Love Me Forever - Juliana Stone Page 0,61

her dresser and slipped them over her wrists. “Everything has been perfect. Boone is the man I always dreamed of. He’s everything I thought he’d be.” She paused. “No, he’s been more. He’s funny and charming and an amazing lover. He likes to argue, but he’s not an asshole about it. He loves his son and adores his mother, and he’s a wonderful father, but….”

“There’s always a but, isn’t there?”

“We haven’t talked about the things that we should probably talk about if what we’re doing has a chance of evolving and changing into something else. Something more permanent. And I know…” Her voice caught, and she shuddered. “I know these are early days, so I don’t want to push things. But I also know we’re not sixteen and eighteen anymore. I know what I want. The problem is, I don’t know what Boone wants. I don’t know if…”

“If?” Link gently prodded.

“I don’t know if I’m enough.” She tried to smile. “I don’t know if I’ll ever be enough.”

“You damn well are, and you know it,” Link said, pulling her into his arms. She rested her chin against his chest.

“It’s your history that’s stirring up this shit,” Link said slowly. “You need to have a conversation about what happened that summer. He needs to tell you why he left without a word. Yeah?”

Jesus, were those hot tears pricking the corners of her eyes again? Swiping at them angrily, she contemplated telling Link about the message she’d overheard a few days earlier. One from Boone’s agent wanting to discuss a new contract. But since Boone hadn’t mentioned it and she’d never brought it up, it didn’t feel right talking about it with Link.

And then there was the other thing.

“What if we get past all that stuff? What does a man like Boone want with someone like me? I mean, I’ve seen him with Benji. He loves being a father. I can’t give him a child. I mean, the chances are nearly nonexistent, and what if—”

“Enough of the what-if, luv. Don’t torture yourself over things you can’t control. Things that haven’t even come about yet. Live your life in the moment. Deal with the here and now, and the rest will fall into place.”

“Okay, now you sound like you’re winning at the advice thing.”

“Don’t look too close, luv. Most of the stuff that comes out of my mouth is bullshit.”

“True.”

He ginned at her. “Now, we should be going.”

Poppy nodded and grabbed her purse along with her cell phone. There were no messages from Boone, but then she didn’t expect there’d be. So why was she staring at an empty screen as if some kind of betrayal had just happened?

Because I’m nuts, that’s why.

She tossed the cell into her purse and decided the mess on the bed would stay that way until later. Poppy followed Link out of her bedroom and told the doubt bunnies hanging off her shoulders to take a hike.

In a perfect world, they would have disappeared, but as it was, they didn’t listen.

Bastards.

Chapter Twenty-One

It was nearly seven when Boone swung by his mother’s with Benji and Mabel in tow. He’d barely come to a full stop before his kid was out the door with the dog bounding behind him like they belonged together. He took a second to watch them before they disappeared around the side of the house, no doubt in search of the tent his mom had promised to set up for another campout.

He walked inside and found his mother at the kitchen sink, staring out the window. She was washing something, vegetables, maybe, but didn’t turn when he closed the door. Or when he walked into the kitchen. In fact, it wasn’t until he got close to her that he realized she probably didn’t even know he was there.

Boone cleared his throat, and she jumped, turning quickly and reaching for a tea towel to dry her hands.

“Hey,” she said breathlessly. “I didn’t hear you come in.”

He strode over and gave her a kiss before peering out the window that overlooked the backyard, where Benji and Mabel were currently tearing up the place.

“How did you miss those two?

“Oh.” She turned back to the window. “Yes, I see them there.”

“Is everything all right?” he asked. Her eyes darted to his and then slid away. His mom seemed scattered, a lot like she’d been in those early days after his dad died.

“I’m fine.” But the words came out more like a question, and he leaned against the counter, watching her