Page 19 of The Last Thing (Baker Girls #4)

CHAPTER NINETEEN

HALLIE

“This is so cute.”

Deck—no. Wilson. Wilson. He asked me to call him that, and I’m working on shifting it in my mind.

Even if calling him Mr. Decker in bed the other night was steaming hot.

Which was great, since it was the only good night I’ve had.

Last night, he couldn’t even touch me I was so nauseous.

We sat in his bed and ate french fries dipped in sour cream together while watching Yellowstone .

What’s that? Sounds a lot more like a relationship than just trading orgasms?

Well, what can I say?

I’m fucked .

Every time I think I can keep my heart safe and keep my walls up, Wilson goes and grabs a chisel. Or a sledge hammer.

That man is coming for my heart, and I’m not sure there’s anything I can do to stop him.

For the first time in my life, I’m not sure I want to.

It’s an endless internal war for me. To give in to something I used to so desperately crave or to hold on to the walls I put up… because they’re there for a good reason. Right?

I have no idea anymore .

Wilson laughs at my description of his mom’s house.

The house he grew up in. But it is cute.

A little white Tudor-style home with a small stone front porch and perfectly manicured front gardens.

There’s what appears to be a small yard in the back, and a part of me wants that kind of idyllic life.

I love the apartment I’m living in because it gives me city vibes without being in the city.

It’s calmer and quieter, but still with more life than this little street.

Maybe one day. When I’m a soccer mom and have figured out a career that gives me a solid enough income to buy a house instead of “renting” from my sister for zero dollars a month.

“Wait till you see the inside. It’s even cuter,” Wilson says, climbing out of the car.

It’s still a little strange to call him Wilson. There’s something inherently intimate about it. But I’ll get used to it.

I think.

“It’s so pretty inside!” Sophia says, jumping out of the car and hurrying toward the front porch.

Deck—Wilson—moves slower. Waiting for me.

He not so subtly takes my hand, and I almost freak out for a second, but I tell myself it’s fine. He’s helping me up the stairs. Like a gentleman.

Sophia doesn’t bother knocking or waiting, and when we get to the door, Linnie is already walking toward it.

I instantly tear my hand from Deck’s. Shit. Wilson’s. My throat feels thick as I glance over at him, finding his eyes shifted to me, and his hand… he’s flexing it. Like a full-on Mr. Darcy hand flex.

Son of a bitch.

Forget a sledge hammer. The man is coming for my heart with a bulldozer.

“That was the most delicious meal I’ve had in a long time. I love moussaka.”

Linnie smiles warmly at me. She’s an incredible cook, and it’s the first home cooked meal I’ve had in a while that didn’t make me nauseous.

“It settled okay with your stomach?” Linnie asks.

We came up with a story that I have a sensitive stomach issue that flares up sometimes for Sophia’s sake.

“Yes. It did. Thank you.”

“It always settles good in my tummy,” Sophia says. “Nana’s a great cook.”

Wilson gently runs his hand over my upper back, subtly enough that no one would notice. But I notice.

I could be in the pitch black with no idea which way was up, and one touch from Wilson and I’d know it was him.

There’s nothing like the sparks that go off in my body when his skin touches mine.

I lean into it, just the tiniest bit, and as I do, my eyes drift past him to the window on the back door and the backyard beyond.

“The backyard looks beautiful. Tell me you do idyllic things like sit on the back porch and drink iced tea or play yard games. If I had a yard like that, I’d force everyone outside to play yard games each night.”

Linnie’s gaze narrows slightly. “Hm. When was the last time we played a yard game?”

Wilson meets her gaze, emotion swimming in his eyes. “Must’ve been before Dad died. He usually instigated that. Game of croquet or bocce.”

“Oh, I love bocce ball. Sometimes after family dinners, we’d go to the park nearby and play.”

But then I fully process what he said.

It’s been a decade since they played?

I’m not sure exactly what it is about it that makes me sad. Maybe because it was clearly something special they did once, and it was special to me growing up. Sophia should have that. It’s clear she wants the big, boisterous family. Maybe, in some small way, I can give it to her.

“I still have the bocce ball set out in the shed. Should we dig it out?” Linnie asks.

“Yes!” Sophia exclaims.

Wilson laughs. “You don’t even know what it is.”

“Well, I want to learn.”

“You play as teams of two. There’s a little ball you throw, then heavier big balls that you have to try to get as close to the little ball as possible. You can even use your balls to knock the other team’s balls out of the way. It’s all about figuring out the perfect throw.”

Sophia is transfixed as I explain.

