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“I love your mom,” I blurted out like an idiot.Shit.
“You wuv her?” Bella lisped, making my mouth twitch in a smile. “He’s still your prince, Momma,” she whispered to her mother, not so quietly.
Bexley smiled, smoothing down her daughter’s hair. “And I love him back.”
She stared at me with a brazen, bold gaze that spoke a thousand words, soothing and apologetic words about leaving me ten years earlier, about ending us without giving me a say in it. I knew she was sorry; I also allowed the realization that she’d never moved on to settle into my gut. It was time to put the past away and move on.
“We know it seems fast, and I apologize for that, but I’ve known your mom for a really long time…in fact, I loved her a long time ago and never stopped. We were just apart for a long time, and now we’ve found each other again.” I tried to explain it through choppy breaths and awkward pauses.
How did one explain the gravity of this situation to a child?
“You told me you liked her at the lake, so I had an idea,” Cole muttered, finishing off the last of his cereal.
“Look, buddy…I’m sorry I upset you yesterday. I was trying to protect you guys and it came out in a strange way, but I won’t ever do that again.” No, I’d be sure our outings were managed better, more safely. I didn’t care how big of a deal people made about it; I’d be sure no one made it within twenty feet of us.
“I know.” Cole let out a heavy sigh, too heavy for his eight-year-old self to have inside.
“Can you forgive me?”Please say yes.
“It depends…are you leaving once your vacation is over?” He tilted his head to the side, narrowing his gaze. Damn this kid was perceptive. I supposed after what they’d been through, I didn’t blame him.
Heaving a sigh, I carefully kept my eyes off Bexley as I answered as honestly as I could.
“I don’t know what the future holds, but I don’t plan on leaving you guys once the summer is over. I’d like to have you come visit me in Portland…I don’t know how we are going to work it all out, but we will.”
“Okay, I forgive you. Just…please don’t make my mommy cry at all.”
I nodded my agreement, feeling a thick lump of remorse rise in my throat. These kids had already been through so much, and Cole’s protectiveness of his mom clearly pointed to her not having been treated well by Logan. I ached for the little guy. My father adored my mother. Growing up, I never had to feel protective of her, but if I had to, I could imagine how hard that would be.
Bella walked into my arms a moment later, hugging me tight. “I’m happy about Mommy getting her prince back.”
“Me too, baby girl.” I looked up, making eye contact with Bexley. “Me too.”
“What is Dad going to think?” Cole suddenly asked the room, looking at his mother pensively.
I really didn’t want to make more out of this than I needed to, but it fucking hit like a sledgehammer to the ball sack to be reminded that Bella and Cole had a dad…that Bexley had someone she’d practically built a life with. I would never admit it out loud, but I was insecure as hell where that guy was concerned.
“What do you mean?” Bexley narrowed her eyes on her son.
“I remember him getting really mad about…” He looked over at me and lifted his shoulder. “You-know-who a few times, yelling at you that you broke his heart…don’t you think this will make him mad?”
The urge to laugh itched in my throat; this kid was too much. Unfortunately, it sucked a million percent that he had to worry about that at all. My sentiments regarding Logan as an asshole only grew.
“Cole, that’s not something you ever have to worry about. Do you understand me?” Bexley leaned close to her son’s frame, gently gripping his shoulders. “That is an issue your dad has and has overcome by being with Dana…he’s all better now, and I think this news will only make him happy. But even if it doesn’t, that’s never ever something you need to think about. Okay?” She pressed a gentle kiss to the top of his head and ruffled his hair.
I wanted to kiss her. Now that the kids knew about us, I knew I probably could, but I figured it would be a good idea to ease them into it.
Her blue eyes met mine…she wanted it too, but her eyes flitting back to the kids told me we needed to wait a bit. I would wait.I would do anything for them.
My chest tightened with the realization.
Bexley had been in my heart for as long as I could remember, and had always been a part of me no matter what I was doing, but Bella and Cole…it was as if they’d just appeared being equally as important.
“Bex, you have the next two days off, right?”
“Yeah…” She cast a curious glance at me then at her kids.
“I want to take you guys somewhere.” I smiled wide as I rubbed my hands together in anticipation. “It’s a surprise.”
