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Made every second of discomfort worth it

Shell sat on the floor alongside her daughter trying to soften the munchkin’s touch Didn’t work Beth plowed on like a bull in a china shop

The evening was daet his woman naked, it would be perfect

As though she read his hter to her feet “All right, Bethy Time to brush those teeth and head to bed”

“Can I fix Copper one more time? Please, Mommy!” she whined

“Not tonight, honey”

“But, Mom—”

“Hey, coer at her

Her face lit up, and she scrambled onto the couch “What?”

He cupped his hand and whispered in her ear “If you go brush your teeth and get into bed without giving Moet ice cream tomorrow”

“Yes!” Beth shouted then shot off toward the bathroom

Shell cocked her head Hair pulled back in asweatpants and a T-shirt, she was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen “What’d you say to her?”

He winked “Secret”

With a roll of her eyes, Shell followed her daughter into the bathroom It took almost half an hour, but she eventually returned “Phew,” she said, gently wedging herself on the couch next to him

His arm immediately went around her shoulders “Tired?”

“Bedtime is a process”

“Isn’t everything a process with a kiddo?”

“You have a point” She fell silent “You okay? I don’t know exactly what happened, but I know you seem frustrated with the outcos had to end with Rusty, but you still lost a brother, the one you used to know The one you raised You lost him the day you found out what he did to me It has to be hard for you”

It was true And all the grief of it would probably hit one day soon And his ol’ lady would be there to help hione “Hey,” he lifted a finger to her lips “All you need to know is that you never have to worry about Rusty again And I wasn’t the one to do the job” She didn’t need those details Just the outcome

Shell visibly relaxed before his eyes Had he knoat her, he’d have told her earlier he wasn’t going to off Rusty himself “Good,” she whispered “It’s all over”

“You ready to put it behind us? Move forward?”

Her face softened, and she stared at hi in her eyes “Yes That’s exactly what I want”