Always with You (WIth You Trilogy) by R. J. Sable Read Free Book Online Page A

saw Karl’s eyes light up as he heard the word Daddy. He looked so comfortable and at ease holding his daughter, but that shouldn’t have been a surprise. He’d been almost eleven when I was born and I knew he and Ian took as much care of me as Dad had done. The way he held her was so amazing to see. He held her so gently, so lovingly, as though she was the most precious thing in the world to him and I suspected that, next to her mother, she probably was.
    “Grace Helen Carter,” Elise’s mother smiled happily f rom her bedside. “I like it. It is the name of a free spirit.”
    My brothers all suppressed smirks at her remark. They’d never quite seen eye-to-eye with her worldviews.
    “It’s a beautiful name,” I added quietly so that she knew that at least one of us was listening.
    It was a beautiful name. They’d asked if any of us would mind if they gave Grace our mum’s name and nobody had minded. It somehow seemed right.
    Jason and I hung around for a few more days so we could be there to wish the twi ns a happy birthday and be close in case Elise and Karl needed anything. They were fine though. They were managing perfectly and I figured it was good for them to be a family for a while. They needed to learn their own routines and patterns.
    We couldn’t stay there forever. We needed to get my stuff moved into the new house and the contract for student halls was due to expire on the seventh so we had to go up the day before.
    “We leave at five,” Ian frowned, watching me packing the last of my stuff into my bag.
    “Is that really necessary, Ian?” I asked, cringing because I hated the idea that everyone would have to get up early because of me.
    “There’ll be less traffic on the road,” he nodded.
    I knew there was more that he wasn’t saying but I didn’t push it. I wasn’t looking forward to getting up so early but I figured I could just sleep in the car. I felt a bit guilty that my brothers would have to get up early but I’d find a way to make it up to them.
    Elise brought Grace over so that I could spoil her with cuddles before we went back to Leeds. I almost had to fight with my brothers to be allowed to spend any time with her and I could tell they all adored her. That girl was going to be spoilt.
    “You’re really good with kids,” Jason smiled uncertainly at me when we finally got a minute alone.
    “I love children,” I smiled. “Don’t you?”
    He shrugged noncommittally and I felt my heart sink a little. I already knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Jason, even though I knew I wasn’t ready for the rest of my life to start just yet. I had always pictured myself as part of a traditional Carter family with at least four children running around and causing havoc. I wanted my children to have what I had; siblings who would always be there for one another. The idea that Jason didn’t share that dream cut me deep to the soul.
    “You don’t see yourself with kids one day?” I asked, trying hard to keep the hurt from my voice.
    Jason shrugged again and refused to meet my eye. I wanted to confront him, wanted to get him to open up to me, but I knew he wasn’t ready. I could see that he wasn’t. I sighed inwardly and closed my eyes a second so that I wouldn’t push him. It hurt that there were still some things he couldn’t talk to me about but I knew that he would open up one day. I just had to give him time.
    “Five o’clock! Really, Jelly?” Danny groaned, bursting into the kitchen as I put the tea and coffee cups in the dishwasher.
    “Sorry,” I pouted. “Ian’s decision.”
    He sighed loudly, putting me into a loose headlock and wrestling me away from the dishwasher.
    “Danny!” I protested.
    “It’s my day off and you’re making me get up before five!” He moaned, tightening his grip so that he could hold me in place whilst he poked me in the ribs. I could hear that he was grinning so I wasn’t too worried.
    “Sorry,” I cringed, squealing as he