Page 167 of Stay With Me

I shrug. “What’s wrong with it? At least it has an HEA.”

She inches closer to the edge of the couch. “In what world do two parents break up and think, yeah, let’s just each take a child and split up twins, live on different continents, and never talk again or see our other kid. Or tell them they have a sibling.” She crosses her legs and folds her arms as she leans back on the couch, shooting me a look of disapproval.

Just when I think she’s done and I hit play, she continues.

“And for eleven freakin’ years! The staff knew everything, which makes it worse. Then, you’re tellin’ me all it takes to get ‘em back together is a boat dinner date? Youhatedyour ex so much you left one of your children presumably for the rest of their life, and all it would’ve taken to put your family back together is one conversation!”

She’s having a full-on meltdown at this point, and I’m not sure if I should laugh or be scared at how passionate she is about this.

“You’re aware you’re analyzin’ a Disney movie when you read alien and monster smut?”

“You don’t read those for the plot…or logic. Those are meant to be fun!”

I chuckle, clicking the remote again. “We’re never gonna find a movie at this rate.”

After going back and forth for ten minutes, we finally agree on something safe—one where she won’t cry from devastation or send her off into a script rant. Then once our food is done, I stir the cut-up hotdogs into the pasta and serve it in a bowl, per her request, and we sit next to each other on the couch.

Every time we’re this close, the urge to pull her in and kiss her is so strong, I have to constantly remind myself not to cross the line. In order to get back together, she’s going to have to make the first move. The ball’s in her court, and I stay a sitting duck until she realizes we belong together.

I’ll wait for as long as I have to. Until she drops her guard and lets me back in.

It’s not until the last ten minutes ofErin Brockovichthat Magnolia loses her battle with trying not to cry. But this time it’s tears of happiness.

“Oh my gosh…” She grabs my arm and leans against it as we watch one of the final scenes. “Imagine your life being changed so drastically overnight and makin’ a huge difference to hundreds of families’ lives.”

“I forgot how good this one was,” I admit when Erin’s boss drops off a two-million-dollar check on her desk. “Hadn’t seen it in years.”

“I love how independent and strong she is for her three kids. She made mistakes along the way, but she didn’t let it hold her back. She demanded respect, and it paid off.”

“And she had a full career after that,” I say.

“Do you think she and George stayed together?” She gazes up at me with hope in her brown eyes.

I already know they didn’t based on what I remember seeing years ago, but I’m not about to break her heart when she gives me that look.

“Definitely.” I grin.

She smiles, then yawns. “I think I’m gonna try to go to sleep.”

After the night we’ve had, I don’t blame her. “Me too.”

I grab our dishes and bring them to the sink. When I turn slightly to open the dishwasher, I bump into her stomach and quickly wrap an arm around her waist to hold her in place. “Shit, sorry.”

“It’s my fault. I didn’t know you were gonna turn around.” She licks her lips as she studies mine. “I was just gonna ask if you needed any help in here.”

“No, don’t worry about it. Gonna finish rinsin’ these, then wipe down the counters, and I’ll be done. Go ahead and get ready for bed. We have a busy day tomorrow,” I remind her.

She nods and then gives me a side hug. “Okay, night. See ya in the mornin’.”

Before she walks away, I press a kiss on her forehead andkeep my hold on her for a split second longer than I should. “Sweet dreams, Sunny.”

As I lie in bed, staring at the ceiling, my mind races with every negative thought involving Travis and how he’s capable of hurting Magnolia. I don’t know what he’s up to or what the truth of the situation is, but I’d take a thousand knives to the chest before letting him get to her again.

After tossing and turning for an hour, a soft knock on my bedroom door grabs my attention.

“Come in,” I say, pushing myself up against the headboard.

“Hey, are you awake?” Magnolia asks quietly.