Sonya let out a sigh. “I’m working on it. I used to think that living here again would help me deal with the loss. I never really knew my dad, Nelda, and that makes me saddest of all. I found a letter of apology in one of his pockets, and that eased my mind, but I wish he would have had the courage to send it to me while he was alive.”
Nelda gave a grim nod. “Your father was a complicated man. I think he felt a lot of guilt for convincing your mother to move to the west coast.”
“She was a grown woman. She made a choice to follow her heart and move.”
“She was in love.”
“He didn’t have the store then, so he wasn’t rich. I wonder what made her move so far away from everything she wanted?”
“Bay Point, at one time, back in the golden age of cinema, was known as a getaway for the Hollywood elite. Perhaps that was the draw. She was chasing another dream. Or maybe she just wanted to take a risk and have an adventure.”
“Sound familiar?” Nelda asked.
Sonya smiled, and felt a new kinship with her mother and her father. He was just an ordinary man who’d fallen in love with a beautiful dancer.
“I do hope this didn’t spoil things between you and your boyfriend.”
“Former boyfriend.”
Nelda frowned. “Oh, no. I’m so sorry.”
Sonya felt the sting of tears in her eyes, but she held them back. “Have you ever been in love, Nelda?”
She heard a deep sigh rattle in Nelda’s chest, and moments passed before her aunt spoke.
“Once. He was a traveling salesman who specialized in designer watches. He used to come into the store and try to sell me the latest tickers, but we never bought any. Anyway, one day he asked me to walk on the beach with him. He gave me one of the watches as a present. And I realized, under the moonlight, that I loved him.”
Sonya closed her eyes briefly and imagined the scene. When she opened them, her aunt was gazing at the sky. “Did you tell him how you felt?”
Nelda leveled her head and sighed. “No, I never did. I guess it was a combination of my being afraid and thinking there would always be time to do so.”
The two women were silent as Sonya walked with Nelda to her car.
“Whatever happened to him and the watch?” Sonya asked in a quiet tone.
“Your father was a stickler for quality. He wanted only the best. When he learned from another jeweler that the watches the man was selling were not designer at all, but cheap knock-offs, I never saw the man again.”
She gave Nelda a tight hug. “I’m sorry, Auntie.”
Sonya waved goodbye as Nelda backed out the driveway, and wondered if anyone in her family would ever have a happy ending.
* * *
Trent checked his reflection in the rearview mirror. He was exhausted, but thankfully didn’t look it. In the last week, he’d hustled like he’d never done before, but everything was set. He just hoped that Sonya would agree to the terms.
He ambled up the driveway slowly, flinching with every pop of the gravel under his tires. As he came around the bend, he was relieved to see that Sonya was not on the porch. Hopefully, she wasn’t looking out the window.
This was an unannounced visit, and everything had to go perfectly.
He got out of the car and decided to check the backyard first. As planned, Nelda had visited Sonya a few minutes earlier, so she was definitely home.
He tiptoed around the side of the house and peeked around the corner.
Sonya was sitting on the swing, rocking in the breeze, her curls billowing out over her shoulders.
He swallowed hard, gathering courage, and when he was as close as he dared, he deliberately stepped on the sycamore twigs scattered about the yard.
She turned around, and he heard her hitch in a loud breath.
“Trent, what you are you doing here?”
He sat down beside her and gave her a smile, even though he wanted to kiss her instead. “Visiting you, what else?”
She tilted her head. “I don’t know. I thought I told you I didn’t want to see you.”
He scratched his head. “Did I ever tell you I have a case of selective memory?”
Her lips lifted in amusement. “So you do have flaws?”
“Occasionally. None of us are perfect.”
“Have you ever thought about what makes a home, Trent?”
Her question surprised him so that he stared up at the sky, looking for answers. “I used to think it was as simple as a solid foundation.” He leveled his glance at her. “Pretty naive, huh?”
“You’ve got to start somewhere. For me, home was a place to escape from and I used to wonder why I ever came back,” she said quietly.
“What changed?” he asked.
She cast him a shy smile. “Just a little sunshine that chased all my clouds away.”
“Mother Nature gets all the credit, and it had nothing to do with me?” he joked.
“It had everything to do with you, but I didn’t want to admit it until recently.”
Trent leaned back against the swing and folded his hands behind his head. “Tonight is your last night in the house?”
Sonya nodded and turned away. “How did you know?”
“I spoke to Nelda. She told me everything. You could have told me what happened, Sonya.”
She glanced over at him, fire in her eyes. “You should have known.”
He’d expected her anger and he would handle it with care and kindness.
