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Laughter rolled out of me. The kid was so adorable I couldn’t fully process it half the time. The way my heart felt like it was going to blow whenever I looked at her. Way everything that was wrong seemed to right itself when she was in my arms.
“You’re hungry, huh?” I asked as I grabbed the basket so we could pull out the food.
“Don’t you know you get hungry when you’ve been workin’ in the kitchen all day?”
Amusement rolled, and Emery and I shared a glance, our love for this little girl so distinct.
She and I pulled everything out of the basket, Emery ripping off the lids to the containers.
One held these cute little sandwiches that had been cut into different shapes.
Another with fruit, crackers, and cheese.
Plus three juice boxes.
Maci was the one to pass those out. “One for you. One for you. And one for me,” she peeped.
I picked mine up, unwrapped the straw, and jabbed it into the foil hole.
Holy hell, had my life changed.
From tequila to juice boxes.
I brought the tiny straw to my mouth, and not for one second did I feel the need to complain.
“Foughtyou would like that because cherry is my favorite, and I know it’s your favorite too since we got all the same favorites.”
“That’s right, we do.”
Maci grabbed a sandwich and stuffed it into her mouth, chewing around the ham and cheese. “Like this one,” she garbled around her food.
Affection pulsed. I was probably supposed to tell her to chew with her mouth closed, but I couldn’t bring myself to do that right then. Not when today was aboutthis.
About this family.
About making it permanent.
I couldn’t help but look at Emery, guts getting all twisted up again as I peeked at her nibbling at the edge of a sandwich, blonde hair stirring in the gentle breeze that whispered through the trees.
Every distinct curve and line of her gorgeous face striking beneath the bright rays that slanted in through the giant shade tree above.
The sound of the stream babbled in the distance, and I didn’t think I’d ever felt as much peace as I did right then, even though I was shaking apart in my boots at the same time.
Maci gobbled up three sandwiches, chattering the whole time.
“Wow, you sure are hungry,” I told her as she stuffed a giant piece of watermelon in her mouth, something I’d been sure to pick up when the three of us had been at the store since I knew it was definitely one of her actual favorites.
A swell of protectiveness hit me unbidden. It felt like I was hunting the whole time I was at that store. Searching through every face like I might uncover the motherfucker who’d tried to abduct Emery, this piece of shit who’d disappeared without a trace.
We hadn’t been able to pick up on his trail.
Not one damned clue as to who it had been.
Four days had passed without any other incidents in town, but I wasn’t about to chalk it up to random.
Maci’s tinkling voice cut off my spiraling thoughts. “I’m a growin’ girl. I’ll be five ’fore you even know it, and that means I’m gonna get to go to school. Did you know my best friend Nolan goes to school?”
“Sure did.” I hesitated, nerves gripping me tight, and I glanced at Emery for encouragement. For her to give me the go that what I was doing was right.