I give her a weak smile. “Thank you. I’ll consider it. I’m not going to make a decision right now.”
“You let us know if we can help,” Uncle Raymond tells me. “Now, let’s eat.”
For the next two hours, we eat and laugh and enjoy one another’s company. I’ve never been this relaxed, even with the recent news, and I owe it all to the man sitting next to me with his hand on my thigh. Every once in a while, he leans in and presses his lips to my temple, but he never misses a beat in the conversations he’s having with my cousins.
No matter what I decide, and no matter what the outcome if I do go to visit my mother, none of it will affect the life I’ve built in Willow River.
This is my life.
This is our future.
I can’t wait to live every minute of it.
twenty-four
Deacon
“You know you don’t have to go through with this,” I tell Ramsey. We’re lying on the bed in our hotel room. Our flight landed two hours ago. There was no way I was letting her come back to her hometown and the men who tore her down and abused her on her own. No. Fucking. Way.
“I know. I think Aunt Carol was right. I need to know that I was here, even if she never loved me. She’s my mom.” She shrugs.
I understand her reasoning, but I hate that she’s going to have to see them. The people who should have loved her beyond anything else in their worlds and they failed. I’m on edge, and my nerves are frayed, because the thought of them hurting her or even looking at her crossways, sets my blood on fire.
Her cell phone rings and Carol’s name flashes on the screen. “Hello,” she greets. Ramsey’s quiet as she listens, and her eyes fly to mine. “Really?” she asks, with tears in her eyes. I’m immediately concerned, but then a small smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, and I feel myself relax. I feel uneasy. I won’t let them hurt her, but I don’t know. Something just feels off. I guess it’s just the feeling of loving someone more than life and being worried about them. This is a new concept for me, and I can’t say that I’m a fan. “Okay. I’m glad you’re here.” She ends the call and turns to me once again.
“Aunt Carol and Uncle Raymond are here.” A single tear slides over her cheek. “She changed her mind. She said she wanted to be here for me. She’s not doing it for my mom and her request. She’s here for me.”
“She loves you.”
My girl nods. “It’s hard for me to reconcile that they’re really sisters. They couldn’t be more different.”
“Money changes people.”
“Some,” she agrees. “I would never let it change me. Sure, I could work less and not constantly worry about the balance in my bank account, but I would never be cruel or greedy or just plain mean. Especially not to my daughter.” She wipes at another tear and gives me a sad smile. “If we ever hit the lottery, promise me you won’t change. Promise me I don’t have to worry about losing you to money and greed.”
“Never with me,” I say softly. “I couldn’t care less as long as you’re by my side. Some might say that money is their definition of rich or poor, but I tend to disagree. Yes, I went into law to be financially stable. Not to get rich. However, I am rich. I just didn’t get that way until you came into my life. Love, friendships, and a happy heart. That’s what makes me rich. Loving you and receiving your love makes me the richest man in the world.”
“Smooth, Setty, real smooth,” she teases.
I wink at her, making her laugh. “So, are they here?” I ask.
“They are. Their flight just landed. They’re staying in the same hotel.”
I nod. “This doesn’t change the fact that I’m going with you. You know that, right? I’m not letting you go there without me.”
“So protective.” She places her palm against my cheek.
“I don’t know a man on this planet who wouldn’t walk through fire to protect his heart.”
“You’re on fire today.” She smiles.
“Just making sure you know how much you’re loved. Whatever happens, when you go to see your mother, I want you to remember that. You are loved.” My voice is strong. Fierce. “Don’t let them get into your head. You’ve built a life for yourself in Willow River, and you and me, we’re building our future. They’re insignificant in that.”
“I know. I agree with you. However, there is still a part of me, the little girl who just wished to be loved and hugged by her parents, that hopes they’ve had a change of heart. I know the chances of that are slim to none, but the wish is there all the same.”