The little girl angled her head and waited. I fumbled for the right words, trying to remember what Sarah and Thomas had said to me years ago when they offered to take me in. Everything back then was a blur, but something had felt right. There was a connection, a true understanding, that made me feel like a welcome addition to their family instead of a hardship.
I never really understood what they’d taken on; I was always too immersed in my own pain. But I realized it now. This promise between myself and another person to be whatever they needed me to be; to replace what they’d lost or maybe never had. It was humbling.
A flicker of impatience crossed Annie’s face, and Bowen chuckled behind me. Annie tapped her foot, the sound echoing down the hall.
“She’s waiting, wife.”
I breathed deeply, channeling my composure. “I can see that,dear. I’m trying to find the right words. It’s important.”
His hand rested on my shoulder as he sank down next to me. “Words don’t seem to be your strong suit. You’re more of a doer.”
He was right.
Holding out my hand, palm up, I exhaled the nerves from my body. “Annie, if it’s all right with you, we want you to come and live with us.”
She eyed my hand, warily chewing on her bottom lip. “For a little while, or for good?”
I smiled. “For good.”
“What about my brother? I can’t leave him behind.”
Her words rang in my head. So many echoes from the past.
“He’ll come too once he returns. I promise.”
There was only a slight hesitation before she bypassed my hand and threw her tiny frame into my arms. I rocked back on my heels, holding her tightly. Bowen squeezed my shoulder, then he rested a hand on the top of Annie’s head, ruffling her hair.
“I leave with one and return with two.” There was awe in his voice and a thickness that tugged at my heart.
“Go pack.” I nudged Annie toward her room, hastily wiping at the wetness that clung to my cheeks.
Annie grinned and almost tripped over her feet in her haste.
Bowen held out his hand and tugged me to a standing position. I shook my head.
“How did you do it? We aren’t even really married. What if they ask for proof?”
An odd expression filtered over his face. “Obviously, you didn’t fully read the contract you signed when you entered my house. You should always read the fine print, wife.”
My mouth dropped open. “You’re not serious?” I sputtered. Mind racing, my shock slowly morphed into something else. A warm feeling spread through my chest. This was crazy, but…
Bowen’s grin faltered when he noticed my expression. I heard him growl in the back of his throat. He almost sounded pained. “I was joking! But damn it, that look.” His hand came up, cupping the side of my face. We stepped back in unison until I bumped the wall. “Don’t look at me like that and expect me to stay still.”
Every nerve in my body hummed as he pressed himself closer.
“What look?” I licked my dry lips, coming dangerously close to forgetting where we were. He dipped his head, breath fanning my cheeks and sending heat to my belly.
“The look that said you wouldn’t run if it were true.”
I swallowed, finding my throat as dry as my lips. My thoughts scattered as his fingers flexed over my jaw—not with aggression, but with possessive intent. For a long moment, he remained still, our breaths mingling, each of us seeing the line in the sand and wondering whether to cross.
He cursed and stepped back, spiking a hand through his hair. Muttering under his breath, he leaned against the opposite wall and watched me with conflict in his eyes.
“Money talks, Liana. It’s more persuasive than a piece of paper.” He paused, his voice dropping low. “And I would never trick you into something like that. You would know what you were getting into. Every last detail.”
I nodded, unsure of my ability to construct an adequate sentence. In a matter of minutes, I’d been completely upended, making promises to a little girl and then secretly wishing for promises from someone else. Looking down at the floor, I pretended I could still see that imaginary line. I had stepped right to the edge. It would take nothing to cross it, and I was starting to believe it was only a matter of time.
Annie’s shuffling footsteps sounded in the doorway, and we both turned to find her with a bag slung over her shoulder. It hung near her side, practically empty. She exuded hope and a dose of caution, as if she were waiting for us to change our minds. When I held out my hand again, she looked relieved.
