Just One Dare (The Kingston Family 5)

“Honey, I love you too.” She patted her back before pulling away so she could meet her gaze. “Don’t you see? I had to put myself out there and trust that you weren’t a con artist or someone out to take advantage of my family. I heard about you and I just knew you were supposed to be ours. You belong with us—with our whole big, nutty family.” Melly’s eyes were glassy, her smile sweet.

“I can’t imagine what would have happened to me without you. Without all of you.” Of course, the Prescotts had been kind to her, but they hadn’t been her family.

“What I’m getting at—and I know I’m taking the long way to make my point—is can you imagine your life, your future, without Nick in it? If he came around to be Leah’s daddy, but not the man in your life? All because you can’t move past the fact that the people in your past let you down?”

Big fat tears dripped from her eyes and she held back a sob.

Melly wrapped an arm around her and hugged her tight. “You’ve been strong for so long because you’ve had to be. But you’re not alone anymore. You have a huge family who loves you, and a man downstairs, who’s doing his best to prove that he does too.”

Aurora sniffed, wiping her damp face with her sleeve. She laughed at herself and rose to grab the tissues by a sink before she sat back down. “Nick travels a lot. Every time he leaves, I’m overcome with that lost, abandoned feeling I hate. It makes me feel weak and needy,” she admitted.

Melly placed a hand beneath her chin. “You’re none of those things. You need to see reality through a new lens—not through the past. Nick travels, yes, but he always comes back. It’s up to you whether or not you can open your heart and take the risk.” She removed her hand. “Now I’m going to leave so that handsome man can come back up. I’ll take the family home with me. Give us a ring when you and Leah are up to visitors, once you’re back home again.” She gathered her purse and started for the door.

“Melly?”

She turned back, hand on the doorframe. “Yes?”

“Thank you. For everything.”

Melly smiled and blew a kiss. Then she was gone.

Aurora stood for a while, staring at nothing, thinking about the things Melly had said. They’d never broached such sensitive, difficult subjects before, but their talk had been long overdue. And Melly had made good points about whether or not she could give up a relationship with Nick just to protect her heart. Could she imagine a future with Nick as Leah’s father and nothing more?

With a sigh, Aurora walked over to Leah and stood by her bed, watching her daughter sleep. She was so sweet and innocent, and she’d grow up surrounded by love. No matter what issues she might have—because everyone had some—abandonment would never be one of them.

She leaned down and kissed Leah’s forehead. “I love you and I’ll always be here.”

“So will I, if you let me.”

She spun around at the sound of Nick’s voice. He stepped into the room and joined her at the bed.

“Is everything okay?” he asked, coming up beside her and placing his big hand on her back.

She looked into his familiar, bedroom eyes and everything she felt came rushing at her with the force of a tidal wave.

This was it. The moment she had to decide if she was going to run from that wave…or ride it. “Nick,” she whispered.

“What is it?”

She reached for him when someone knocked.

“Guess who’s going home today?” the nurse called out in a loud, sing-song voice, walking in and waving papers.

Leah popped up from her bed and rubbed her eyes. “I can go home?”

The nurse smiled. “Yes. As soon as your mom signs these papers and I take out the IV.”

Nick glanced at Aurora. “Whatever you were about to say? I want to hear.”

Aurora swallowed hard and managed a nod. She wished the woman hadn’t interrupted. She could have told him how she felt, and what she wanted. Now she’d have to wait, nervous and ready to jump out of her skin, until the next time she and Nick were alone.

Chapter Eleven

Nick took Aurora and Leah home from the hospital in the car he’d rented at the airport. He knew it was too much to hope his little chatterbox would fall back asleep so he and her mother could have a serious conversation. Instead, they talked about Leah’s adventures at the hospital, her sore throat, and the fact that her arm still hurt from the IV needle. He had a feeling she’d be milking that one for weeks.

Aurora remembered she had a lollipop in her bag and handed it to Leah, which kept her quiet for a few minutes.