Page 47 of Sold to the Single Daddies (Southern Heat Reverse Harems #4)
Reagan
I hadn’t been able to hand off Lucky myself.
I’d hidden in my bathroom while Maxie passed Lucky and all of his things off to his dads.
I’d strained to hear their voices, even though I knew it would hurt.
I’d rushed to the window after I heard the door close downstairs to watch them leave.
And then I’d crumbled into a thousand pathetic little pieces.
The first night I hadn’t been able to sleep.
I’d clutched my phone in my hand and waited for a call to let me know something was wrong with Lucky.
The second night, I’d cried until Maxie forced me to take melatonin and go to sleep.
The third and final night, I couldn’t stop pacing.
I’d never been away from Lucky for so long and I was desperate to see him again.
Desperate enough that when I saw Mills’ truck coming up Maxie’s driveway, I didn’t wait to let Maxie handle the hand over.
I took off at a run out of the house and met Tate at the back door as he opened it to bring Lucky out.
I didn’t wait for him to reach in to get him.
I climbed into the truck and unbuckled Lucky, anxiously bringing him to my chest and holding him as tight as I could without crushing him.
I didn’t even realize I was crying until Tate reached up and wiped my eyes.
“You’re killing me, kitten.” His low voice was subdued and when I looked over at him, he looked like he hadn’t slept or shaved in weeks.
“Was he okay? Did he take his bottles okay?” I looked down at Lucky to keep my eyes away from Tate.
West opened the other back door and leaned in to look at me.
“You look like hell, woman. Did you sleep at all?”
I blushed and shook my head.
“I mean, yes. Two nights ago, I think. I don’t know. I missed him so much.”
“You could come with him, Rea.” Tate lightly gripped the back of my neck. “Put us all out of our misery and come home.”
I looked around and frowned when I noticed Mills’ overwhelming presence was missing.
“Where is he?”
“Miss him?” West gave me a weak smile. “He’s not handling missing you very well.”
My chest tightened.
“Is he okay?”
Tate sighed.
“Define ‘okay’. I think this has brought up a lot of shit for him and he’s trying to work through it all. We all are. We all want to be the men you deserve.”
“Lucky missed you. This split custody shit is not for the weak.” West took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. “Now get back inside and out of this heat. We’ve got to get back to the ranch and Mills.”
I was numb as I gathered Lucky and his things.
“I saw him here. Sleeping in his truck.”
Tate cupped my face and stroked his thumb over my cheek. “Don’t worry. We’re going to take care of him.”
For hours after they left, I was consumed with worry for Mills. I couldn’t think of anything else. It drove me downstairs and into the kitchen to find Maxie.
“I think you and your sisters need to go check on Mills.” I bounced a cranky Lucky on my hip and chewed on my lip. “Tate and West mentioned a few things and I think they need y’all. I think Mills needs y’all.”
Maxie looked up from her slice of pie and raised her eyebrows at me.
“Sounds like you want to go yourself.”
“Please, Maxie.”
She stared at me for a few moments longer and then nodded.
“Of course. I’m going to tell him that you sent me, though.”
I didn’t care. I just wanted to know he was good.
“Tell him whatever you want. Just make sure he’s okay, please.”
After she left, I sat in my room with Lucky feeding him and waiting impatiently to hear about Mills. So much time passed I was getting ready to find a way over to the ranch myself. I couldn’t relax until I knew Mills was good.
Darkness had fallen by the time Maxie got back. I hurried down to greet her at the front door and stumbled back a step when I saw how tired she looked.
“What happened?”
She shook her head and went straight to the kitchen to fall into one of the chairs.
“Men are so dumb.”
I paced in front of her, too nervous to sit.
“Is he okay?”
“He’s fine. He’s an idiot. I had to browbeat him into talking to West and Tate. He’s been stewing inside and making himself sick instead of just talking to his brothers.” She groaned. “Talking to them is exhausting. I don’t know why you want to spend the rest of your life doing that.”
I stammered. “I-I don’t.”
She laughed.
“You just sent me over there to make sure he was okay. You can’t lie to me, Reagan.
I’m not going to tell you what we talked about because I think that’s their place to do.
I’ll just say that they’re all fine. They miss you.
I’ve never seen them so lost before but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing for them to suffer a little without you. ”
I sank into the chair across from her.
“I don’t want them to suffer.”
“Why not? You are.”
“It was my choice to leave.” I groaned. “I’m going crazy, Maxie.”
“Go home.”
“I can’t. It’s not that easy.”
“It is. Go home, Reagan.”
“I can’t!” I stood up and sniffed. “I can’t. This all has to be for something. Thank you for checking on them. I’m going to spend some time alone with Lucky.”
Maxie sighed.
“It’s only a matter of time. They’re working to be better for you, Reagan. That’s going to need a response soon and you’d be crazy to walk away from the men you clearly love when they’re fighting so much for you.”