“When I said I don’t get involved in the business side, I meant it.” He put his hands in his lap and stared straight ahead. “Except when special circumstances arise.”
He turned his head slowly, and found that she was staring at him. “And losing your family home meets that requirement.”
“What are you trying to say, Trent?”
He took her hand. “Tonight won’t be the last night, not if you don’t want it to be.” He took an envelope out of his jacket pocket. “This will explain everything.”
She took it from him, unfolded and read. “You’ve paid off the mortgage and purchased the home? That’s old news.”
He held his hands to his chest when she tried to give it back to him. “Read it a little more carefully, especially the signature. It belongs to me, not my company. I tore up the original contract and negotiated a new one with the bank and your aunt.”
She balanced the document on her knees and flipped through it. “I’m looking for what’s going to happen to the house. Are you going to tear it down?”
“No. How can I when you and I are going to be living in it as man and wife?”
Tears sprang to her widened eyes, and she covered her mouth with her hands.
“What did you just say?”
Trent got down on one knee, looked into her eyes and cradled her hands in his.
“I love you, Sonya. Will you marry me, and spend your life with me, in this home, forever?”
Her lips began to quiver. “I don’t know which question to answer first!”
“I think a single yes will do for both.”
He smiled and kissed her knuckles as he drew an engagement ring out of his pocket.
“Will this sweeten the deal?”
He held up six carats of glittery diamonds in a platinum setting. His insides whirled in relief as she threw her arms around his neck and gave him a passionate kiss.
“I love you, Trent.”
He slipped the ring on her finger and her squeals of delight were music to his ears. “I wasn’t sure I was ever going to see you again, so I didn’t want to take a chance that I wouldn’t. Plus, I missed bringing you presents.”
She held up her hand and admired the ring. “This is the best present you could have ever given me. It’s absolutely gorgeous.”
Tears rolled down he
r cheeks, and she looked up at him. “I can’t believe you’ve done all this for me, Trent. Even though it took me so long to tell you I love you, you must have known that I did.”
He nodded and cradled her face in his hands. “We’re going to have a beautiful life together, Sonya. You never have to worry about losing this house or the land, or me, ever again.”
She gave him the sultry smile that had won his heart.
“Now that’s a deal I can’t resist.”
* * * * *
Keep reading for an excerpt from A Stallion Dream by Deborah Fletcher Mello.
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A Stallion Dream
by Deborah Fletcher Mello
Chapter 1
“Collin! Collin! Hey, Collin!”
Collin Stallion winced as his little brother—Matthew Jacoby Stallion Junior, affectionately known as Jake—screamed for his attention. His younger sibling was somewhere on the other side of the family home, his high-pitched squeal sounding like fingernails grating against a chalkboard. Collin had only been back for a few short hours and the ten-year old had been screaming his name every few minutes like clockwork. He’d screamed for Collin to come see his new Black Panther toys. He’d screamed for Collin to come play video games on his Xbox system. He’d screamed for Collin every time his big brother managed to get out of his sight. Jake screaming his name had begun to wear on his big brother’s nerves.
Their mother moved into the room, swiping her hands on a dish towel. Katrina Stallion laughed warmly, “He missed you, Collin. Cut him some slack.”
“I know, Mom, but I’m going to be here for a minute. Do we really have to catch up on everything in one day?”
Collin’s mother laughed again, “Your little brother is ecstatic to have you home. He idolizes you. So, please, don’t you give him a hard time. By tomorrow he’ll be back to his regular routine and isn’t going to care about you being around until you get ready to leave again.”
Before Collin could respond, Jake came bounding into the room, still yelling out his brother’s name. “Collin!”
Collin took a deep breath and held it for a brief second before he answered. “Yes, Jake? What’s up, buddy?” He dropped the book he’d been reading to his lap.
“There’s a man at the door for you.”
“For me?”
Jake nodded. “He says it’s important. He has a delivery for you.”
Collin shot his mother a look, puzzlement shifting between them. Katrina shrugged her narrow shoulders, having no answers about who was seeking him out or what they wanted. Collin slid his book onto the coffee table and stood up.
Jake grabbed his hand and tugged. “Come on,” he chided, a silly grin widening across his face. The youngster pulled his brother through the family home to the foyer and the front door.
A well-dressed man wearing tan linen slacks and a white dress shirt smiled in greeting. “Good afternoon, sir. Are you Collin Stallion?”
“Yes, I am. How may I help you?”
“I just need to confirm your identification and then get your signature, Mr. Stallion,” the man said as he extended a metal clipboard in Collin’s direction.
Collin scanned the documents attached, noting a delivery receipt that required his signature to acknowledge his acceptance. “I’m sorry, but what is this for?” he asked.
