Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 145823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 145823 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 729(@200wpm)___ 583(@250wpm)___ 486(@300wpm)
“Paisley, your son is freakishly strong!” Morgan called out.
Jagger moved, but Paisley touched his forearm. “I’ve got him.” She rose from Jagger’s lap and headed for the baby.
“He likes the red hair.” Jagger laughed.
“Man after my own heart.” Josh grinned as Paisley untangled Peyton from his wife’s hair.
“So you guys done with the interrogation?” I asked as the girls walked toward the beach.
“I’m good,” Josh remarked. “Sam vouched for you.”
“You worried about passing muster, coastie?” Jagger challenged with a smirk.
“Nope. I honestly don’t give a fuck what you think about me. But it would sure make it easier on Morgan if you didn’t think I was complete dick.” I shrugged.
“You can stay.” Jagger laughed. “How did you get Morgan on an aircraft, anyway? Family day?”
“I disguised her in a flight suit and walked her straight onto the bird.” I watched as Morgan hefted Peyton to her hip in the dying light. She was going to make an incredible mother—if that’s what she wanted. Shit, did she want kids? Was Finley an issue for her? Not every woman wanted a ready-made family.
“No shit?” Josh questioned.
“No shit,” Sawyer answered. “She handled herself like a champ, too, especially when that rescue got called in.”
Hell yes, she had.
“God, I can hear Carter now.” Josh groaned. “Regulations state that you’re not allowed on this aircraft, Morgan.” His voice dropped into what was obviously an impression, but there was a soft smile on his face.
Jagger laughed. “He would have shit bricks. Can you imagine trying to get him to sneak someone on board? His little rule-loving heart would have imploded.”
“Burgers in five!” Javier yelled.
“Did you char this batch?” Sawyer called back.
Javier responded with a middle finger.
“So, Will was a by-the-book kind of guy?” I didn’t want to ask, but I wanted to know the answer. It was one thing to compete with a ghost, but a fucking saint? That was impossible.
“Will wrote the fucking book.” Jagger kept his eyes on his wife and son. “He saw everything in black and white. There was no middle ground. No room for compromise.”
“Even for Morgan,” Josh remarked with a little headshake. “Hell, especially in the case of Morgan.” His voice dropped again. “You can’t wear that out in public, Morgan. What will people think?”
“Watch your tongue, Morgan,” Jagger chimed in.
Her tongue? “So you’re saying he wasn’t perfect.”
“Carter? Fuck, no. He was a ring-knocker with a chip the size of Alabama on his shoulder.” Jagger scoffed. “Always had to come in first. Always had to be right.” He swallowed. “Always had to do the right thing, no matter what it cost him.”
Josh dropped his head briefly.
“She loved him. Hell, she still loves him.” The confession was in the air before I could watch my tongue.
“Yeah, she sure did. But those two…” Jagger whistled. “I can’t think of a time when they were in the same room where they weren’t bickering.”
Damn, I wished this bottle of water in my hand was something stronger.
Josh studied me carefully. “Why did you put her on that bird?”
“Because I wanted her to feel that rush at takeoff. I wanted her to experience what I do—what we do—every time we fly. My hope was that she’d see the beauty of it, and it would help conquer her fear that I’d go down like the three of you did.” I kicked off my flip-flops and dug my feet into the sand.
“Will wouldn’t have done it.” Josh smiled to himself. “He would have told her that she was safer on the ground, and then he would have kept her there. He would have told her that her fear was unfounded because he was infallible in an aircraft.”
“Will was born with this unconquerable urge to protect, and Morgan has never needed anyone’s protection.” Jagger twisted his ball cap backward. “Morgan needed someone capable of loving her and then getting the fuck out of her way.”
I watched her bounce Peyton lightly and introduce him to Christina as the girls headed back toward us.
“Bottom line, the guy was our friend. Fuck, I miss the asshole every day,” Jagger continued. “But he sure as hell wasn’t perfect, and the biggest thing he got wrong is something you’ve already gotten right.”
“Enlighten me.”
“You chose Morgan. He never did. He chose Peyton. He chose Paisley. When push came to shove, he even chose Josh and me. But he never chose Morgan. You did.” His voice quieted as the girls reached us.
Hell yes, I chose Morgan, and I always would. The fact that someone hadn’t was mind-boggling.
“You done flirting with Auntie Morgan, little man?” Jagger stood and took his son from Morgan’s arms.
She smiled, but it was tinged with sadness, and a corresponding ache flared in my chest. This scene was only possible because Will had given his life for them. Hell, I only had a shot with Morgan for the same reason.