As they were heading out of the lot, Paul's phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to Bella.
Confused by the handoff, she said, "It's Emily."
Frowning, he asked, "Yeah. Can you answer that? Just put it on speaker."
Suspiciously, Bella watched Paul keep his eyes on the road as she tapped the screen to answer. "Hey, Em."
"Bella?" Emily sounded pleasantly surprised. Had she not known where Paul went tonight?
"Is Paul next to you? We're having a minor problem."
"It's on speaker, Em," Paul said, immediately concerned. "What happened?"
"Nightmare," Emily sighed. "I think he overheard some things today, Paul."
Paul's frown returned as he suddenly turned on his blinker and changed course. Bella didn't have to ask where they were heading. "What did he dream about?"
"He won't tell me all of it… He's insisting on talking to Paul."
"Put him on.".
Bella stared at the screen, trying not to react as Jamie said, "Dad?"
His voice was rough, strained with sleep, and apparently, he'd been crying. The urge to comfort him was immediate, and Bella turned to Paul, silently willing him to press a little harder on the gas pedal.
"Yeah, buddy?"
Jamie sniffled. "Can I come home?"
"You can always come home," Paul said, glancing pointedly at Bella before hitting his turn signal again and slowing down. "I'll be there in thirty seconds. Have Aunt Emily count with you. Okay?"
His tone instantly perked up as he said, "Okay."
Emily said, "Thanks, Paul," and hung up.
Bella hit the side button to turn off his screen as they turned onto a gravel drive. The familiar turns slowly came into focus as they approached Sam and Emily's house. Bella gaped as it came into view, noting the upstairs addition and another section built onto where the living room used to be.
"Holy shit. Did Sam do this himself?"
"With a little help." Paul grinned. "Sam and I added most of the upstairs last year with Jake's help. Quil can only do so much with one arm, but he's a beast at climbing a ladder, even without it. You should have seen him haul loads of boards and shingles on one shoulder. He walks up and down a fucking ladder like they're stairs. It scared the shit out of me the first time I watched it."
Bella laughed, nodding as she visualized it. Quil was always quick on his feet despite his size.
As Paul parked his truck behind Sam's, he said, "Carpentry is not Embry's forte, though. The guy is smart as a whip and can handle a surfboard like a pro, but forget handing him a hammer and nails unless you want to see severed wiring and smashed thumbs."
Bella cackled as they climbed out of the truck and shut the doors. "Oh, my god."
"Yeah," Paul nodded for emphasis as they rounded the truck toward the house. He pointed toward a pile of charred beams leaning against the small gardening shed across the yard. "That's what happens when you give Embry a hammer."
Before she could react, Emily's front door flew open, and Jamie hollered for his father. Paul grinned as he hurried toward him. Bella's heart jumped into her throat as Jamie ran across the porch and leaped from the top step. Paul grunted as he caught him before tossing him in the air and then catching him again. Jamie squealed and giggled, all his nightmare sadness immediately forgotten in his father's arms.
Bella felt breathless, as though she were being thrown around while she watched them roughhouse for a few minutes. She finally pulled her eyes from them to greet Emily at the bottom of the stairs.
"Sam does the same shit with our kids, and it scares me half to death," she said, laughing. "And he's so tall. In my mind, it means it's just a longer fall."
Bella nodded in understanding. She was an adult and still shrieked every time someone picked her up. Then again, Renee had dropped her as a child too many times. She shuddered at the thought of dropping Jamie or any child. She realized (and not for the first time) that her mother was the main reason she didn't want children. Kids needed better parents than Renee. Bella was unsure she was up to the commitment.
Jamie finally noticed Bella was there as Paul gently bounced him once more before putting him down. Jamie tripped over his foot as he turned toward Bella. Quick as a flash, Paul lifted him again, keeping the boy from landing on his knees.
"Whoa, pal. Slow down," Paul said, chuckling. Keeping a firm grip on Jamie's waist, he handed Jamie to Bella. She stepped toward them and wrapped her arms around him as Jamie wrapped his arms and legs around her.
Bella hummed happily, hugging him tight. "Hey, sweetheart."
Laying his head on her shoulder, he sounded almost shy as he said, "Hi, Bella."
Emily and Paul chuckled at Jamie's sudden bashfulness. Paul tickled Jamie's side, making him wiggle in Bella's arms as he teased, "Aw, Buddy. Are you happy to see Bella?"
He nodded against her chest and yawned. Emily and Paul exchanged a knowing glance before he turned to hug her goodnight.
"Thanks for watching him tonight."
"Anytime. Goodnight, Jamie. Bella."
Jamie suddenly sat upright, rubbing his sleepy eyes with his fist. "Bella, did you axe her?"
Oh. Right… "Well, Jamie, I hadn't had the chance to plan it with her yet."
She glanced toward Paul for help, but he just smiled, waiting for her response. Ugh. He is no help whatsoever.
Bella said, "Emily, I was talking to Sam about maybe coming to see you again before returning to Florida."
"I'd love that," Emily said, beaming. "And Jamie wants to come, huh?" Bella gave Jamie a rueful grin as he nodded. Emily said, "Sounds good. He and the twins can keep each other busy while we talk."
Paul said, "Sounds amazing to me. I'll use that time to get some work done."
Glancing toward Bella, Emily asked him, "Find yourself a muse, have you?"
He winked at her. "I might've started something new the other day."
Jamie yawned again, and Bella rubbed his back as he lay against her chest. Bella nodded toward the truck and asked, "Want me to buckle him in?"
"You know how to do that?"
Emily chuckled as Bella scoffed, feigning offense. "I do know people with children, sir.'
"Oooh. Sir. I like it. You should use that later…"
"Hush," Bella hissed, putting her hand over Jamie's ear as she blushed. "For shit's sake."
"Thass a bad word," Jamie mumbled, making Paul snort as she walked away.
Bella carried Jamie to the truck and helped him buckle into his car seat. She climbed into the passenger seat and watched Jamie doze off as they waited on Paul. He finally climbed in a few minutes later and looked into the back seat to check on Jamie.
"Sorry about that," he whispered.
"Don't be," Bella said. She yawned as she pulled on her seatbelt.
"Don't start that yet," he whispered and shook as he tried not to laugh.
"It's contagious, I know…"
Starting the truck, he asked, "Do you need to go to the hotel for more clothes?"
"I can just shower and wear this… unless it smells like the fire or something."
He leaned over to smell her and hummed. "You smell pretty damn good to me." Paul began backing down the drive. "You gonna do all that cooking in heels tomorrow?"
"I'll probably just be barefoot."
"Mmm. Barefoot Bella in my kitchen all morning," he teased. "I could get used to that."
Bella blushed as she tried to picture herself tooling around his house like she owned the place with him and Jamie underfoot. Despite her reluctance, it was all too easy to visualize. It was becoming harder to picture herself leaving them behind, returning to her life in Florida as though her heart wouldn't stay with Paul.
What the hell am I going to do?
Paul rolled the windows down to listen for traffic before backing out onto the dark highway. He put the truck into drive and reached for her hand, threading their fingers together as they sped away.