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“He does?” I ask, barely containing my laughter at his excitement.
He nods, his head bobbing up and down. “For my birfday and memory day,” he tells me.
“Memorial Day,” I correct. His third birthday was a couple of weeks ago, but Ridge and Kendall decided to wait until today to celebrate with everyone’s schedules.
“I said that,” he says, wiggling to get down.
I place him back on his feet and expect him to run back to the party; instead, he holds his arms up for Dawn. She doesn’t hesitate to pick him up. “Happy Birthday, handsome.” She kisses his cheek.
He wraps his little hands on her cheeks and places a sloppy wet kiss on her lips. She giggles, which makes him smile. “Wuv you, D,” he says, resting his head on her shoulder.
“Why do all the littles keep trying to steal my girl?” I ask him.
He scrunches up his little nose and gives me his best evil-eye. “My girl,” he states possessively.
Dawn shrugs, and carries him to the deck and sits down with him in her lap. That lasts about two-point-five seconds before he’s off running and playing with his sister and his cousins.
“There’s a new little,” I say as I watch a little girl with dark curls chase after Everly.
“That’s Mara’s little girl, Finley,” Kendall says. “She and Amelia went to college together. She’s in town for a job interview.” She points to the side yard where Amelia and Mara are standing and watching the kids run and play.
“She’s adorable,” Dawn says.
“She’s the sweetest little girl,” Reagan agrees.
“So, does the little man get his own cake to demolish?” I ask.
“No,” Kendall says adamantly. “However, I did go with the cupcake option. It’s so much easier.”
Reagan holds her hand up for a high-five. “Exactly. It’s all about easier with this group.” She laughs.
“What can I do?” Dawn asks.
“Nothing. We’ve got it all under control. My dad and Ridge’s are manning the grill. Our moms are inside putting the rest of the food together and have given us all strict instructions to take a break and let them take care of it,” Kendall explains.
“Who are we to fight them?” Reagan laughs.
“Hey, guys,” Amelia says, joining us. “This is Mara. We were roommates in college.”
We all take turns saying hello and shaking her hand, as Ridge’s mom, Heidi, calls out to tell us it’s time to eat. The kids’ plates are made, and they’re set up on the miniature picnic table on the deck before the rest of us filter through piling our plates high with burgers, hot dogs, chips, baked beans, and potato salad.
Dawn’s smile has been a permanent fixture on her face today. No sadness in the depths of those hazel eyes. I know she still struggles, but each day she seems to be coping better than the last. I’ve yet to tell her that I’m in love with her. Every time I start to, something happens, like we end up tangled in the sheets. That one happens more often than not. I can’t seem to get my fill of her. I don’t want to tell her for the first time when I’m balls deep. Although, one of these days, I might not be able to bite my tongue from shouting it out.
She’s easy to love.
“You down for a game of football with the kids?” Tyler asks.
“Definitely.” Standing, I drop a kiss to Dawn’s temple, and follow him to the yard. Ridge is already there with the kids gathered around. Knox is the oldest at three, and the only one who really understand the concept of what we’re doing. The others just seem to be excited to be involved.
What was intended to be a game of football, turns out to be the kids chasing the adult with the ball, and whoever that is drops to the ground and lets the kids crawl all over him until handing it off to the next guy. Rinse and repeat.
“How’s she doing?” Ridge asks with a sleepy Everly resting on his shoulder.
We’ve just finished our football game with the kids, and they’re tuckered out. I tear my eyes from Dawn, who’s sitting and chatting with Mara, and look over at Everly. Her eyes are drooping. “She’s almost out,” I tell him.
“I meant Dawn.”
“Good, man. She’s doing better each day. Still sad at times, but that’s to be expected.”
“What about you? How are you?”
“Me? I’m fine.”
“It’s hard to watch the woman you love go through that,” he says pointedly. “When Kendall was struggling with Knox, and her sister, it fu— freaking killed me,” he says, catching his slip up. Not that Everly would notice since she’s so tired.
