Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 95816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95816 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 479(@200wpm)___ 383(@250wpm)___ 319(@300wpm)
He was quiet for a moment, then spoke.
“How are you feeling about everything, Ashley?”
I met his gaze briefly. “I’m coming to terms with it all. I have to deal with some regrets and try to make up for my behavior—”
He interrupted me. “There is nothing to make up for. We’ve moved past it, so put it behind you.”
“Thank you,” I replied.
“We’re a forgiving lot,” he said softly. “We all have regrets. I certainly do. But you have to move past them and go forward.” He tapped the end of my nose affectionately. “Always go forward, sweetheart.”
“Richard,” I began, but he shook his head.
“I know,” he said. “I already know.”
We smiled at each other in understanding. We would go forward and build a relationship. I would find my place with this family.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Kylie lurch up, moving.
“She never stays still long,” I observed.
“Nope,” he said, his voice drenched in affection. “She’s a busy little bee.”
She saw Richard and headed in his direction. She grinned in delight as he hunched down, calling to her, then she stopped, bending to pick up her doll she’d dropped earlier. She sat down, no longer interested in coming over. Her fist went to her mouth, and she frowned, looking displeased.
Richard laughed. “DollyDoo comes first.”
“DollyDoo is an odd name,” I murmured, unable for some reason to stop looking at Kylie.
“I named her. With her funny little voice right now, it sounds like DoggieDoo. Makes me laugh.”
I rolled my eyes. “You’re a sick man, Richard.”
“I prefer to call myself amusing.”
“Uh-huh,” I said, distracted. Kylie looked odd, her cheeks suddenly flushed. She dropped her doll, her hands lifting, her fingers opening and shutting. Something was wrong. Without thinking, I grabbed Richard’s arm, and he glanced down, puzzled.
Realization happened so fast, I had no time to think. “Dad,” I gasped urgently. “She’s choking.”
I was past him in a second. I jumped over a body lying on the floor, sliding in front of Kylie on my knees before anyone else had moved. I placed one hand on the front of her, the other on her back, and performed the maneuver I had been trained to use. With a few well-timed thrusts, I felt grim satisfaction as the small red brick expelled from her mouth and landed on the floor. I gathered her in my arms as Kylie began howling, and in seconds, we were surrounded. Grace was crying, Jaxson horrified, Richard barking orders, and general pandemonium ensued. My head fell to my chest, and I exhaled a long sigh of relief, grateful I had seen her and my previous training had kicked in. Matthew stepped forward, taking her, doctor mode in full effect. Luc pulled me from the floor, wrapping me in his arms.
“Ashley, love, you saved her.”
Suddenly, I was pulled from his embrace by an emotional Jaxson, murmuring his gratitude. Richard followed, his embrace tight. “Ashley,” he murmured, his voice thick.
I patted his back. “Is she okay?”
Matthew straightened, handing an unhappy Kylie to Grace. “She’s fine.” He bent and picked up the offending brick, studying it. “How did she grab this with no one seeing? We keep all the unused ones in the boxes around us.”
“She’s fast,” Jaxson said, holding his wife and child. “One must have fallen out and you didn’t notice. She’s been doing this lately—everything she finds goes straight to her mouth.”
“No one saw,” Ronan admitted, looking chagrined. “She was right beside me, and I never saw it or her reach for it.”
“No one is to blame here,” Jaxson spoke up. “And thanks to Ashley, she’s fine.”
“Maybe we’ll build stuff downstairs from now on,” Ronan mused.
“Good plan,” Matthew agreed.
Richard hugged me again. “Thank you.”
I wasn’t sure what to say. He pulled back, smiling, his eyes damp.
“I know it was in a moment of panic,” he said quietly. “But I liked it when you called me Dad. If you decide to do that again, I’m okay with it.”
I blinked, realizing he was right. I had called him Dad.
My head spun. Holy shit, I was moving as fast as this whole family did.
I had no time to process his words. There were more hugs and praise. I had to excuse myself for a moment to calm down my racing heart. Luc came with me, and we went outside. He held me close, pressing his lips to my head.
“Are you all right, love?”
“I’m fine. A bit shaky.”
“You were brilliant. You looked like a fucking gazelle jumping over Liam to get to her.”
“I didn’t think. All the training we have to take in case of a choking incident just kicked in.”
“Thank God,” he breathed.
“I called Richard ‘Dad,’” I told him.
“I heard. So did everyone else.”
“Kinda fast.”
“Sometimes fast is good.” He shrugged. “I think he liked it.”
A voice clearing behind us made me look up. Grace stood a few feet away, the stress of the past few moments etched on her face.