Happily Ever After (sequel to CEO)

53

Eve POV

Harry left exactly one hour ago.

Avery is still sleeping; she doesn't usually get up until seven, so I have some time.

I don't know if I'm ready to be alone with her, if I'm being honest. Well, I have to be ready cause Harry already left. Speaking of Harry, he said he'll call once he lands and gets to his hotel.

It's around six now and Anna is making breakfast at 6:30, so I have some time to prepare myself for my daughters crying.

***

To describe my first two days alone with Avery, I would use the word shit.

It was absolute shit.

She didn't cry when I first held her, but after a while she started to and didn't stop. She was crying so much that I had to FaceTime Harry and give her the phone to calm her down.

I don't know how I'm going to do this for the next five days.

I walk into Ava's room Tuesday morning at seven, and see her awake in her crib. I walk to where she is and see she's staring up at the ceiling with a rested smile on her face.

Ava looks at me and tilts her head. She is probably wondering why Harry isn't here and I am still.

She isn't crying, which I find odd. I pick up my daughter and cradle her in my arms.

Avery is not crying still, which I'm oddly worried about. Her face look confused still but that's fine.

I walk downstairs and put her in her high chair. I grab her the baby food in the fridge that she usually eats and grab her a spoon. Anna is also in the kitchen making breakfast for me. Rose, our maid, is coming by at eight to clean.

I place my daughters food down in front of her, and Avery starts to have welled up eyes and a sob starts to leave her mouth. "Do you want milk instead?" I ask. I walk back to the fridge and grab a bottle that was in there. I walk over to Ava and put the bottle down in front of her. She stops crying and reaches for her bottle.

Her light brown eyes look up at me and they're soft. "When will Harry be back?" Anna asks me curiously.

"Sunday," I say. I move Ava's chair closer to where I will be eating, which is at the counter that has stools.

I'm worried that she isn't crying. I think I should take her to the doctors, she always cries with me. She sips her milk in peace and looks at our cook who's almost done making me eggs. I watch my daughters movements just in case something happens to her, or if she starts crying.

Why isn't she crying? 

"Here you go," Anna says while sliding me over my breakfast.

"Thank you," I say with a gentle smile. She nods and wipes her hands with the dishtowel besides her. 

I look over at Avery who's staring at me. I see her bottle is almost empty. I know she'll start crying once her milk is gone, she has too. 

I place my fork in my mouth and say goodbye to Anna who's packing up to leave. Maybe once Anna leaves, Avery will start crying I bet. She likes Anna, so maybe that's why she hasn't been crying. 

I hear the front door shut and silence falls in the house. I look back to my daughter who reaches her arms out for me. My heart swells at her actions and I pick her up from her chair.

I place her on my lap and smile gently. Her thumb goes in her mouth and her head presses against my chest. I kiss the top of my daughters head and find my eyes stinging with tears. 

***

The only time today where Avery cried was when she needed to be changed. Other than that she's acted good. I'm still worried about her behavior towards me. 

Currently we're in my room watching TV. She's on my lap and her head is against my chest. My arm is around her body for support and my heart is about to explode. I've never had these moments with her and it overwhelms me that now she's acting different. 

My daughter shifts on my lap until she's looking at me. I stroke her little brown curls and grin at her. Ava smiles back causing her dimples to appear on her rosy cheeks. Her lips pucker at me and I lean down and kiss her. Her forehead presses against mine and she giggles. 

"I love you," I say to my daughter who has her hands on my cheeks. She continues to smile at me. I poke one of her dimples causing her head to nuzzle into her shoulder. 

Why does she act fine with me now all of a sudden?

A://N

hello!

tysm for reading! this book has a little over 120k reads now and i'm still amazed by that! it really does mean a lot that you're still reading my book!

comment goal: 50ish???

i'll try to update again today!

~lauren