Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 77874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 260(@300wpm)
“I told you already tonight, but I’m going to keep saying it again and again. I love you. I’m in love with you, and it’s because of your heart, because of who you are. You’re good to Meadow. You take in animals others throw away. You love those dogs with your whole damn heart. You try to bring Rhett and Morgan together. You love your sister so fucking much, and she knew it. She loved you too. If Gregory doesn’t see how fucking incredible you are, that’s on him. Not you.”
I want to believe him so much, and part of me does—that’s the magic of who Archer is. “What if you’re wrong?”
“I’m not. I know I’m not.”
I bury my face into his neck, breathe him in, try to find that part of me that wants to be more like him. “The thing with your cousin…with Travis. That wasn’t your fault either.”
He sighs. “No, it wasn’t. And I get it, that it’s hard to feel pain about something without taking the guilt too. Ella was an accident, and Travis made his choices. Maybe we could work on forgiving ourselves together.”
I like the sound of that.
“Together.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Archer
It’s a shitty day at work, one of those that make me wonder why I do what I do. Sometimes the red tape makes it impossible to do any good. It doesn’t help that I’ve been so damn worried about East the past few days. That nightmare had been frightening to witness—the way he’d been flailing around, how he’d been screaming for Ella, yelling at Morgan, as if he was reliving the worst day of his life.
At first I hadn’t been able to wake him up, to pull him out of the past. He’d been crying, wailing, in so much pain. I’ve never felt my heart being ripped out the way I did in that moment.
And he’s spent the last eighteen years blaming himself, thinking it’s his fault—something Gregory fucking Swift hasn’t done anything to stop. Something he’s actively made worse. My body temperature rises and my head throbs to the point where it feels like it’s going to explode every time I think about it. What kind of parent treats their child the way East has been treated? And though I shouldn’t be, it’s hard not to be pissed at Morgan and Rhett about it too. Why couldn’t they find a way to protect him?
I’m exhausted when I get off work. East is still at work, and part of me is glad. Not because I don’t want to be around him. I always want to be with him, but I need someone I can talk to, someone I can trust and who will know what to do. It doesn’t matter if I’m thirty-six years old, one of those people for me will always be my mom. And it helps to know she’s also someone who cares about East.
I text her to see if she’s off, and thankfully she is, so I head to their place. Dad is home too, and as close as I am with him, as much as I love him and know I can trust him, I don’t want to share East’s business with him. It doesn’t feel right. But like always, somehow my parents know. Dad takes one look at me and asks, “You good?”
“Yeah.”
“Then I’ll give you two a few minutes.”
“I’m sorry. I don’t—”
He puts a hand on my shoulder. “Hey. None of that. I get it. I’ve got a mom too, ya know.”
I chuckle. Christ, my family is the best, and I’m so damn grateful that now East will have them too. “Thanks, Dad.”
“Have a good chat.” He heads for the backyard.
Mom comes over and gives me a hug. “You look like you needed that. Is everything okay with you and Easton?”
“Yes. We’re good.” I rub a hand over my face and follow her to the couch. “I’m in love with him.”
“I know. And he loves you too. That’s another thing moms always know.”
I chuckle but don’t doubt she’s right. Moms have some kind of magic ability sometimes…but then, when I look at my father, he does too. I guess it’s just that some people are really fucking good at being parents, and I was blessed to have two good ones.
“I don’t even know if I should be sharing any of this with you…” But my gut tells me it’s okay. That East would know she can be trusted and that I’m only doing it because I love him.
“You wouldn’t be here if you knew you shouldn’t be.” And yep, she’s right. “You’re here because you love him.”
“I’m worried about him. Ella…he hasn’t dealt with losing her at all. He thinks it’s his fault.”
“Oh, that sweet, noble boy… It’s hard for people who love big not to blame themselves. That doesn’t mean it’s right and they should, but sometimes our hearts do a real good job at burying our logic. I take it he’s never talked to anyone?”