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I wasn’t planning on telling Laney the details with my dad and Boyd, but she begged, and I couldn’t lie. Mostly, I was worried she’d think differently of me or demand I tell the police, but she never did. She said it was my decision and supported whatever I’d done. I knew she deserved the truth so she no longer had to live in fear.
Laney’s house is uninhabitable, which means she can’t sell it. We hired a lawyer to fight with the insurance company so she can at least get a payout. Everything inside needs to be replaced, but now that they’re living with me in Tennessee, they only needed the essentials.
Laney’s still on restrictions to take it easy and hates every second of it. She thinks she’s fine and then moans that she’s in pain after a while. She’s not used to being taken care of, but I’m back in her life to change that now.
Garrett let me take some time off, but I still show up in the early mornings to help with feeding, and then by midday, I head back to make the girls brunch.
Regardless of not being able to sell her house, I had enough savings left over after I paid the security team and my lawyer. So when Laney’s resting, she looks at ideas to keep busy.
Now that it’s August, Serena starts at her new school in only a couple of weeks. Mallory’s really taken her under her wing and shown her around. I have no doubt she’ll thrive here and can’t wait to watch her grow. Every day, she goes off running with her and only returns when hungry or tired.
“Laney, I’m goin’ to the Hollises to grab the mail. Want me to bring back some sweets?” I ask, grabbing my truck keys.
“Ooh yes. See if she has those little brownie peanut butter bars left from the other day. If not, then the raspberry cheesecake ones. Oh, and—”
“Do you wanna just come with me?” I smirk.
She playfully rolls her eyes. “Are you allowin’ me outta the house?”
Bending down, I slide my hands under her knees and lift her off the couch. “Smart mouths get spankings, so I’d watch that if I were you.”
“You wouldn’t.”
“Oh, I will. As soon as you’re fully recovered. I’ve been keepin’ track in my head. You won’t be able to walk for a month.”
“You already won’t let me,” she sasses.
“Because you’re clumsy as hell. I don’t need you breakin’ another rib.” The last time she walked out to the truck, she tripped on the sidewalk and nearly face-planted. If I hadn’t been right there to catch her, she would’ve added a black eye and bruised face to her list of injuries.
Laney wraps her arms around my shoulders and holds on tight. “I think you just like takin’ care of me.”
I lean in and press my lips to hers. “For as long as I’m alive on God’s green Earth, I always will.”
When we arrive at the Hollises’ house, she walks inside on her own. Dena’s in the kitchen with Gramma Grace as usual, and their faces light up when they see us.
“Hey, you two. Take a seat. I’m serving lunch.” Dena smiles wide.
Although we didn’t come for that, I know Laney’s hungry, so we do as she says and find a chair. Dena hands me a stack of mail from the past few weeks. As we chat about Serena, I flip through the envelopes and find one addressed to me frommy mother.
My mother, who I haven’t seen in over a decade, because when I came home, she stayed hidden. I wasn’t even sure she was still alive.
Curiosity gets the best of me, so I rip it open while Dena refills our sweet teas. Wilder and Waylon file in, and their rowdy asses echo throughout the house.
“Well, Miss Laney. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?” Wilder gushes, taking the seat next to her. He’s still bitter that Laney and I are a couple, but I’m secure enough now to let him flirt because the love of my life only has eyes for me.
“I swear, you get more charmin’ each time I see you,” Laney sweet-talks him, and he eats it right up.
I roll my eyes at their banter as I unfold the letter and then a check falls out.
Holding it up, I read my name and $500,000 next to it.
What the hell?
“What’s that?” Laney asks.
“A letter and check from my mom...” I’m too stunned to read the words on the page.
“Your mom? Wow.” Laney’s just as surprised as I am. “What’s it say?”
