Love Don't Live Here Anymore (The Love Collection Book 3) by Vy Antenette Read Free Book Online Page A

a part of me feels jealous that AJ could have a child out here, a child that wasn’t birthed by me. It almost made me feel like this woman had something over me, like she gave him something I couldn’t or wouldn’t.” Summer told Vincent how she felt about kids and how her fiancé had never pushed her any other way. “But on the other hand, it makes me anxious inside. I feel like if this kid is his, it gives me a piece of him to hold on to and cherish. Does that sound weird?”
    “Not at all. That’s how emotions are. They can be extremely contradicting and that’s okay. Our bodies are equipped to deal with such uncertainty. When’s the court date?”
    “In two days. My stomach has been in knots all week.”
    Vincent laid his cone on the dish and grabbed Summer’s hands. “Summer, I can only imagine the toll this must be having on you. For you to even reach out to me on a personal level lets me know a little bit more about you. I don’t know what it’s like to be in that predicament, but from the bottom of my heart, if you need me, I am here for you.”
    Summer gazed into the beautiful pair of brown eyes across from her. She felt like she could see into Vincent’s soul and validate his feelings. He was being genuine and that meant the world to her. “Vincent, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that. Since I lost him, I’ve just felt so lonely and so empty inside. There are no siblings of his to spend time with, share memories with, or crack jokes. No kids to hold, love, and remember their daddy by. My sister is miles away and it’s not like I can just hop in the car and go visit her when the mood strikes me. It’s just me, and sometimes that can be more detrimental than you may think.”
    Vincent lowered his head solemnly. He watched her closely and before he made an assumption, he asked, “Summer, I don’t know how to ask you this; so I’ll just ask, because if I don’t, it’ll eat at me. I don’t mean to offend you in any way, but are you suicidal?”
    Summer’s heart skipped a beat. Not even her sister had picked up on her level of depression and she wondered what she had said to give Vincent such insight. She lowered her head and closed her eyes in a failed attempt to restrain her tears. When she opened them, her cheeks were covered with liquid emotions and she started to sob. “Oh Vincent, you have no idea. Never in my life have I felt so alone. For a long time, I always felt like as long as I had my sister, nothing else mattered. Now she’s married, with a family of her own, and I’ve lost him. I just … just feel like things would be better if I joined him instead of mourning him.”
    Vincent took a deep breath before responding.  He briefly closed his eyes and opened them. “Summer, honey, you’re in a dark place right now, probably the darkest it will ever be. However, I need you to trust me, trust God, and believe in yourself.” He placed his forefinger and thumb upon her chin and gently raised her head. “This will get better. Just hold on.”
    He got out of his seat, went to the other side of the table, and sat next to her. He held her close and tight as she wept in his arms. Having already paid for the ice cream, he got up and walked Summer out. Even though it wasn’t crowded in the place, he still wanted her to have her privacy. Once inside the car, he wrapped his right arm around her shoulders and held her right hand with his left. He gave her a moment to herself while still being the company she needed. For fifteen minutes, she sobbed. She allowed all her past and current emotions to flow from her eyes. With every heave, she felt as if she was cleansing her soul. Her spirit felt lighter and her mind clearer. She had held herself together for as long as she could. She needed to cry, needed to let it out and not be afraid to scream, blame, regret, and mourn all at the same time. When she was done, she cleaned her face and looked at Vincent. “Thank you.”
    “What are