“Goodnight, Mr. Van. Thank you for my bookshelf. I love it.”
“You’re welcome, Mouse.”
She pressed her lips to my cheek, her quiet voice a whisper in my ear.
“I love you too, Mr. Van.”
She slid down to the floor and took Liv’s hand, leaving me reeling once again, for a very different reason.
“That’s quite the bookcase,” Elly stated, peering at me over the rim of her mug.
“It’s wood and glue. That’s what I do.” I shrugged. “She’s a great kid, and I enjoy making things.”
“You’re having quite the effect on my daughter and granddaughter.”
Thinking of Sammy’s whispered words, I had to shake my head. “They’re having an effect on me too.”
“I see that.” She tilted her head, studying me. “They are both”—she stressed the word carefully—“vulnerable in their own way.”
I swallowed some coffee before replying. “I am aware of that. I’m not playing games here, Elly. I’m aware of Liv’s past and how easy it is to break a child’s heart. I have no plan for hurting either of them.”
She was quiet for a moment. “Liv’s father was a selfish, arrogant man. I never saw his cruel nature until it was too late. I was young, pregnant, and alone other than him. I stayed in a relationship that was toxic. It took me a long time to find the courage to leave. I took Liv and left when I realized he was going to do the same things to her as he did to me. Belittle and knock her down until she didn’t even know herself anymore.”
“That took guts.”
“I should have done it sooner. I don’t think I was ever prouder of Liv as when she walked away from Chris. It was a difficult time for her, but it was the right decision. She was far braver than I was. I never liked him. He was even worse than my ex.”
“Insidious, Liv called him.”
“Yes. He was awful. I’m grateful he wanted nothing to do with Sammy. I shudder to think of his influence on her.”
“Liv has done an amazing job with her.”
She studied me briefly. “I’ve gotten good at reading people, Van. I like you. I like how Liv looks when you’re around.”
Unable to resist, I teased her. “How does she look, Elly?”
A smile played around her lips. “If I were someone other than her mother, I would say sexually fulfilled. But since I am her mother, let’s just say happy. Happier than I have ever seen her. I want her to stay that way.”
I laughed, feeling a punch of pride at the fact that Liv was sexually satisfied. God knew I wanted to satisfy her—as often as possible.
“So do I.”
“Good. Now enough of me intimidating you. I want to interrogate you. I want to know about your parents, your job, where you live, and your tax bracket.” She winked. “And how you managed to get me in to see Phil for my migraines. He is a wonder!”
“Interrogate away.”
I drained my coffee and glanced at my watch. “Are they always this long?”
Elly grinned and stood. “Follow me.”
We went down the hall, stopping at Mouse’s door. Elly peeked in with a knowing smile.
“I thought so.”
I peered over her shoulder. The room was dim, the only light coming from the bookcase. Liv was stretched out beside Mouse on the bed. Sammy was curled into her mother. A book was open beside them, and they were both asleep.
“She often falls asleep reading to Sammy,” Elly mused. “I’ll wake her.”
“No,” I protested, my heart doing strange things in my chest as I watched them slumber. “I know Liv is tired. Let her sleep. Maybe we can cover them up?”
Elly peered up at me with a frown. “And what will you do?”
“Drive you home and head to my place.”
“I think Liv wanted to spend some time with you this evening.”
I glanced back toward the bed. I had wanted to spend some alone time with Liv, too, but they both looked so peaceful, and I had thought earlier Liv looked tired. She needed the rest.
“We’ll spend some time together this weekend.”
She pursed her lips. “I was thinking I would take Sammy overnight for a sleepover before I left to go see my sister. Maybe Friday night would work.”
I gently squeezed her shoulder. “Sounds like a plan.”
She winked. “There’s a blanket on the sofa.”
I hurried down the hall and grabbed it, returning to the room and carefully placing it over their sleeping forms. I gazed down at them, thinking what a pretty pair they were—mother and child.
My girls.
My heart skipped a beat in my chest.
My girls. I liked that.
Mine to look after. Mine to care for. Mine to…love?
Sammy’s little voice whispered in my head. “I love you too, Mr. Van.”
The words sank in. I swallowed.
Love.
Was that possible?
Glancing at them one last time before I left, I realized the answer.
Yes, it was entirely possible.
I was in love with both of them.
Van
The next morning, Bentley closed the file he was studying and looked up, smiling. “This is great work.” He tapped the folder. “I love all the ideas for the cabin. It will be spectacular.”
I chuckled at his enthusiasm, wondering how much of it had to do with the plans and how much had to do with the high due to the birth of his daughter. I had never seen Bentley so animated. He practically beamed—an odd occurrence for him. His usual stern expression was relaxed, and he was fast to pull out his phone and show off pictures of Addison to anyone who expressed any interest. Or even if they didn’t. He was a very proud dad.
“Thanks.” I offered. “Liv’s talent brought it all to life.”
Liv scoffed beside me. “Van had as much to do with it as I did. He had some brilliant ideas. I simply put them to paper.”
Bentley lifted his shoulders. “You’re a great team, and you only get better every time you work on a project. I’m truly in awe of what you’ve come up with. You’ve surpassed my expectations.”
“And my budget,” Maddox added dryly. “But I agree. If these plans are approved, this will be spectacular, and the profit will be through the roof, even with the added costs.”
Jordan flipped through some papers. “I’ve got all the paperwork you need to sign, Bentley. Once the plans are complete and drawn up, I’ll submit to the council. It’s going to take time and patience to get it all approved. I expect some pushback on a few issues, but I know Liv and Van have backup plans.”
“Yeah, we do,” I agreed. “But we adhered to all the guidelines and rules, even if a few were pushed a bit. We’ll figure it all out.”
Bentley leaned back, steepling his fingers under his chin. “Great.” He swung his gaze back to Jordan. “Now the remodel on the buildings.”
“Right.” Jordan opened a thick file. “I went through a lot of bids. Some I rejected outright. Way too high, or so low I knew we’d regret it. I narrowed the choices to the top two. One we’ve worked with before, the other a newer company. Good reputation, seems to be a well-run organization, and they are willing to work within our guidelines.” He grimaced. “In fact, they seemed eager to do so.”