Booktree.ngIt-Starts-with-Us-Colleen-Hoover

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seeing, so they use their child as a weapon. And that worries me. I couldabsolutely see Ryle making the decision to take her to court, simply to getback at her for being with me. And he would likely get what he wants. He’snever hurt Emerson, he’s never been reported for hurting Lily, he’s neverbeen late on child support. And he has a successful career. All these thingsare in his favor.When I glance at Lily, it looks like she’s about to sink into the floor. Ididn’t mean to upset her even more by talking about this.“I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be a pessimist. We can change the subject.”“You aren’t a pessimist, Atlas. You’re a realist, and I need that fromyou.” She lifts her head off my shoulder and peeks over at Emmy, who isstill asleep on my leg. Then Lily settles against me again, releasing a quietsigh. “You know, even if I had reported Ryle and fought for sole custody,my chances were slim. He has no criminal history, and he has money for thebest lawyers. Almost every lawyer I spoke to encouraged me to work it outcivilly with him because they’ve seen cases like ours, and the arrangementRyle was agreeing to at the time was my best option.”I grab her hand and lace my fingers through hers. She wipes away a tearthat skates down her cheek. I hate that I even brought it up, but these fearsare already in her. I’m just glad to know she’s thinking about it because sheneeds to stay a step ahead of Ryle. “Whatever happens, you aren’t alone inthis anymore.”Lily smiles appreciatively.Emerson begins to stir awake on my leg. She opens her eyes and looks atme, and then immediately searches for Lily. She makes a beeline for her,right across my lap. When she’s in Lily’s arms, I lift my leg and stretch it. Ihaven’t been able to move it for over half an hour and it’s asleep.“We should go,” she says. “I feel guilty for even being here with her. I’dbe livid if Ryle took her around a girlfriend without me knowing.”“I think your situations are a little different. Ryle isn’t having to find asafe place to hide your daughter for the day because he’s scared of yourtemper. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”Lily shoots me a grateful look.I help her gather their things and I walk her to the car. Once Emerson isin her car seat, Lily moves close to say goodbye. I burrow my fingers in herhips and tug her closer. I dip my head, grazing her nose, and then I catch her
lips with mine. I kiss her deeply, wanting her to still feel it on her drivehome.I slide my hands into the back pockets of her jeans and squeeze her ass.It makes her laugh. Then she sighs wistfully. “I already miss you.”I nod in agreement. “There’s been a lot of that on my end,” I admit. “I’mkind of obsessed with you, Lily Bloom.” I kiss her cheek and then forcemyself to release her.This is the only negative aspect to finally being with the person you’remeant to be with. You go years aching to be with them, and when theyfinally become a significant part of your life, it somehow hurts even more.
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Thank you for downloadingthis Simon
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Dear reader,This book is a sequel t
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anything that came back to the kitc
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question I’m answering.” I focu
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The order is for a bouquet of roses
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But are we worth it? Is us potentia
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custody. Unless I was willing to dr
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consequences is that Ryle will alwa
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etiquette?”It surprises me that h
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Chapter FourLilyMine and Ryle’s s
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I’m about to take another bite of
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I know the answers to these questio
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I rewind the footage even more unti
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“Am I dying?” She repeats my qu
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“Yes, he is a god,” Allysa whis
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She’s digging through her purse f
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“Atlas…” I say his name like
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She looks momentarily satisfied by
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He shrugs. “Kinda.”The discussi
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Chapter EightLilyIt’s almost 9:30
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“You don’t look exhausted.”I
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something that won’t embarrass me
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Atlas clears his throat, leaning fo
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Chapter NineAtlas“Let me see a pi
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My phone begins to buzz in my pocke
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“Yeah. Both restaurants are close
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I open my office door and find Brad
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other sick months ago, since it hap
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Chapter ElevenAtlasI wanted the day
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“I’ve never been there, either,
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I love that she’s asking me such
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He shrugged. “I don’t know. I w
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It’s obvious she has no clue how
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Chapter TwelveLily“I can’t beli
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that one day, that one meal, that p
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She left the door open for me while
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All I did was ask to move home. I d
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the city and ordering burgers has b
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“Do I get a redo?” I ask.“A r
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dead giveaway that he’s angry. I
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the stairwell. I take a nervous ste
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“Everything would be so much easi
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“Oh.” His eyes dart around, as
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Chapter ThirteenAtlasIt’s amazing
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She rolls her eyes. “I’m not he
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“Where do you live?” I ask her.
