After walking Gemma to her car and watching her drive away, I go back into the house. It’s been a long a*s day, and I’m tired, though I probably won’t get much sleep now. As soon as I walk into the living room, Everleigh charges toward me and hugs me tightly.
“Whoa. You okay?” I wrap my arms around her, squeezing her back.
“Thank you,” she whispers before pulling back. “Thank you for caring so much about Gemma and being there for her. She probably won’t ever admit it, but she feels safe around you.”
“I’ve always cared about her,” I confess. “I won’t let anything bad happen to Gemma.”
“I know. That’s why you’re the best.” She grins. “Well, and because you’re an amazing cook.”
Everleigh walks toward the kitchen, and I follow. She grabs a bottled water from the fridge, then offers it to
