Page 19 of The Last One You Loved

“I’m glad you’re home early! That means we can have pizzaandpopcorn tonight, right?”

I chuckled again, chest loosening even more.

“Maybe.”

She patted my shoulder. “That means yes.”

And then she turned and ran off toward the bathroom.

It took me a minute to gather myself, and when I stood back up, Rianne was looking at me with concern etched over her brow.

“Want to talk about it?”

“I can say it all in one word?Sybil.”

She shook her head. “That woman is the devil.”

I wouldn’t argue with that.

“I’m going to call Stephanie,” I said.

“She’s going to tell you the same thing she does every time that woman flies through Willow Creek. You have nothing to worry about. Mila is yours,” Rianne said, but I was already walking toward my study.

Rianne was right. My lawyer had assured me many times that no judge would ever pull Mila from me completely, even if her biological dad showed up in the picture. But the thought of having to even share Mila was enough to make my heart forget to pump.

I needed all the reassurances I could get.

Then, I’d spend the night eating pizza, popcorn, and snickerdoodles while watchingScooby-Doowith my adventurous little queen. Nothing else on earth was better to help me forget everything bad that had happened today.

CHAPTERSEVEN

MCKENNA

IF I DIDN’T LOVE YOU

“It wouldn’t be so hard to see you,

Know how much I need you,

Wouldn’t hate that I still feel like I do,

If I didn’t love you.”

Performed by Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood

Written by Allison / Vaughan / Kennedy / Morgan

Between the flight,rental car, and paying my regular bills, I’d pretty much emptied my savings. I had just enough money left to put some food in my belly before my next paycheck—assuming I got one. Dr. Gomez had insisted they were paying me while they investigated, but what happened if they finished early? If they fired me?

Ripples of apprehension washed over me in waves, making the fast-food burger I’d eaten threaten to come back up.

This was stupid. I shouldn’t have wasted the money to come back.

I should have just continued hiding out in the apartment like I’d been doing all along.

The town’s sign appeared, glowing in the sunset and making my heart hammer.

Willow Creek?home of football heroes, rock stars, and ranchers.