Free Finding Love (A Mill Creek Crossing Romance) by Angelina Rose Page A

thought from her mind, she picked up Olivia from her crib and pulled her close.
     
    “Hi, little one. Your mommy went to get you some cool clothes, so you’ll be spending the day with Aunt Amelia today…” she said as she walked her downstairs. Christy had set up the playpen she’d found at a yard sale a few days before, so Amelia put the baby in it while she did some cleaning around the house. Before she could get much done, there was a knock at her door.
     
    “Hi, Clay! What’re you doing here? Everything okay?”
     
    “Just wanted to come by and see you if that’s okay,” he said with a smile. His smile warmed her heart every time she saw it, and today was no different.
     
    “Where are the kids?”
     
    “Actually, Gracie is keeping them today.”
     
    “Gracie?”
     
    “She invited them over for a family cookout.”
     
    “She didn’t invite you too?” Amelia asked tilting her head.
     
    “She did. But I decided seeing you sounded like more fun.”
     
    “You see me almost everyday, Clay…”
     
    “Everyday is not enough.”
     
    Amelia’s heart started to pound in her chest. Was she missing something? What was he saying?
     
    “Clay, I don’t understand…”
     
    “Is your sister here?” he asked out of the blue.
     
    “No. She went into town to do some shopping for herself and Olivia. I’m babysitting. Want to come in?” she asked as Clay nodded and walked into the living room. Still unsure of what he was doing there, she invited him to sit down.
     
    “She’s adorable,” he said as he looked at Olivia cooing in the playpen.
     
    “Yes, she is. She’s a great baby.”
     
    “How are things with you and Christy?”
     
    “Much better. I think we’re on the road to being sisters again.”
     
    “Good.”
     
    “Clay?”
     
    “Yes?”
     
    “What’s going on?” Amelia asked fidgeting with her hands and trying not to smile at him.
     
    “Okay,” he said taking a deep breath. “Here goes. Amelia, meeting you and getting to know you better has been the best thing to happen to me in two years. I adored my wife, and I truly thought she was the only love I’d ever have. I thought she was my soul mate and that was all the love I’d ever get to experience. And then I met you, and I knew.”
     
    “Knew what?” she asked trying to hide her shaking hands.
     
    “I knew it is possible to love again, and it is possible for that love to be strong and true and real. And it is possible there isn’t just one soul mate out there for me. Maybe Molly sent you to me, or maybe God decided I deserved a second chance, but all I know is I think about you all day every day, and I want to be a part of your life.”
     
    “Clay…”
     
    “And I know that you’re scared. You’ve been hurt by so many people in your life. I know that. But, I’m scared too. I was with my wife for almost my whole life, and this is new to me too. But I want us to have a chance, Amelia. That is, if you feel something for me too. Do you feel something for me?”
     
    Amelia stood up and turned away from him, trying to hide the tears welling up in her eyes. No one, including Tate, had ever said these kinds of things to her. It was a foreign concept to think this man loved her, and he was sitting in her living room telling her how he felt.
     
    “Amelia?”
     
    “Yes. Yes, I do feel something for you. And yes, I am terrified of it.”
     
    Clay stood up and walked over to her, putting his hands on her shoulders from behind. She closed her eyes and tried to allow herself to relax into his embrace. Just as she did, they both heard a strange noise coming from the playpen.
     
    Running over, Amelia noticed the baby didn’t appear to be breathing and looked like she was turning blue.
     
    “Oh, my God!” she screamed as she reached in to grab Olivia. “She’s not breathing! Clay, she’s not breathing!” she yelled, panic stricken.
     
    Clay remained extremely calm and took Olivia out of Amelia’s shaking