Total pages in book: 119
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112762 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 564(@200wpm)___ 451(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Lewis won, and no one could hold Regan back from jumping up in her seat and whooping her delight. Thane shook his head in amusement while Lewis grinned up at his stepmom from the floor. He gave her a wave and then headed off the mat, straight for Callie, and they high-fived.
A little while later, we all watched, all of us bursting with pride we couldn’t hide, including Walker, as our children advanced to ninth gup.
Callie and Lewis were hyper, swinging their belts with their new yellow tips, as we led them out of the sports center toward the parking lot. I had texts from Aria and Monroe asking how the grading went, and I quickly texted back to let them know.
Thane insisted on taking us all out to lunch to celebrate, and since it was kids’ choice, we found ourselves in a fast-food restaurant again. I knew Walker, despite his sweet tooth, didn’t eat junk food normally and appreciated him doing so for the sake of the children.
I watched him praise Callie until she practically glowed. I observed the way Callie chose a seat next to Walker and how he bent his head to hear her as she chatted away easily to him. His patience with her was one of my favorite things in the world. Walker would never be the most talkative man. That wasn’t who he was. But he was one of the best listeners ever, and he engaged with Callie. He cared.
My heart beat a little too fast as a mammoth swell of emotion overwhelmed me.
The way Lewis was with Callie only compounded it. He teased and joked with her, but he also told her that her performance was “totally lit.”
“Did you see us during the pattern?” he said to her after barely swallowing a bite of burger. “We were completely in sync.”
“You were,” I agreed. “It was very cool.”
“And the way you blocked Amy and then landed that kick on her side.” Lewis beamed at Callie like she was a superhero. “It was amazing.”
Callie smiled so big it surprised me her cheeks could handle it.
And I loved every second for her.
Finally, after years of struggling, my daughter had the life I’d always wanted for her. It wasn’t perfect. I still might not be able to give her some material things, but the things that mattered … she had those now.
My eyes flicked to Walker, who observed the interaction between her and Lewis, and I felt a shiver of fear cut through my joy.
Walker was such a big part of what I’d found here.
In so many ways, he was solid and safe.
But there was a kernel of uncertainty within me. I shook it off.
I didn’t want my insecurities to ruin this day.
Later, Walker took us home and we watched a movie. At Callie’s bedtime, he waited until she was upstairs and tucked in before he got up to leave.
I asked him to stay instead.
“Are you sure?”
I nodded.
We hung out downstairs for a little longer and then I led him up to my bedroom, where Walker Ironside proved once again he could make love. Slow and tender. And quiet, even though that last part was very difficult for me.
Afterward, I lay in his arms, my cheek resting on his strong pecs. I touched the scar on his upper chest that looked like the one on my arm. “Who shot you?” I whispered.
“Sniper. Afghanistan,” he answered quietly, his fingers stroking lightly across my shoulder. “Not a very good one.”
“What do you mean? He hit you.”
“And yet I gather he was aiming for my head.”
Walker said it so casually, but the thought made me sick to my stomach. “Was it awful there? Stupid question, I guess.”
“It was pretty bad. They deployed us on operations, but it wasn’t long after I joined 43, the protection fleet. I didn’t see as much action in Afghanistan as others did.”
Thank God. “And this?” My fingertips trailed over his largest scar, a gash that ran down his ribs.
“Bar fight. Sometimes moron drunks like to pick a fight with soldiers.”
“Oh my God,” I muttered, annoyed at the idiocy of people. “It looks bad.”
“Aye, he slashed me pretty good, but I survived.”
“And these?” There was a cluster of small red scars on his side.
Walker scowled. “Shrapnel. I was lucky and wasn’t close enough to take much of the blast. My mate, Harry, he took the worst of it.”
I swallowed past my emotion, thinking about how close Walker had come to dying. Several times. “Is your friend okay?”
“Aye, he’s still alive. A few of us meet up every year and camp and fish and drink.”
“Is that your therapy?”
He glanced down at me, studying my face. “Partly. But I also have an actual therapist.”
Surprised by this admission, I lifted my head. “Really?”
Walker nodded carefully, gaze assessing. “Rich. He’s an ex-marine.”