Page 38 of Sweet Escape (Whispering Oaks Ranch #1)
He releases his hold on me, then strides into the closet, returning with a large brown leather-bound photo album. “This was hers. You can look through it if you want. I’m not trying to keep that part of my life a secret. It’s just hard for me.”
He tries to pass it over, but I place my palm on top of his and shake my head.
It’s not my place to go looking into his past, and truthfully, I’m not ready to face it either.
The glimpse I got earlier was more than enough to remind me of my place in his life; I’m the mother of his child and nothing more.
I’d do well to remember that. “It’s okay.
I have to get to work. The cupcakes won’t bake themselves. ”
Wilder
Liv leaves me behind in the quiet of my darkened bedroom, a sliver of light shining through the curtains as I hold the remnants of my past in my hands.
I haven’t looked at this album since the funeral.
Jess’s mom had asked if I had photographs for the memorial video, and I spent hours in that Colorado house with a bottle of bourbon and the ghost of my past.
The truth is, it’s not just the memories that haunt me, but the uncertainty of the future.
Losing Jess forced me to consider my mortality for the first time, and now it’s more than just a fleeting thought.
What if something happens to me, leaving Emmy with little more than some hazy memories and a leather-bound book to remember me by?
Those fears have eased since returning home, and I’d be lying if I said having Liv in my life hasn’t changed my perspective.
I find comfort in the knowledge that if something tragic were to happen, Emmy will always have my family to lean on, and there's no doubt in my mind that Liv will be there for her, too. She’s everything Jess would’ve wanted for our daughter, a far better woman than I deserve.
Their bond is beyond anything I could’ve imagined.
I find myself standing in the shadows just to watch them do the most ordinary things.
They laugh with abandon when they’re together, unburdened by fear and regret.
I envy them in that way. Emmy looks at Liv like she hung the moon, and I’m not entirely convinced she didn’t.
I tuck the album back in its place. There’s no use reliving the past when the future is standing in my kitchen, smelling like cupcakes and looking like a goddamn wet dream in my ratty T-shirt.
One thing’s for damn sure, I haven’t done a single thing in this life to deserve her, but fuck if I’m not the greedy bastard who’s gonna hold onto her anyway.
A short while later, I find Olivia in the kitchen, humming along to one of my sister’s songs while she pipes chocolate frosting on top of a dozen yellow cupcakes.
The island is covered in various flavors of cupcakes, some ready to be boxed up and delivered, while others are waiting to be baked.
She smiles softly when she sees me, then licks a dollop of frosting off her thum b.
She’s never more beautiful than when she’s in her element.
“Have you given any thought to opening a bakery in town?”I ask.
She lets out a huff of air. “You sound like Grammy.”
“She’s a smart businesswoman. If that’s something you still want, it might be worth looking into.”
The oven timer goes off, and she replaces one pan with another, placing the first pan on a cooling rack.
“It’s a lot to wrap my head around. I had it all planned out.
Before, I mean. Pink tile backsplash, a massive pantry, and an industrial mixer.
I even had a name picked out: Lick the Spoon.
” She chews on the inside of her cheek. “I was so close. Now it just feels so far out of reach. It’d be crazy to even think about starting a business when I’m getting ready to give birth. ”
“I don’t think it’s crazy. You don’t have to give up on your dreams because you’re about to be a mom. Maybe it doesn’t have to be a brick-and-mortar right now. If you want to change my backsplash to pink fucking tiles, be my guest.”
She laughs, and it feels like a small victory. “You might regret saying that.”
I step closer, caging her against the island. “When it comes to you, I could never regret a damn thing.”
Her eyes widen, those stunning blue pools deepening a fraction. Olivia places her palm flat on my chest and her fist closes around my shirt. She tugs, and my lips collide with hers. She tastes like chocolate.
I let her take control, enjoying the feel of her soft lips and the glide of her tongue against mine. Something heady and unspoken passes between us, and she pulls away. Breathless.
“What was that for?”
She bites down on her bottom lip and shrugs. There’s something she’s not saying, but I let it go.
“Since Em’s not here, who gets to lick the spoon?” I ask .
“If you want a taste, all you have to do is ask.”
She sweeps a finger through some frosting and brings it up between us. I lean in to lick it off, but she smears it on my nose instead, then dashes around the counter.
“Big mistake, Cupcake.”
She giggles and starts down the hallway, but not fast enough.
I catch her around the waist and haul her into my arms. “You’re gonna regret that.”
“No, I won’t. I could never regret a damn thing with you, Wilder Hayes.”