“Hence the cabin in the mountains of Montana,” Melanie said.
“Yep. I tried repeatedly to kick the pills but it wasn’t until the kids came to live with me that I was finally ready to deal with life clean.”
“I think it’s an amazing thing that you are doing. They could have ended up in foster care with families that didn’t care about them,” she said, placing her small hand over mine.
“It was hard, taking them in. I have more than enough means to care for them financially, but emotionally it’s been a battle. Liam looks so much like my brother, and Hadley looks like her mother. As much as I love them, it hurts a little to look at them and be reminded of all I’ve lost. But when you stumbled up onto the porch during that storm and stayed with us, I saw how you were with the kids. How much they warmed to you and how much they wanted you around. It was like I could see life in a whole new light again, just with you here.”
“They’re good kids, Evan. You’re doing a wonderful job with them,” she said.
“I don’t feel like I am most days.”
“And no new parent does. But as long as they are happy, healthy, and loved, you are doing it right.”
I chuckled at her as I shook my head.
“I’m sorry I left like I did yesterday. I just saw that message and felt this looming secrecy between us, and it was a little stifling,” she said.
“I understand. I’ve been feeling it, too. I’m hoping that talking to you will alleviate it some,” I said.
“It has. And thank you for telling me. Seriously.”
“You know you can talk to me too, right?”
My question stopped her in her tracks and I could feel her body tightening up again.
“I know I’m not the only one who was carrying secrets, but I also don’t want to force you to talk to me. I wanted to talk with you, so I did. Partially because I felt you needed to know after seeing that text, and partially because I just—wanted to. I’m here, should you ever want to talk.”
“Thank you,” she said, nodding.
We went back to sipping on our beers as the embers of the fire slowly flickered out. I pulled her close as her head nuzzled underneath my cheek, and I breathed in deep the smell of her skin. She was sweet and light, like a freshly sugared warm doughnut. My hands stroked her arm while the wind whipped around outside, driving the temperatures down and forcing me off the couch to make another fire.
Melanie whimpered at the loss of my touch as I got up from the couch, and I smirked before I took her empty beer bottle from her.
“The kids will be up soon, if you want to go back to working,” she said.
“Actually, I’m done for the day. And with the weather graying outside again, I figured we could make it a movie night.”
“Movie?” Liam said.
The sound of his groggy voice whipped my head in the direction of the hallway.
“Aladdin?” Liam asked.
“That’s your favorite movie, isn’t it?” Melanie asked him.
“Uh huh,” he said.
Then, we both heard Hadley’s cries trickling down the hallway.
“I’ll get her,” I said. “You set up the movie and gather up all the blankets.”
It was going to be a wonderful night with just the four of us, and I was very much looking forward to it.
CHAPTER 22
MELANIE
I woke the next morning to the smells of toast and peanut butter wafting under my door. The previous night had been amazing, the four of us snuggled in the blankets on the couch watching Aladdin for the tenth time since I’d been here. I reached for my phone and placed a quick call to my dad to check in before getting out of bed and wandering down to the kitchen.
With every phone call, Dad was sounding stronger and stronger, and it made my heart soar. Not only did it mean he was healing, but it also meant I could spend more time with Evan and the kids without having to worry so much about him.
As I was about to open my door and head down the hall a text from Layla came through.
“Hey there, sex goddess. You spill the beans yet?”
Our conversation yesterday helped me feel closer to him. I still wasn’t ready to completely open up to him, but it had drawn parallels between the two of us. He knew what it was like for the world to betray him. For the foundations of your world to be rocked to the point of no return. I knew he would understand at least that part; I just needed to find the strength to tell him.
I just wasn’t sure how the hell to even begin a conversation like that, or when the proper time was to bring it up.