Page 91

Letting Wolfe into our lives? That had felt like dancing on a tightrope. One misstep, and the kids would be the ones to fall. No way could I watch them crash like that.
But the kids adored him. I could see it in the way they’d scramble to hug him, the way they’d hang onto every word he said. They totally trusted him, and he hadn’t let them down.
The fear that had been holding me back was cracking. The thoughts circled around and around in my mind.Wolfe was the real deal. He cared about us. And he’d proven it, over and over. He wasn’t going to ditch us.
On top of that, I thought about how Wolfe must be feeling through all this. To show up, day after day, without the promise of anything in return. The courage to put his love on the line like that.
It was kind of terrifying, feeling that wall I’d built crumbling. But it was also amazing. For the first time in forever, I was letting myself believe in someone. It was like a whole new chapter was starting, and I was excited to see where it was going to lead.
Energy surged into my system, and I threw back the blankets, gripped by a sense of urgency that wouldn’t let go. Ihadto see Wolfe. Right fucking now. My feet hit the floor in a hurry, and I scrambled around my room, grabbing clothes and tossing them on. Every second felt like an eternity.
I dashed down the hall, but then skidded to a halt. Fuck! The kids! My heart sank as reality slammed into me like a wrecking ball. It was a school day. I couldn’t just go tearing off to Raleigh like some impulsive teenager.Responsibilities, Esme, responsibilities. My shoulders slumped as I realized that life wasn’t going to pause just because my heart was doing somersaults.
Ariel stumbled out of her room, clad in her favorite unicorn pajamas, her hair a wild mess, eyes barely open as a wide yawn escaped her lips. I stared at her for a long moment, my mind racing, until it snapped into focus. “Get everyone up! We need to talk!” I blurted out, the urgency in my voice echoing down the hallway. Ariel blinked at me, her sleepy confusion turning into wide-eyed curiosity. Something big was happening, and she could feel it, too.
I rushed into the kitchen, my hands moving almost on autopilot as I clicked on the coffeepot and started setting up breakfast for the kids. Cereal boxes, bowls, spoons–everything got tossed onto the table haphazardly. Who had time for neatness? My heart was pounding, and the smell of brewing coffee filled the room, but I hardly noticed. My mind was on overdrive, focused on the kids, Wolfe, and the wild emotions swirling inside me.
Like a pint-sized drill sergeant, Ariel got the kids up, dressed, and herded into the kitchen. I looked up to see a line of sleepy faces, still rubbing the remnants of dreams from their eyes. Their hair was all over the place, their clothes might’ve been mismatched, but they were there, ready and waiting. I glanced at Ariel, giving her an appreciative nod, grateful down to my bones for the fact that her take-charge attitude had kicked in full force.
I hustled them to the kitchen table, waiting impatiently while they filled their bowls. “Alright, guys, no school today. We have to go to Raleigh,” I announced, watching their expressions shift from surprise to puzzlement.
Tiana’s spoon hovered in mid-air as she asked, “Why? What’s going on?”
I took a deep breath and met their gazes, my voice calm but resolute. “We’re going to see Wolfe.” The room went silent as they processed what I’d said, their eyes wide with a mixture of excitement and curiosity.
Belle’s face lit up like a Christmas tree, and she clapped her hands together. “I love Wolfe!” she exclaimed, almost spilling her cereal. Ariel gave me a funny look, an eyebrow arched, but her lips twitched into a knowing smile. The room filled with excited chatter. Breakfast became a blur of spoons and slurping, and Ariel even made sure I ate something, handing me a piece of toast. Within minutes, dishes were in the sink, shoes were on, and we were piling into the car, ready to hit the road.
The two-hour road trip to Raleigh took for fucking ever. Every mile felt like ten as my mind raced with thoughts of Wolfe, the kids chattering in the back, oblivious to my inner turmoil. I tapped the steering wheel impatiently, glancing at the clock every other second, willing the car to go faster.
Finally, I pulled up in front of Rivers Industries, barely noticing that I’d parked in a spot clearly marked “No Parking.” We hustled into the sleek, glass-fronted building. At the security desk, the guard, a middle-aged man with a buzz cut and a no-nonsense expression, gave us a baffled look when I asked to see Wolfe Rivers. He clearly had no clue who we were or why a frazzled woman and a group of kids would storm into the corporate headquarters. “Do you have an appointment?”
Fuck. “Um, no, but I—”
“Can’t let you up, then.”
“Can you call him, at least?”
“He’s a very busy man, miss. I can’t just go calling him for every random person who asks to see him. I’d lose my job.”
Panic bubbled in my chest, but before I could react, Ariel stepped forward, her chin raised and eyes steely. “It’s in your best interests to let Mr. Rivers know that Esme White is here to see him,” she said. Her voice dripped with authority. It was hard to believe she was only twelve years old. “If you want to keep your job, that is.” She looked him dead in the eye, adding, “Trust me.”
I stood there, mouth hanging open. I couldn’t decide if I was more impressed by her sudden transformation into a mini corporate shark or the fact that she’d just channeled her inner Wolfe.
The guard swallowed heavily, color draining from his face as he picked up the phone, turning his back to us as he muttered into it. When he hung up, his entire demeanor changed, his voice suddenly respectful. “Mr. Rivers will see you now. Here are your visitor passes,” he handed them over, nodding toward the bank of elevators. “You go right on up to the thirtieth floor. Have a good day.”
As we moved toward the elevators, Florian looked at Ariel, wide-eyed, and whispered, “You were awesome!”
Tiana chimed in with an enthusiastic, “Yeah!”
I caught Ariel’s eye, and she shrugged, trying to look nonchalant, but I could see the proud twinkle in her eye. She’d totally nailed it.
The elevator ride was an odd blur, my insides twisting with a bundle of weird, nervous energy. My heart felt like it was trying to escape my chest, pounding in my ears as we rose higher and higher. Then the doors opened, and Wolfe was there, waiting for us.
I think I forgot how to breathe for a moment, with all the feelings swirling through me. The kids rushed forward, but I hung back, caught in his gaze, feeling like everything was about to change.
“Well, this is a nice surprise!” Wolfe exclaimed, picking up Belle and laughing when she hugged him enthusiastically.
Tiana’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Esme says we can see your office!” she chirped.