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Deacon’s forehead landed on my shoulder, and for a moment, he didn’t speak. “I had it for the girls I slept with. I didn’t want them to have my real number. I gave it to Words because I was trying to figure out if she was one of them . . . if she was someone I should stop talking to immediately. Didn’t know the number when you messaged me, obviously. Didn’t even recognize yours when Grey sent it to me.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
My stomach churned and chest ached, but I tried to push those feelings away. I knew this was from a different Deacon. A lifetime ago.
“After that day I forgot to pick you up from work, I have only used that phone to talk to Words. No one else. Graham knew I was still using it, and he and Knox about lost their minds because they knew I was seeing you. But I didn’t tell them about Words until after the Fourth.” He nodded in the direction of my door. “Graham’s waiting to set the phone on fire.”
“I’ll help.”
Deacon’s fingers curled around my jaw to turn my head to face his. He was smiling sadly. “I’m so damn sorry.”
“One day at a time?” I asked hesitantly.
“One day at a time,” he agreed, and pressed his mouth to mine. “Only you, Charlie Girl.”
My body warmed with his words and his kiss, but it ended soon after when we heard Keith yelling in the front of the house.
After another lingering kiss, I pushed against his chest. “Come on, let’s go destroy this phone and eat with everyone before Keith comes storming in again.”
“That’s why Jagger tried to keep us apart,” he mumbled as he helped me off the bed. When I looked back at him with a confused expression, he clarified, “Graham told him about the phone. Everyone thought I was sleeping around on you.”
“Oh.” My eyes shut, and I released a slow breath as we walked toward the door leading to the hallway. “That’s something else we’ll have to deal with later.”
“What, your brother?”
I arched a brow when I looked back up into those light brown eyes. “Yeah. He’s not going to believe you as easily as I did.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “I told him earlier that I was spending the rest of my life with you and your son.”
I faltered, then stopped. “You what? What did he say?”
A mischievous smirk flashed across Deacon’s face as he bent to kiss me. “You found me in your room, didn’t you? He wouldn’t have helped me through the window if he wasn’t okay with me marrying you someday.”
I stared openmouthed at him for long seconds after he pulled away, and that smirk on his face grew.
“You and your words, Charlie Girl.”
Epilogue
Deacon
A year and a half later . . .
“HEY THERE, LITTLE stranger,” I whispered, and settled into the recliner next to Charlie Girl’s bed. “Looks like it’s just you and me now.”
Wide, dark eyes stared up at me. Eyelids heavy and blinking slowly.
“Your brother’s gonna come see you soon. He’s going to give you a superhero name. But don’t worry, you have a few years to grow into the name, and we’ll keep the ladybugs away from you until then.”
“Pink looks good on you, Deac.”
My eyes flashed up for only a second, to see Knox and Harlow standing in the doorway, before I was staring at my daughter again.
