by Marie Force
“Are you going to move in with Austin?” she asks between sips of wine.
“I suppose I already have since I was there more than home before Mommy’s surgery.”
She looks over at me. “Can I have your place?”
Her request surprises me. “What about New York?”
“New York was going south before I came south. I got laid off from the doctor’s office when he retired in August, and I haven’t been able to find anything even close to that, which means I can’t pay the rent. Dom has been floating me, but he needs to get a new roommate who can actually pay their share.”
“You never said anything!”
She shrugs. “I was embarrassed. I didn’t want to come home a failure.”
“No one would’ve thought that.”
“Yes, they would have. You wouldn’t, but others would. So Mommy’s illness gave me an out, and as soon as I can go back to New York, I’ll pack up my stuff and let Dom get a new roommate. I talked to Uncle V, and he said he’ll put me on the schedule as soon as Mommy feels better.”
“I hate that you’re sad about New York, but I’m so glad to have you home.”
“I’m glad to be here. I think I was ready to come back, even before Dr. Tillis retired. There’s no place like home as long as I don’t actually have to live at home.”
“You don’t. Of course you can have my place.” I look over at her. “Can I tell you a secret?”
“Duh. You’d better.”
“I’m still really mad at Austin for settling for less than he could’ve gotten with another team, but I’m so glad I don’t have to move away from here. I would’ve done it for him, but it would’ve killed me.”
“Yes, it would have. You’ve always been such a homebody.”
“And you’ve always been the adventurer. I’m so jealous that you got to live in New York for six years.”
“Don’t be. I have absolutely nothing to show for it but massive credit card debt. I don’t even have a car.”
“You can use Mommy’s until she’s back on her feet.”
“That’s what she said, too.”
“So you told them you’re moving home?”
Dee nodded. “Mommy cried. She said she never wanted me to know how much she worried about me when I was there.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet. No one will ever love us the way she does. Well, except for Nona and Abuela.”
Dee laughs. “Right.”
Dad comes out through the sliding door. “I love to hear my girls giggling together. It’s like old times when I’d have to go in your room twenty times every night to tell you to go the hell to sleep.”
“We never did,” Dee says.
“I know! I could hear you whispering every night. I miss that now that you’re grown up.”
He takes a seat facing us. “We never would’ve gotten through this without you two. Thank you so much for everything.”
“You don’t have to thank us, Daddy,” Dee says. “There’s nowhere else we’d be when you and Mommy need us.”
“And we appreciate that so much, but we want you to go back to your lives. We’re okay, and I’ll be working from home until she’s getting around better. Everything is good, and we’re ready to be on our own again. You girls have to be ready, too.”
Only because my mom had her drains removed on Friday do I even consider leaving, my heart racing at the thought of being back with Austin and Everly for longer than a quick visit here or there. According to Austin, Everly has been super cranky without her Rie. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. We have the best kids ever, but we already knew that before this happened.”
I have to admit I’m a tiny bit thrilled at being released from duty. “As long as you’re sure, I think I’ll go see what Austin and Ev are up to.”
“Go,” Dee says. “I’ll be here if anything comes up.”
Dad stands and hugs me. “Thank you, Maria. Thank you so much. We’re so, so proud of what a compassionate, competent nurse you are.”
“Thank you, Daddy. I love you both.”
“We love you, too.”
“Tell Mommy I’ll check on her after her nap?”
“I will, honey. Go enjoy your new family. They must be missing you.”
They are, even though they’d never add to my burden by saying so too often. I run upstairs, throw clothes and toiletries into a bag, find a clean pair of scrubs for work tomorrow and in my haste nearly forget the sneakers I wear to work. I’m in the car and headed for Gable Estates ten minutes later. I decide to surprise them rather than tell Austin I’m on the way.
I can’t wait to be there, to see them, to help put Ev to bed and to sleep wrapped up in Austin’s arms for the first time in weeks. I’ve missed him so much, which seems silly since I’ve seen him every day. It just hasn’t been the same.
I’m relieved to see Austin’s car in the driveway when I arrive and park behind him. I grab my bag and go in through the open garage door that leads into the kitchen, where Deidre is standing watch over something on the stove. They didn’t come to brunch today since they were concerned about overwhelming my mom.
“Hi, honey,” she says. “How’s Elena?”
“She’s doing much better.”
“Thank goodness. You’ll be shocked to hear that Austin and Everly are in the pool.”
That makes me laugh, because they’re always in the pool. “I’ll find them.” I drop my bag and keys in the living room and wander out to the massive patio and pool deck. I’m still trying to wrap my head around living in a palace, but as long as Austin and Everly are there, it doesn’t matter where we live.
She sees me first and lets out her trademark scream. “Rie! Swim!”
Austin, who has his back to me, whirls around and lights up with a big smile. “Hey, babe. You’re home. This is a nice surprise.” He guides Everly to the steps and follows her out of the pool, leaning in to kiss me without getting me wet.
Everly has no such care as she hurls herself at me.
Wet clothes are the least of my concerns when I’m back with my loves. “Hi, pumpkin.” I pick her up and kiss her sun-rosy cheek. She gives me a wet, noisy kiss back as I help her remove the plugs she wears since the ear infection.
