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

Chapter Thirty-Two
Lily
Are you at home?
The text is from Atlas, so I respond to it with, For a minute. Why?
I pack baby food into Emmy’s diaper bag and then rush around the room,
grabbing her a change of clothes. I throw a can of formula in as well, since
I’m no longer breastfeeding, and then I scoop her up. “You ready to go see
Rylee?”
Emmy smiles when I say Rylee’s name.
When I picked her up this morning from Allysa’s, I had a talk with both
her and Marshall about everything that’s happened with Ryle. Allysa agreed
that it was smart to show my lawyer the texts he sent me. She also agreed
that it’s time we have a serious sit-down with Ryle. I’m nervous, but
knowing she and Marshall have my back is extremely reassuring.
As soon as we make it to my front door, there’s a knock. I glance
through the peephole, relieved to see Atlas standing there. But Josh isn’t
with him, so my heart immediately sinks. Did he actually choose to stay
with his father over Atlas? I swing open the door.
“What happened? Where’s Josh?”
Atlas smiles, and the assurance in his smile fills me with instant relief.
“It’s fine. He’s at my house.”
I blow out a breath. “Oh. Why are you here, then?”
“I’m on my way to my restaurant. I was driving by and thought I’d run
up and steal a hug.”
I smile, and he holds the door open for me. He can’t give me a full-on
hug since I have Emerson perched on my hip, so he gives me a quick kiss
on the side of my head. “Liar. My apartment isn’t on your way. And it’s
Sunday—your restaurant is closed.”
“Details,” he says, waving off my point. “Where are you headed?”