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The dreamy look disappeared in an instant and she tensed in my arms. “Wolfe, I can’t—”
Oh, fuck, that hit me harder than it should have. “Well, you never know.” I pulled back, tapping her on the nose, doing my best to lighten the mood I’d just ruined.
“Right. Okay. I’d better get going.”
“Of course. See you around.”
“Yeah. See you around.” I watched as she got in the car, wincing at the crunching of the engine as it did its valiant best to turn over. Then she pulled the door shut and lowered the window. The smile she shot me was a mix of sweet and shy and somehow managed to hit me right in the guts. “Bye.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets to stop myself from hauling the door open and pulling Esme back into my arms. “Bye.”
CHAPTER22
Esme
The sun blazed down on the highway, heat shimmering off the asphalt like a mirage. It made me wish the air con worked in old Doris. We were on our way back from a shopping trip to Vanceboro. It was a drive Doris wasn’t too happy about, and she was making her feelings known. I was doing my best to nurse her along, while my mind was spinning with worries about the stack of unpaid bills waiting for me at home. One benefit was that it kept me distracted from thoughts and memories of Wolfe. Nope, there were the memories, bubbling up to heat my blood and make me blush. At least I could pretend it was from the heat.
I huffed out a breath, rubbing my hand across my chest, under the diamond pendant, where the yearning hit the hardest. Such a dumb thing to yearn for, really. It was only one night and so what if my body wouldn’t let it go? I’d already decided that the kids came first, and nothing was going to change that. Not even a six-foot two billionaire with glimmering hazel eyes and magic hands. And hey, let’s not forget that he hadn’t offered me anything more than the one night either.
“Esme, are we almost there?” Belle’s sweet voice piped up from the backseat. “It’s soooo hot.”
“Almost, baby,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light despite the tension knotting my stomach.
Suddenly, the car sputtered and choked, forcing me to pull over onto the shoulder.
“Sit tight,” I said as I stepped out into the sweltering heat, sweat already beading on my forehead.
“Maybe it’s just the tire,” Florian suggested, leaning out the window.
“Florian, go back inside,” I said, more sternly than I intended. If only it was something as simple as a flat. That at least I had a good chance of dealing with.
I popped the hood and tried to make sense of the mess of wires and grime, but it was hopeless—I didn’t know the first thing about fixing cars. The engine had given up the ghost, leaving us stranded. Damn it, not now!
Florian still had his head out the window and now Tiana was next to him, their faces grim as they watched me leaning under the hood. Tears blurred my vision as I played around with various hoses and plugs, trying to figure out my options. The sun beat down on my back, sweat trickled down my spine and I felt acid churn in my gut. Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry.
Out of options, and unable to afford a tow to the mechanic, I realized we had no choice but to walk the rest of the way to Esperance.
“Alright, guys, we’re gonna have to hoof it. Grab your things.” I could only hope they wouldn’t complain too much. They grabbed their bags and our new purchases and clambered out of the car, following me without question. The level of trust they had in me stabbed me in the heart, since I felt I was failing them so badly.
We’d only walked ten steps when Belle whispered, “Esme, my tummy hurts,” her big brown eyes filling with tears. My heart broke for her, and I gave her a gentle smile.
“Here, baby, climb on my back,” I offered, crouching down so she could scramble onto my shoulders.
With Belle clinging to me, and the other kids trailing behind like ducklings, we set off towards Esperance. The heat was scorching and my legs wobbled, but I couldn’t let them see how scared and desperate I felt. Especially Ariel, who was shooting me little sideways glances, checking if I was okay. As a family, we had to stick together—no matter what life threw at us.
I just hoped that somehow, someway, we’d catch a break soon.
We hadn’t walked far when I heard the unmistakable purr of a Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 approaching. My heart leaped as it pulled onto the shoulder ahead of us and stopped. Wolfe stepped out, looking every bit the hot lover from my dreams.
His hands were on his hips, and his lips formed a thin line of displeasure. Despite the heat, he looked effortlessly cool in his dress pants and business shirt, unbuttoned at the throat and with the sleeves rolled up.
My body warmed at the sight of him, but I approached cautiously. He was definitely pissed off with me.
“Hey, Wolfe,” I managed, trying to sound casual despite my racing heart.
“Esmerelda.”
I stopped in my tracks, quickly glancing at the kids. They were staring at Wolfe with their mouths hanging open. I would have laughed if I wasn’t so hot and tired... and a little bit turned on. Anyway, back to Wolfe. “Why... why did you call me Esmerelda?” My voice was low and tight.