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Epilogue
Ford
There were some things that looked extra stunning on Sydney. One of those was the sun. That was a reason—among many—that I’d taken her to Bali, a place she’d never been.
A place I knew where she could completely unplug.
A place I knew she would fall in love with.
Since she had eight weeks off until she started her fourth semester of college, finishing the last three on the Dean’s List, we had plenty of time to play.
To celebrate.
I couldn’t be fucking prouder of her.
She had a dream, and nothing was stopping her from achieving it. Not the seven classes she was taking a semester, doubling up to graduate early. Not the credits she had snuck in during her Christmas break. Not being Everly’s nanny.
Not even me.
A man who had planned to be the single dad forever.
But Sydney had blown into my life and altered those plans.
And of course, things had changed at home since her first day of school. She now lived in the main house. She had her own side in my large closet, the sink on the right in our en suite.
She also had half my heart.
The only person she had to share it with was Everly.
But for this trip—as far as Sydney knew—it was only going to be us.
When I’d told her that my parents were going to be watching Everly while we were gone for the two-week vacation, she had been disappointed.
She wanted Eve to experience Bali.
She wanted to create a picture book.
She wanted memories.
With the three of us.
Together.
The two of them had a special bond.
It had started before the accident, but the crash had only made them stronger. There was a unique level of trust between them.
A friendship.
My daughter soaked up every minute.
She finally had a woman in her life who wasn’t a grandmother or an aunt or a cousin.
Sydney had crossed that mother border.
It was the most beautiful thing to watch.
Just as beautiful as seeing Sydney in a bikini.
She was next to me, spread across the lounge chair, her hair splayed over the top of the towel, a drink balanced in her hand.
The ocean lapped the sand only feet from where we lay, creating the perfect soundtrack.
I reached across the small space between us, tracing her stomach.
Bare.
Flat.
Curves I knew so well that I could draw them with my eyes closed.
“God, you’re gorgeous.”
She’d been staring at the water, but she slowly looked over at me. “Every time you say that …” Her voice trailed off as she gazed into my eyes, really taking me in. “It feels like the first time all over again.”
I surrounded her fingers and brought them up to my mouth. I kept them there, kissing across her knuckles, breathing her in. “Come take a walk with me.”
She kicked her legs over the lounge chair and stood in front of me, keeping our fingers locked.
She didn’t question.
She just trusted me.
I led her a few paces into the ocean, so the waves crashed against our shins.
My arm rested across her shoulders, hers wrapped around my waist as we walked. The height difference allowed me to press my lips into the top of her head.
Inhaling her.