The man took a step back and gestured over his shoulder. Sitting in the driveway of the Sunnybrook Lane property, directly in front of the four-car garage, was a black-on-black Mercedes C-300 sedan with a huge red bow adorning the hood. The brand-new vehicle was gleaming under the midday sun, looking like it had been spit-polished with multiple coats of car wax. The windows were tinted, and new sports rims adorned the frame.
“There’s a card,” the man said, gesturing to the paperwork in Collin’s hand. “But I do need your signature first, sir!”
Still puzzled, Collin read through the fine print quickly, then scribbled his moniker across the dotted line. He handed the clipboard back. The deliveryman snatched a duplicate copy from the bottom of the document and passed it and an envelope to Collin. He reached into his pocket for a set of keys and passed them to him, as well. “Congratulations,” he said as he did an about-face and stepped down off the porch.
Collin stepped out of the house after the man. He watched as the stranger slid into the passenger seat of the Mercedes dealership’s service van, the vehicle eventually pulling out of the driveway and disappearing into midday traffic.
“It’s so cool!” Jake exclaimed as he bounded down the steps and peered into the driver’s-side window. “Who gave you a car?”
“I want to know who it’s from, too! Are you going to open your card?” Katrina asked.
Collin turned to find his mother, and his father, standing behind him. Still stunned by the delivery, he stood like a deer in headlights, uncertain and slightly lost.
Matthew Stallion shot his wife a look. “Is he okay?”
She laughed, “I’m not sure.”
Collin shook his head. His eyes were blinking rapidly. “I’m just... It’s... W-well...” he stammered and then he noticed his hand was shaking.
Matthew laughed, “I think our son needs some help.”
Katrina reached for the envelope and pulled it from Collin’s palm. She took the note card from inside and gave her son a questioning glance, and he nodded his approval for her to read it aloud.
His mother read it to herself first, drawing her hand to her heart as tears suddenly misted her eyes. She exchanged a look with her husband, who rested a gentle hand against the small of her back. She nodded her head slightly and then began to read.
“‘Collin, you were fifteen when I promised you that if you did what was asked of you and followed the rules, you, too, could have your own Mercedes. You’ve earned this. Your mother and I could not be prouder. We love you very much! Congratulations, son! Dad. PS Try not to get it stolen!’”
“Thank you!” Collin exclaimed, his excitement spilling past his eyes. He moved into his father’s arms, the two men embracing warmly.
Matthew grinned. “I’m proud of you, son,” he said as he slapped Collin across the back. “Now, go check out your car,” he said. “Maybe take your little brother for a ride!”
Collin swiped a hand over his eyes as he leaned to kiss his mother’s cheek. “I love you,” he said and then took the porch steps two at a time, eager to explore hi
s new vehicle.
* * *
Collin listened with half an ear as Jake rambled on about Star Wars, the newest Avengers movie and some little girl named Melissa, who kept giving him cookies at lunchtime. The two had been riding around for hours, finally stopping at In-N-Out Burger when Jake complained about being hungry. He was finishing off the last of his double-double burger and fries as he filled his brother in on everything that was important to him in his small world.
Collin had forgotten what it was like to be his brother’s age—not having a care in the world and still feeling like the weight of everything rested on your shoulders. He had been a sixteen-year-old with his own problems when Jake had been born. His saving grace had been their father.
Collin had been fifteen years old when he first met Matthew Stallion in family court. He’d been facing criminal charges for stealing Matthew’s car. He hadn’t been thinking when he’d swiped the luxury Mercedes for a joyride. After crashing it on the interstate he’d been given probation and an opportunity to change his circumstances around. Matthew had become his mentor, and then his mother’s husband. For the first time in his life, Collin had a father who was there to greet him each morning and wish him good-night every evening. Matthew had stepped up to be his parent, taking the place of his biological father, who had died in military service when Collin had been a baby. On his eighteenth birthday, Matthew had asked to legally adopt him, wanting to give Collin his name. That moment had been the happiest in his young life and the framed photo of them back in family court was one he cherished.
Collin had fond memories of their father listening intently as he whined about problems that weren’t problems, and he wanted his baby brother to know the same joy. Even though he knew there were times his dad had only been listening with half an ear, his thoughts also on business and issues that didn’t concern his sons, Matthew had never let him see that he wasn’t the most important thing in that moment.
Jake beamed up at him. “I hope Dad buys me a car when I graduate from law school.”
“Just do what you’re told, follow the rules, and I’m sure you’ll get one, too, someday.”
“I want a BMW, though. Or maybe a Tesla.”
Winning Her Forever Page 15