“I just didn’t know how to help her, you know? I mean, what do you say to someone who lost their family at the hands of their drug-addicted sister?” I shake my head in disgust thinking about Dawn’s sister, Destiny. She’s been out of rehab for months and we’ve not heard a peep from her. Not that I expected any different, but I know Dawn was hoping to hear from her. Hoping that rehab stuck this time. Although she struggled with letting her back into her life, I know that hope was alive and well until the months started to trickle by with no word.
“Any word from her sister?”
“Not a word.” My gaze goes back to Dawn, who’s smiling as she and Mara laugh at something Kent is saying. “It’s good to see her like this,” I say, nodding toward her.
“It’s also good to see this one,” he looks down at Everly in his arms, “like this.” He laughs softly, breaking our serious moment. “She’s been going all day fighting off a nap, afraid she’s going to miss something.”
“Looks like Daddy has the magic touch.”
He grins. “It’s the best, man.”
I nod. “Fatherhood looks good on you. Tyler too.”
“You ever think about what’s next?”
“Every day.”
“Does she know that?”
“Not yet.”
“You need to handle that.”
I nod. He’s right. We both know it. I’ve been walking on eggshells as far as my feelings and hers since the night we got the call about her parents’ accident. I’ve been dragging my feet, not wanting her sadness and pain to be mixed in with the happiness and joy I hope she’ll feel when I tell her how much she means to me. How she owns my heart. I’m frustrated at not having that ability to tell her how much she means to me. I detest keeping my feelings a secret, keeping the truth of my emotions beyond my actions close to my chest. Even though I’ve not said the words, I make damn sure to show her every day with a touch or a look… with my actions. I’m waiting for the right time, and I’m starting to figure out there may not be a right time. I might have to just blurt the words out. I’ve bitten my tongue enough these past few months. I just want her to know it’s my heart and not the situation that’s speaking for me.
I rouse to the sound of a ringing cell phone. Peeling open my eyes, I blink once, twice, three times to clear the sleep haze and look at the clock. Just after one in the morning. The phone stops and I roll over to see Dawn is still sleeping soundly. Rolling back over, I reach for my phone and tap the screen.
No missed calls.
Climbing out of bed, I make my way to her side of the bed in the dark and feel around for her phone on the nightstand and tap the screen.
One missed call.
It’s not a number programmed into her phone
, and inwardly, I curse fucking scammers and telemarketers. It’s the middle of the damn night. Before I can move to get back in bed, it rings again. I scramble to pick it up and answer.
“Hello,” I whisper, not wanting to wake Dawn.
“Hi, I’m looking for Dawn Miller.”
“Who’s this?” I ask, not bothering to hide my annoyance.
“My name is Jasmine. I’m calling from Mason County Memorial. We have Destiny Miller here asking for her sister, Dawn. Is she available?”
“You do realize it’s the middle of the night?” I ask.
“Yes, sir, I’m sorry for waking you, but Ms. Miller is listed as our patient’s next of kin.”
“Is she alive?” I ask rudely.
“Mark?” Dawn’s eyes flutter open. When she sees that I’m on the phone, she sits up and leans against the headboard. “Who are you talking to?”
“She’s here,” I tell the caller. “Baby, it’s Mason County Memorial. They have Destiny there and you’re listed as her next of kin.” I hand her the phone, then sit on the edge of the bed, resting my hand on her thigh.
“Hello,” she says, eyes now wide open and fear etched in her features. “Yes, this is Dawn,” she says into the line.
I watch her closely as her face goes pale and her hand that’s not holding the phone reaches out and grips mine. “Are they— are they okay?” she asks hesitantly. “Okay, should I come there?” She listens intently. “Okay. Thank you.” She ends the call, letting the phone fall into her lap.
“What’s going on?”
“That was the hospital,” she says, staring wide-eyed. “They have Destiny there.” She pauses, and I’m about to ask why Destiny’s there despite already having a pretty good idea when she continues. “She just had a baby.”
“What?” I ask, not expecting those words to come out of her mouth.
“My sister, she just delivered a baby. They’re both doing okay. She said Destiny asked her to call me.”
