It was funny every time she said it, too. She recalled the night she tried to convince Nick, and herself, that they needed to wait until Justin was legally an adult before pursuing the relationship they both wanted.
Looking back on it now, she was grateful they hadn’t waited. And, luckily for her, Nick was a persistent man. She was so much happier because of him.
And Devin.
Hopefully her visit to the graveyard would finally allow her to dedicate herself to them fully, without fear, and with all the love that had grown in her heart for them.
“Hey, guys. Come look what I found!” Devin called from the back of the house. “You have to come see this. You’re not going to believe it.”
“Is it a dead body?” Justin asked, zooming past her. “Please tell me it’s a dead body!”
Glancing at Nick nervously, she frowned. “Should I be worried about him?”
“I don’t think so.” He laughed, wiping sweat from his brow with the back of his hand. “He’s just being a boy, sweetheart. A weird boy, but a boy nonetheless.”
“Baw-dee!” Jamie giggled from her spot on the porch. She had been previously distracted with her toys, but apparently her brother’s excitement over the possibility of a dead body had caught her attention. “Baw-dee! Baw-dee!”
“Oh, god,” she groaned, bowing her head in defeat. “I’m doomed.”
“Nah. She’s just repeating everything she hears, baby. I guess I’ll really have to watch my mouth around her.” He scooped her up from her bright pink blanket and planted a kiss to her cheek, chuckling. “Ain’t that right, Jay Jay? I’ve gotta watch my mouth around you.”
“Jay Jay?” She quirked a brow and watched him, feeling her heart melt at the sight of the two of them. Nick was so good with her. He was good with both of them, and so was Devin.
How the hell had she managed to get so lucky?
“Jay Jay,” he affirmed, walking past her with Jamie in tow. “She likes it.”
“I’m sure she does. Between that, and Sugar Puff, she’ll forget her real name soon enough.” She followed along behind them, her eyes sliding down his back. At least she could enjoy the view.
“So what’s the verdict, fellas? Do we have a dead body back here or what?” Nick asked once they made it to the back yard.
“A what?” Devin’s head popped up from behind the massive tree containing the tree house, his eyes wide.
“I was hoping it was a dead body,” Justin confessed, shrugging his little shoulders.
Devin gave her a quizzical look and it took everything in her not to laugh. He was absolutely adorable when he got confused.
“Well, I’m very sorry to disappoint you...” He replied hesitantly. “I’m afraid my discovery probably isn’t that exciting.”
“What is your discovery, exactly?” Nick took a few steps closer to the tree and then stopped. “A new alien species? A ruby slipper?”
“Not that exciting either.” Devin sighed. “But it is something you were looking for.”
“Something I was looking for?” Nick glanced her way and shrugged, obviously as clueless about it as she felt at the moment.
“Yeah.” He grinned, pointing upwards. “Look.”
They all followed his gaze and were stunned at his discovery.
It was the carpet – Patrick’s carpet, balancing perfectly on the bannister of the tree house’s porch.
“I’ll be damned,” Nick said in disbelief.
“Be—”
He quickly placed a hand over Jamie’s mouth and she simply giggled.
“How did that get up there?” Justin asked, circling the tree and keeping his eyes upwards. “Huh? How did it do that?”
She was suddenly overwhelmed with emotion, goose bumps erupting on her arms. A tingle crept up her spine and her vision blurred with tears.
I know how it got up there.
Patrick, her handsome Patrick, smiled in her mind, and she felt the warmth of his embrace. She would never be able to explain it, but he was there with them, somehow.
“Mama, why are you crying?” Justin’s arms circled around her waist and she opened her eyes to stare down at him. “Do you feel it, too?”
“Feel what?” She asked, breathless.
“Dad.” His smile lit up his eyes as he snuggled against her. “Can you feel him?”
Nick and Devin stared at her, and they gave her knowing smiles. It was like they knew, or sensed it, somehow. Even Jamie fell silent as a gentle breeze swept through the yard.
It was a moment she wouldn’t soon forget, if ever.
It was a sign.
“Always,” she whispered with a smile, resting a hand atop her son’s head. “Always, baby.”
“Good.” He reached for her hand and glanced at the carpet, a thoughtful expression on his face. “Does this mean we get to finish building my tree house now?”
“Absolutely.” She sighed and lifted her eyes upwards, smiling. “We’re going to build a lot of things. Together.”
“Together,” Nick said, resting a hand against Devin’s shoulder.
“Together,” Devin said, his eyes remaining on her.
“Together!” Justin crowed.
“Me!” Jamie squealed.
They burst into laughter at that, and she knew everything was going to get better.
The End
Thank you!
I hope you enjoyed The Lost Days! For more information about my books, please visit my Facebook page at
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You can also find me on my website by visiting
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Other books by T.E. Ridener you may enjoy:
180 Days (Prairie Town, book 1)
90 Days (Prairie Town, book 2)
Chartreuse
Eventually Ever After: A Chartreuse Story
This Christmas: A Chartreuse Story
The Kadenburg Shifters Series
The Truth About Kadenburg
Return to Kadenburg
The Siege of Kadenburg
Kadenburg Revealed
The Lost Days (Prairie Town Book 3) Page 37