“How long do we have you?” Austin asks.
I make sure to look right at him when I say, “Indefinitely.”
His eyes go wide with delight. “Really?”
“Yep. I got sprung from private duty.”
“Until tomorrow?”
“Nope, for good. My dad said they’re all set and thank you very much and—”
Before I can finish the sentence, he’s kissing me, working around Everly to get to me.
“Dada! Kiss! Rie!”
We break apart, laughing, and engage in a three-way group hug that’s full of relief and happiness to have our little family back together.
Much later, after we’ve had dinner with his parents and Everly, given her a bath and read her four stories, we’re wrapped up in each other in his bed. Nothing has ever felt better than being back with him does.
“I missed this so much,” he whispers as he kisses me like he hasn’t seen me in a year. “So, so, so much.”
“I did, too. I kept wondering how I could be lonely for you when I saw you every day.”
“Same, babe. It was brutal to not be able to hold you and love you and be with you this way.” He is so sexy and sweet and hot and just everything as he makes love to me for the first time in weeks. “You’re going to have to travel with me during the season. I won’t be able to stand being away from you.”
“I’ll go on the long trips.”
“You will?”
“Any time I can.” Thanks to him, Miranda is going to be able to hire two more full-time nurses and a full-time doctor. She said I can fill in whenever I’m in town and sit on the board of directors that’s being formed to oversee our newly expanded program so I can still be involved with the clinic. It’s taken some time
to adjust to the change in circumstances that my life with Austin will provide, but I’m relieved to have found a way to stay involved with the clinic and be able to travel with him any time I want. We’d also like to have some babies before too long so they’ll be close in age to Everly.
“That’d be so great. Then I never have to miss you.”
We’re absolutely ravenous for each other, and by the time we collapse into a sweaty mess on the bed, I’m exhausted and elated and full of excitement for everything we have to look forward to.
He turns on his side and puts his arm around me. “I love you so much. Even more than I did before I had to sleep without you for two weeks.”
I turn into him, relieved to have his arms around me again, and pepper his chest with kisses. “I love you, too. More than anything.”
It’s so good to be home.
DEE
An hour after Maria leaves, my phone buzzes with a text from the one person I do not want to hear from.
What’s up?
I should’ve blocked him. The only reason I didn’t is because he’s one of Jason’s good friends, and I don’t need it getting back to Jason and Carmen that I blocked him. So now I have to put up with him texting me.
I did a bad, bad thing after the wedding, and now I’m paying the price. The only reason he has my number in the first place is because of too much champagne and the fiery rage that burned inside me for days after hearing my ex was pining over me after he broke my heart by marrying the skank.
Champagne and rage are a bad combination. I had no idea how bad until Carmen’s wedding, when I ended up in bed with one of Jason’s groomsmen, who now wants to know what’s up.
I stare at the screen for a long time, trying to decide whether or not I should answer him, but before I can, he texts again.
Wanted to tell you I’m coming back to Miami for an interview at M-D General next week. Staying with J and C and hoping to see you again.
I startle like I’ve been hit by a taser. He’s interviewing at Miami-Dade? He’s supposed to be in Phoenix and nowhere near Miami! This can’t be happening.
I’m in the throes of a full-on meltdown when my phone chimes with yet another text. I’m actually afraid to look, but curiosity wins out.
Marcus: Are you ever going to talk to me?
Shoot me right now.
Preorder Dee’s story, How Much I Love, to read it early next year!
Read Marie’s other titles in Kindle Unlimited, including the Gansett Island Series, the complete Quantum Series, the complete Treading Water Series, and nine single titles in the Beach Reads Boxed Set.
Thank you for reading How Much I Care! I loved Austin and Maria so much from the first minute I had the idea for this story to the last seconds of the epilogue. They just jumped off the page for me and I hope for you, too! I’m super excited to be writing this new series set in Miami and to be continuing it next year with Dee’s story in How Much I Love. Join the How Much I Care Reader Group at facebook.com/groups/howmuchicare to discuss Austin and Maria’s story with spoilers allowed and also make sure to join the Miami Nights Series group at facebook.com/groups/MiamiNightsSeries/ and like the Miami Nights Series Page: facebook.com/MiamiNightsSeries/ to keep up with news about upcoming books.
Many thanks to the wonderful team that supports me behind the scenes every day: Julie Cupp, Lisa Cafferty, Tia Kelly, Nikki Haley and Ashley Lopez. Thank you to Dan, Emily and Jake for always supporting my author career, and thanks to my fantastic editorial team of Linda Ingmanson and Joyce Lamb, and my beta readers Anne Woodall, Kara Conrad and Tracey Suppo.
Huge thanks to Sarah Hewitt, family nurse practitioner, for always checking me on anything medically related.
And a big thank you to my Miami beta readers for all their help: Miriam Ayala, Angelica Maya, Dinorah Shoben, Stephanie Behill, Mona Abramesco, Isabel Acevedo, Gwendolyn Neff, Emma Melero Juarez and Carmen Morejon.
Thanks for your support of this new series and all my books. I appreciate my readers more than you’ll ever know!
Much love,
Marie
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Book 1: How Much I Feel
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