AllFreeNovel
Share Us
His chest tightened.
Finn was his priority. He was really all that mattered.
It didn’t matter if Sullivan was lonely, if he craved a partner to talk through all of life’s little moments with. If he wanted a good woman to fall asleep next to and wake up beside.
The most important thing was that floppy-haired kid right there who trusted him implicitly to give him a stable, loving life.
Not Sullivan’s fucking pinings for a woman who lived clear across the country.
He pulled his hand off of Eddie’s knee without waiting for her response.
He shoved his door open and went to collect his son and his puppy.
Chapter10
Sullivan’s words echoed in Edwina’s head all day.
I think you’re amazing.
It warmed her from the inside out.
Sure, Sullivan was known for being a charming guy. But she felt like she could read him well and there was sincerity in his words and she appreciated it. She knew it was ridiculous to think they could retain a friendship after she went home, but she did like the idea that whenever she returned to Beaver Bend, she had a friend in her corner.
Which was also ridiculous. What corner? What fight was she in?
Just her conflicted and confusing feelings.
She should not have turned off her notifications and just abandoned her mounting responsibilities today. But she couldn’t resist Sullivan’s offer of a swim.
One last day hanging out with Sullivan, Finn, Licorice, and childhood friends before she returned to her normally scheduled life.
“This is so cool,” she said as they pulled up to an A-frame house in the woods. “Whose house did this used to be?”
“I don’t know,” Sullivan said as the truck slowly came to a stop on the gravel drive. “When Jesse bought it a couple of years ago it was vacant for a decade. Prepare to be amazed by its shag carpet and burnt orange toilet. It’s a seventies museum. But the beach is worth overlooking every outdated design choice.”
“The seventies are back in style,” she told him. “Macrame all day.”
“Not this style. Trust me.” Sullivan turned the truck off and opened his door.
While he helped Finn out, Eddie grabbed the bag he’d packed. “Holy smokes, this is heavy.” She peeked inside and saw that Sullivan was prepared. Parent prepared.
It must have been difficult to be the one that had to remember everything every time. Single parenthood was no joke. She felt even warmer toward Sullivan. He was undeniably a great dad.
Finn had already taken off running for the front door with the dog leash tightly in his hand, Licorice tumbling along beside him.
“Leave your sandals on!” Sullivan yelled after him. “That back deck has splinters!”
“K!” Finn said, trying to open the front door. The latch was too heavy for him to push down though, and he was rattling it, making sounds of frustration. “Argh!” he said.
Suddenly the door opened from the inside. Boy and dog promptly disappeared into the house.
“He’s very timid,” Sullivan said, shaking his head in amusement.
“Like his father.”
“You have no idea the kind of restraint I’m capable of,” he said as he gestured for her to enter the house in front of him.
Sullivan’s expression was enigmatic.
