Folding Hearts (Mitchell Family #2)(43)
Author: Jennifer Foor

There were a couple times where I felt like slapping her out of her current conversation. As if that wasn’t bad enough, her friend Brina, who was a total bitch, talked trash about Ty the rest of the day. At one point I ducked into a bathroom and started crying.

They could say everything they wanted about Ty, but I didn’t know the guy they were talking about. My Ty wasn’t selfish. He never put himself before Bella and I. He wasn’t rude. He never looked at other girls. He didn’t keep secrets. He never lied about where he was.

They didn’t want to hear that he changed, or that maybe he just never found the right person to make him happy. All they wanted to do was convince me that I was making a horrible mistake.

I loved Ty. They weren’t going to change my mind. There had been something brewing between us for over a year and in that period of time we had become friends. We couldn’t hold back what we wanted any longer and I was so glad that we hadn’t. He treated my child like he was her father. He loved her, bought her things and took care of her. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do for that child.

To see them together, just reassured me how serious he was about being with us. All along he had known I had a child. He wasn’t trying to get into my pants. I had been with a lot of guys. My track record was worse than his. If anyone should be running, it should be him.

After spending the entire day listening to them and trying on a million dresses, she finally drove me home. I was so happy to walk in that door and see the two of them sleeping. Van came in behind me and just froze when she saw them. I felt like turning around and giving her the finger after the earful that I had gotten all day. She was a great friend, but Ty talk should have been off limits.

To be nice I had invited her to dinner. It was unlikely that she would actually stay, but I needed to make sure that my mother and especially my brother didn’t find out about my relationship. I was an adult, but they would make my life miserable anyway. My biggest fear would be them threatening to take Bella away from me, on account of me being an unfit parent. My family was close, but they would do anything to prevent me from being with Ty.

When I walked over to grab Bella out of Ty’s arms, he woke startled and squeezed her tighter until he saw me. He smiled and finally let go. I was glad she stayed asleep long enough for me to lay her down and return to the living room before they killed each other.

“How long have you been asleep?” I asked.

“What time is it?”

“Six.”

“Shit! Over an hour. I guess we were comfortable,” he admitted.

“Do you want me to order a pizza?” I asked.

He stood up and stretched, before leaning over and kissing me on the lips. “No baby. I will make something.”

I caught Van rolling her eyes. “Do you want any help?”

Ty shrugged and kept walking toward the kitchen. I sat down on the chair next to her as Ty pulled out some bacon and started cooking it. “BLT’s good? I had a lot to eat last night and I am still feeling really full.”

It took everything I had not to laugh at his comment. I know what he meant and it wasn’t the food he was talking about. The comment was for me, but Van got it too.

“You’re sick!” She blurted out.

“You’re a prude,” he retorted.

She turned to face me. “How can you be in love with this guy?”

“He’s is perfect to me. How can I not?”

“Well you must give really good head to have him be so faithful and honest. That is all I can think of.” Van looked from me to Ty waiting for a response.

Ty leaned over the counter and looked directly at Van. “She gives the best head that I have ever had. In fact, last night on our way home from dinner, she gave me the best blow job in the history of blow jobs. You know what else she is good at?”

He was taunting her now. I just sat there, speechless.

“I am afraid to ask,” she noted.

“Everything. Just close your eyes and think of the kinkiest shit possible and she is good at it. She can also put her legs behind her head. It’s f**king awesome.”

I was laughing so hard that I was crying and Ty loved that he had finally shut her up. He winked at me again before attending to his food preparation.

A messy haired Bella came walking out into the living room looking around. “Ty?”

“I’m over here sweetie.”

My heart melted every time she would look for him. With one arm he scooped her up and accepted her booger faced kisses. She started to point toward Van when she got over her Ty obsession.

“Hey little girl. Can Aunt Van get a hug and kiss?”

Bella shook her head and hid in Ty’s chest. “No!”

Of course Ty had to rub it in. “Can Ty get a kiss?”

Without hesitation she puckered her lips and kissed Ty.

“You brainwashed her, dickhead,” Van said while laughing.

“I didn’t have to brainwash either of them. They love me all by themselves. And I love them too.”

Van looked around the place. I knew she had been here a million times. Even though I knew that they weren’t ever getting back together, it still made me jealous. I hated the reminder of who he had been with.

Ty finally finished making our plates and we all sat down and watched movies. I caught Van a few times just watching the three of us interacting with each other. She seemed especially interested in the attention that Ty gave to me and Bella. He was constantly stroking my arm or kissing my hand and head. Bella jumped all around on our laps and he welcomed her in as well.

When the movie finally ended Van said she had to go. We both stood up and walked her out to her car. Bella leaned down and finally gave her a kiss, making her smile a little more.

“I don’t know what to say about you guys. I mean, it’s clear that this isn’t about sex, but I just don’t get how the two of you have changed so much for each other.”

It didn’t matter what she thought. I was trying to be rude about it, but this was clearly between Ty and I.

“Are you going to tell Colt?” I asked.

“No. I told you before that I don’t want to get involved. If they ask I will tell them that you and Bella were here alone. You two can be the bearer of bad news. After my wedding of course.”

As Van climbed into her car, Ty slapped me on the ass. “Now let’s get inside and have hot sex all night long.”

She rolled her eyes and rolled up her window. I think she actually floored it when she pulled away from us.