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Chapter FourteenLilyI’ve been out
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I close the door and press my foreh
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it flourish and grow. Like what Lil
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sever. I feel like he could go spen
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little girl from the homeless boy w
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“You’re holding it wrong.” My
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I have to hold back my irritation.
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Chapter SixteenLilyYou lose your mo
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“Look at this adorable outfit,”
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It’s a kid.A kid who looks just l
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He exhales. “I should probably ge
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He takes a bite, and one of his eye
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number and put the phone to my ear.
Page 122 and 123: Josh reluctantly takes the credit c
Page 124 and 125: and I was about to send him right b
Page 126 and 127: “What are you wearing to Lucy’s
Page 128 and 129: “He’s not, really. Not to me.
Page 130 and 131: I immediately blush, and that makes
Page 132 and 133: Chapter NineteenAtlasI have no idea
Page 134 and 135: About an hour later, the kitchen is
Page 136 and 137: Chapter TwentyLilyIt’s challengin
Page 138 and 139: Atlas touches my hand that’s cupp
Page 140 and 141: My lack of response is enough confi
Page 142 and 143: other again, I could cry.
Page 144 and 145: Lily tonight, it was hard to focus
Page 146 and 147: Chapter Twenty-TwoLilyI’m trying
Page 148 and 149: were younger. The desire, the thril
Page 150 and 151: looks me up and down. I’m still a
Page 152 and 153: Chapter Twenty-ThreeAtlasI should d
Page 154 and 155: danger by showing up at your house
Page 156 and 157: Chapter Twenty-FourLilyThere’s a
Page 158 and 159: I blow out a calming breath, reliev
Page 160 and 161: She hasn’t spotted me yet, so I t
Page 162 and 163: There may come a day when I officia
Page 164 and 165: Chapter Twenty-FiveAtlas“What tim
Page 166 and 167: She sighs. “That’s the thing. I
Page 168 and 169: Josh can’t see us from the dining
Page 170 and 171: I’d never admit any of this out l
Page 174 and 175: Chapter Twenty-SixLilyYou disappoin
Page 176 and 177: I’m so sick of his remorse. I wan
Page 178 and 179: Chapter Twenty-SevenAtlasIt’s onl
Page 180 and 181: “You think I don’t know the law
Page 182 and 183: know I can make Lily, she’ll neve
Page 184 and 185: guess this is the best possible out
Page 186 and 187: “Then when?”It’s not really a
Page 188 and 189: makes a beeline for me, sidesteppin
Page 190 and 191: He nips at my ear, sending chills d
Page 192 and 193: I make it to the doorway of his bat
Page 194 and 195: squeezing water out of it with both
Page 196 and 197: we have to pretend like we don’t
Page 198 and 199: Chapter Twenty-NineAtlasI can’t g
Page 200 and 201: “Where is he?”“At a friend’
Page 202 and 203: Lily does it for me.She starts to w
Page 204 and 205: plate of breakfast. I sit across fr
Page 206 and 207: “I found your dad’s address.”
Page 208 and 209: Chapter Thirty-OneAtlasIt’s a thr
Page 210 and 211: remain from the shit I endured livi
Page 212 and 213: make this decision for him.I just s
Page 214 and 215: Chapter Thirty-TwoLilyAre you at ho
Page 216 and 217: She’s giggling as soon as he make
Page 218 and 219: Ryle’s jaw is twitching. His expr
Page 220 and 221: “I did. It’s coconut shrimp.”
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have been really difficult for you.
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I unfold the note and trace the lit
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and I had to swallow before I could
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I’ve written in this letter. And
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Chapter Thirty-FiveAtlas“Aren’t
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Marshall glances over at the car th
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Chapter Thirty-SixLilyI’m curled
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But his question about leaving with
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home from work early and the two of
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I pull the page out of my pocket an
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Optimistically speaking, we could l
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both more than words can say, and e
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About the AuthorCOLLEEN HOOVER is t
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LaylaVerityReminders of HimAlso by
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First published in the USA by Atria
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Booktree.ngIt-Starts-with-Us-Colleen-Hoover

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