room, shutting the door softly behind me, I head across the hall to Dane’s room. He’s shirtless, sitting on the bed in nothing but a pair of gym shorts.

“That took long enough,” he grumbles.

“I had to talk to her. I can’t help it.”

“You could’ve not left.”

“It’s a little late for that now, isn’t it?”

He rolls his eyes.

“I brought nothing with me besides my briefcase.” I smack my palm on my forehead. “I don’t even have a toothbrush in this state.”

“There are extra toothbrushes under the sink in the bathroom. You can sleep in one of my shirts after I get you naked for a while.”

Sauntering toward him, I toss a playful grin his way. “I like the way you plan, Mr. Madden.”

“There will be no reason for you to leave. I guarantee that.”

“I need to schedule a moving company to get my stuff from New York. I don’t know how to do that, being here.”

“Maybe we’ll take a little family vacation to the city. That should terrify Mia enough to never leave home again.”

I sit on the edge of the bed. “Come on. It wasn’t that bad, Dane.”

“It smells like piss. There are no trees. Everyone is in such a hurry.”

“I’ll take you around and you’ll at least like it. I promise.”

He reaches up and jerks me down beside him. Nuzzling his face in the crook of my neck, he breathes in deep. “I like you.”

“I like you too.”

“I’d like you better if I was inside you.”

“I’d like that too.”

Much to my surprise, he doesn’t roll me over right away. He doesn’t order me to get naked or palm my breasts. He just lies behind me and breathes evenly.

“I need to call my mom and let her know I’m back,” I say.

“Tomorrow,” he mumbles. “Let me have you to myself tonight.”

“You have me to yourself forever, dude.”

He yawns, pulling me closer. “I like the sound of that.”

I lie in his arms for a long time, listening to his breathing fall into a steady rhythm. It’s the most peaceful thing I’ve ever felt.

Once I’m sure he’s asleep, I sneak out of his arms and get ready for bed. It feels different now that I live here. I don’t want to stick my stuff in places it doesn’t belong, but I don’t know where to put my clothes either.

Dressed in one of Dane’s T-shirts, I fold my clothes and put them on a chair. I turn back around to see Dane watching me. His hair is mussed, his eyes sleepy. He’s a mixture of adorable and sexy, and I know I’ll never get tired of seeing this side of him.