“Can I be on your team?”

“Of course. I’ll teach you how to kick their butts.”

“Shots fired,” Deck says. Wilson.

I have to retrain my brain to say the right name. Unless I’m looking at him. When I can see his warm eyes and that restrained smile that always wants to bloom into something bigger, I see him. The man beneath the nicknames. The one who isn’t always in control. The one with a playful side.

“Let’s go,” Sophia says, jumping from the table.

Linnie laughs and follows her toward the back door.

Wilson helps me up from my seat, pausing to whisper in my ear.

“This was a great idea. Thank you.”

“Just trying to remind you how to have some fun.”

I wink at him, then follow Sophia and Linnie out the back door.

“Yes! I knocked you out, Daddy!”

Wilson playfully grumbles at Sophia, then smiles. It’s the big, wild one that I’m desperate to see more of. It makes Sophia smile too.

“I’ll get you back next round,” he says.

She looks at her fingernails like she’s too cool for school. “We’ll see.”

I chuckle at that. “Brutal.”

His smoldering eyes land on me, and a flush creeps up my body in response. “Well, maybe we should make a little bet, then.”

He steps closer to me, mischief dancing in those heated eyes.

“A bet, huh?”

“Gotta keep things interesting.” The tone of his voice is practically indecent.

“What kind of bet?” Sophia asks, butting in and cooling off the moment. In the background, Linnie laughs.

“Dessert,” Wilson says simply. “If we win, you two make us a dessert of our choosing.”

“Oh, nice one,” Linnie calls.

“Okay. If we win…” I look at Sophia.

“We go out for ice cream!”

Wilson holds out his hand to me, and I shake it.

“Deal.”

His fiery gaze cuts right through me. “Deal.”

“Let’s get on to the next throw then. Hallie, you and Sophia start this time,” Linnie says.

“Can I do it?” Sophia asks, dancing toward her grandmother.

“Of course.”

I glance up at Wilson, who falls into step beside me. “Just a random little bet?”

His smile melts me to my core.

“Just trying to let the fun side of me out again, Hells Bells.”

“Mhm.” I elbow him, then lean in closer. “For the record, I love seeing that side of you, Mr. Decker.” Then I scamper over to where Sophia is waiting, knowing I just added more fuel to the fire burning between us.

“There are so many flavors,” Sophia breathes, looking around the frozen yogurt shop with wide eyes.

Since this was one of the few indoor places open and it wasn’t too far from Linnie’s house, this is where we ended up, and I’m not arguing because there are a ton of flavors.

And endless toppings. “How many can I get?”

Wilson smiles. “Three. But don’t go too crazy with how much you put in your bowl.”

“I won’t,” she calls, running off to check out the different flavors.

“What are you getting?” he asks me.

“I’m thinking cake batter and oatmeal crème cookie.”

“Sounds delicious.”

Don’t whimper .

I take a breath. A shaky, hitched breath. But I don’t whimper.

Still, he smiles at me like he knows exactly what he’s doing.

Then he winks and walks after Sophia.

I get my frozen yogurt, then sit down at the table, where Linnie joins me a couple of moments later.

“Tonight was wonderful. More fun than I’ve had in quite a while. Thank you,” Linnie says.

I smile at her, glancing out of the corner of my eye at where Wilson is helping Sophia.

“I’m happy I get to share a family tradition of mine with all of you.”

“Me too. You’re our family now. You should share the things that are special to you.”

My throat thickens with emotion. “Thank you.”

She reaches out and rests her hand over mine.

“I’ve always wanted a daughter. And I know you and Wilson are still figuring things out.

I’m not going to meddle or push, but regardless of all that, you’re bringing my grandbaby into the world, and you make my granddaughter and my son smile in a way no one else ever has.

That alone makes me consider you a daughter.

You bring out Wilson’s joy in a beautiful way, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.

It’s like getting a little piece of his father back. You’re so good for both of them.”

My eyes get a little teary, but I blink them back, giving her a soft, grateful smile. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

“And you mean a lot to them. Hold on to that.”

She gives my hand a squeeze and we both go back to eating our frozen yogurt.

My eyes drift over to Wilson and Sophia again.

I’m not sure when the two of them became such a big part of my world, but I know I’m in trouble.

It’s not only Wilson trying to break down the walls around my heart, it’s Sophia too. It’s the family we could be. And for just a moment, I let myself imagine what that would be like, and I make it almost a full minute before my brain reminds me of the crushing pain my heart will go through.

But the more I imagine it, the more I wonder if it’s a risk worth taking.