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“It’s impossible not to. It would be like asking me not to breathe.”
He looked at his watch, and got up from the couch, setting me on my feet in front of him. “Come and eat. It’s ready.”
We sat and chatted about our days. I’d already told him about Lenny coming to the office when he stopped by my office at the shelter, but it was exciting, so I told him again. The second time he got the animated version with hand signals and bouncing. I also told him about my scheduled kidnapping, and he looked relieved.
“Thank, God. I was supposed to pack your bag for you. I didn’t know where to start. Now you can pack it yourself,” he rumbled, his deep voice both soothing and arousing.
Just as we were finishing up, I decided I would tell him.
“I want to show you something.”
Barrett came alert and reached into his front pocket. The doorbell rang and he blew out a breath of what seemed like relief, which was odd.
“What’s going on?”
He gave me a small smile. “Apparently you’re being kidnapped tonight as well. Bex and Mara are here. I don’t know what’s going on with your girls, but they’re clucking around you like hens.”
I opened my mouth to speak but he bent towards me quickly and covered my mouth with his. He pulled back a breath and pulled me to my feet. Wrapping his strong arms around me, he dipped his knees and pulled me tight against his big chest. I looped my arms around his neck and smiled into his serious face, captured by his kaleidoscope eyes.
He pressed his forehead lightly against mine.
“I love you, Willa.” he rumbled. “Today, tomorrow, forever.”
“Today, tomorrow, forever,” I repeated back to him.
The doorbell rang again, insistently this time, and I laughed. “They’re getting impatient.”
He gifted me with a small smile and lightly brushed his lips over mine. “Enjoy yourself, angel.”
Bex drove and Mara sat in the middle seat in the back, leaning forward between the two front seats, bouncing with excitement. I turned to her and met her happy eyes. I laughed.
“Mara, what are you two up to?” I finally demanded.
“Wait, Mara, let me park so I can see her face when we tell her,” Bex ordered.
Mara huffed, and Bex scolded her, “No, Mara! You have to wait!”
“Okay, okay! I heard you, I’m just complaining about it!”
Bex pulled into a drive-thru and got hot chocolate for me and coffee for them. Two minutes later we reached our destination.
I looked at the storefront we were facing.
“Tattoos? You brought me out to get me inked?” I laughed.
“No,” Bex shook her head, “we’re all getting inked.”
Something was happening inside me, a shifting of sorts, a realignment of beliefs and thoughts and expectations. I felt light-headed for a moment before the truth started permeating my battered soul.
Bex continued speaking.
“We’ve all been on a hell of a journey, especially in the past year and a half. Not even a year and a half! The past fifteen months only!”
The truth was, I hadn’t been alone for one minute in all that time.
Mara’s eyes locked onto my face, and she felt everything right along with me. I met her eyes and smiled. A little sob broke from her throat, and I rolled my eyes. She laughed.
The truth was, these women loved me, exactly how I was, and that would never change.
