Before the Sunset (Cottonwood Cove, #4)(81)
“What are you looking at?” My dad took the seat beside me and glanced down at the phone.
I handed it over, and my mom and sister both took turns looking.
“That was such a fun trip. Didn’t Cage get stung by a jellyfish?” my father asked.
“Oh, yes, he did. And he did not take it well. He had an epic meltdown,” Olivia said over her laughter.
“Yes. Finn was chasing him around, telling him he needed to pee on his foot,” my mother said with a big smile on her face. “So, he’s off to Tokyo. What happens after that with you two?”
“Inquiring minds want to know,” my sister said, waggling her brows.
“We’re taking it one day at a time. I’m going to move my clothes over to the rental house today and get settled. Georgie said it’s fully equipped. They just use it now for family and friends that are visiting, but they agreed to let me rent it for as long as I need it.”
“It’s silly to pay for a place when you can live here for free.” Dad sipped his coffee.
I wasn’t going to go down this road again.
“I love you guys, but I’m twenty-nine years old, and I need my own place. Plus, they gave me the same deal they gave Brinkley, which is a dollar a month, and I pay the utilities.” I shook my head and laughed.
There wasn’t much else to say.
I’m also having a baby that’ll be here in less than nine months.
I had no idea how far along I was, so I definitely needed to go see someone and start planning for the future.
“Well, I’ll grab my truck and help you move your things over,” my father said as he pushed to stand and leaned over to kiss my cheek.
“Moving is so not my thing.” Olivia shivered dramatically. “I’ve got to prep for an interview, anyway.”
“I hardly have that much to move over. I didn’t bring a ton to Finn’s house.”
My chest squeezed at the mention of his name. It was the first day in a while that I didn’t wake up to his handsome face. To his smile. To taking a ride down to the water right after we got up and moving.
“You’re leaving Millie over there?” my mom asked. She’d been unusually quiet since I’d come home last night, which meant she was stewing, trying not to fire off rapid questions and have me shut her down. Or maybe Alana had told her Finn and I were taking a break. I wasn’t offering anything up because I wasn’t totally sure what would happen over the next few weeks.
“Yep. I’ll go ride her every day before work. I’m going to head over there now and take her out. I’ll meet you there in an hour?” I asked my father.
“I’ll be there, sweetheart.”
I grabbed my keys and my coat and made my way out to my car. I drove around the corner and pulled over, letting the tears fall again.
I cried for all that was unknown about my future.
I cried because I missed Finn.
I cried because I’d made a real mess of everything.
I cried because it crushed me that he thought I’d go back to Carl.
I cried because I was having a baby with the man I loved, and I didn’t know how to tell him.
And then I reached into my purse and pulled out some tissue and cleaned myself up.
You’ve got this.
One week had passed, and it felt like an eternity. But every single day, I received a text message the minute I opened my eyes, and they continued to come in throughout the day.
Every single day, there was a photo of me and Finn at different stages of our lives.
Together.
Always together.
I hearted each of the texts as they came in, but I hadn’t responded. I wanted to give him his time to figure out what he wanted. I wasn’t going to tell him how much I missed him right now. How I cried myself to sleep every night. How my body ached for him. How I missed his touch. His laugh. His smile. Hell, I missed the way he smelled.
How twisted was that?
I sat at my desk and scrolled through all the photos and the texts that had come through this week.
Monday
Chewy
I miss your face.
Chewy
I dreamed about you last night. About your body and the little sounds you make when you’re pressed against me, sleeping.
A photo came through of us on the first day of kindergarten. We were holding hands, and my head was tipped back in laughter, and he was just smiling at me. It was one of my favorite pictures of us. I printed it on my little phone printer and set it on my nightstand with the photo that he’d sent of us on the airplane.
Chewy
The food is good here, but it’s a little spicy. I miss taking the horses out with you. I think of you every night before the sun sets. It’s our time. Always has been, always will be.
Chewy
It doesn’t matter where I am. I think of you nonstop.
Chewy
I got hit on tonight, and I let her know I was practically married. Because, in a sense, I am. You have my heart, and you always will.
He sent a selfie of him holding up his phone with the vibrant city behind him and his handsome face smiling at me. I printed it and slept with it clutched to my chest.