Folding Hearts (Mitchell Family #2)(57)
Author: Jennifer Foor

Leave it to Ty to request crotchless underwear. I wasn’t really sure if my aunt would be buying those anytime soon.

Our late lunch was relaxing. I had been spoiled all day. It was nice to no longer feel like a disappointment. “Thank you both for everything.”

“Honey, it’s our pleasure. We just want you to do this the right way. I don’t want you regretting not having had a real wedding,” my mother replied.

“I am really sorry for lying to everyone. I just didn’t think anyone would ever understand,” I admitted.

“Miranda we may be old but we aren’t blind. If you weren’t attracted to Ty we would think there was something wrong with you. That boy is very easy on the eyes. I appreciate how much he has always looked out for you. I really had no idea,” my mother looked to her sister and smiled.

“I agree, my nephew has the handsome gene, but let’s not forget how gorgeous Miranda is. You two remind me of Ken and Barbie. Seeing you both interact with Bella is just something else. She sure does love her daddy.”

I started to tear up thinking about it. “We never told her to call him daddy. They watch this show together and one day she heard it on there. The dad was reading to his child. I will never forget the day she did it. We were in the car on our way to church and she pointed to Ty and kept sayin’ it. He just started cryin’. It was the sweetest thing I had ever seen.”

“Isn’t that funny that he was there for her birth? Almost like he was meant to be her daddy all along,” my aunt suggested.

“He says that too. She is the luckiest little girl. He reminds me of daddy the way he holds her. When he walks into the room she lights up. She hates being without him. You should see when we pull up at his work now. She recognizes the building and starts yellin’ for him. If she wants somethin’ she asks daddy, because she knows he will give it to her.”

“This morning I heard him singing with her,” my mother added.

“It sounds like she is a very lucky little girl,” my aunt replied.

“Are you mad at me for changing her name?” I asked.

My aunt winked. “Mitchell is a good strong name.”

“The more I hear about him, the more I realize that I may have been completely wrong about my nephew….uh…son in law. Sorry, it is still hard to change that. Sweetie this morning was a shocker, but now that I have had time to process things and I have gotten the picture of Tyler in his underwear out of my head, I have come to accept things. You are an adult. As far as Tyler being Bella’s father, well if he isn’t the perfect daddy than I don’t know what is. Besides, Bella chose him herself. I think you really didn’t have a choice.”

We all started laughing. “You are probably right about that.”

My mother reached across the table and took my hand. “I love you and I know that things haven’t been easy for you. Losing your daddy was the hardest thing for a child to ever deal with. I honestly still don’t know how we made it through. What broke my heart the most was seeing you look at other kids with their fathers” My mother started to cry. “Your daddy loved you so much, you and your brother. If I could bring him back I would. I still miss him so much.” She wiped her face before continuing. “When I think back to when you got pregnant, I remember how much family meant to you. I wanted Tucker to want to be a father to Bella, because I knew it was all you had ever wanted. When he did the exact opposite I saw how much it hurt you. No mother wants their child to be called a mistake. You know I never remarried because no man was ever as good as your father. It’s so hard finding someone to take full responsibility for a child that isn’t theirs. For Tyler to be that devoted to that child is a God given miracle. From the way you describe him I have to wonder if your daddy is out there somewhere looking out for you. Whatever put him in that car that day changed both of your lives.”

The people around our table must have thought the three of us were nuts. We were all three crying and smiling at the same time. I held up my glass. “Here’s to flat tires.”

Just to appease my mother, Ty spent the night in my room, while I stayed at my mother’s house. He did however spend the whole evening with us. Conner had made himself scarce. He didn’t come home for dinner and wouldn’t answer my mother’s calls. I couldn’t help the way my mother smiled when she watched Bella with Ty. She was even more impressed at how he refused to leave until he had told her goodnight.

“So I guess I will see you tomorrow Mrs. Mitchell.”

I laughed and kissed him. “Yes you will Mr. Mitchell.”

“You sure you don’t want to have a quickie?”

I wrapped my arms around him and didn’t answer.

“You okay baby? You know you can’t back out of this, on account of us already being married.”

“I’m not backing out. I just wish my brother would stop being such a dick. I am so afraid he is going to ruin tomorrow. This is really important to my mother.”

“Stop thinking about him. I better go before I decide to stay.”

He pulled my hand as he started walking away from me. “Love you.”

“Love you too!”

Sleeping was totally out of the question. I was a little overwhelmed with feelings and suddenly understood why the courthouse was so appealing to me. I tossed and turned until finally I just sat up.

I decided to see if Ty was having the same problem.

R u awake? – M

No-Ty

I can’t sleep –M

We should have had the quickie – Ty

I am serious –M

SO AM I – Ty

I miss you – M

Keep that in mind if you ever want to leave me – Ty

Whining wasn’t working. It was time to break out the guns.

I am so horny tonight I can’t stop touching myself. – M

Play fair – Ty

My ni**les are so hard. – M

I know for a fact that Izzy is asleep next to you. –Ty

Please babe –M

Come open the door. I am outside. – Ty

Ty being outside meant that he had already left before I sent the sexy messages. He wasn’t playing fair at all.

Once we got into my room, we climbed into bed with Bella between us. “Are you mad at me?”

“No. Go to sleep. I can’t have my wife looking all tired tomorrow.”

When I woke up I saw Ty curled up with Bella. She had turned to face him in the middle of the night. They would both be sweating but never separate from each other.