Ready To Love Again

by Annalyse Knight

  Katie frowned. “What did she say?”

  “She cried and said she would break up with him on Monday because it’s always sisters before misters, but I want her to be happy.” Tears welled up in Liz’s eyes when she looked up at Katie.

  A sad smile spread over Katie’s face. Liz’s anguish told her the child had realized what she’d done wrong. What she needed now was reassurance. “Well, it’s not too late.”

  “No?”

  Katie shook her head. “Not at all. We can stop by her house on the way home, if you like.”

  “Yes, please. I need to tell her I’m sorry and I won’t ever do that again.”

  “I think that’s a very grown-up thing to do.” Katie gave Liz a squeeze and then led her back to their chairs.

  “Thank you, Katie.” Liz plopped down on her chair and put her toes up on the hand towel for the tech to paint. “I don’t ever want to do what I did to you and Dad to anyone else. Especially not to my best friend.”

  “Liz, you didn’t do anything to your father and me.”

  “I know. That’s what Sayid keeps saying, but if I hadn’t been such a brat, you wouldn’t have left.”

  “That’s not true,” Katie said with a loving smile. “You need to stop blaming yourself for what happened. Your father loves your mother very much, and it was just as hard for him as it was for you. He struggled with losing her and felt just as guilty about finding love again. Eventually, his grief and guilt would have affected our relationship, and the same thing would have happened. Our breakup was not your fault.”

  Liz’s lip quivered again, but she looked down at her lap and asked, “It really doesn’t bother you that he still loves my mom?”

  Katie reached over and nudged Liz’s chin so she’d look at her. “Absolutely not. Even though I never had the opportunity to meet your mom, I know she was an amazing woman, because only a remarkable woman could have such wonderful children.”

  “I love you, Katie.”

  The last barrier had somehow come down between them. Katie knew they would have their difficulties, but they would get through them together. Her heart swelled. She would have swung the girl into her lap and hugged her until tomorrow, but she didn’t want to smudge Liz’s freshly painted toes.

  “I love you, too, sweetheart.”

  ~*~

  They were fast and sneaky. Chase hunted the boys around Dennis the Menace Park while they played hide-and-seek, and when he thought he had caught one of them, they would somehow get free.

  “Time out,” Chase gasped and placed his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “I can’t take any more. Let’s grab an ice cream at the concession stand.”

  They both jumped up and down before darting to the park entrance. There was a baseball field adjacent to the park, and the city opened the concession stand on weekends for the park-goers even when baseball season was over. They each grabbed an ice cream sandwich and moved to a shaded area where they could relax.

  Chase tried to calm his nerves while they all finished their cool treat. “I need to talk to you both.”

  “About what?” Shawn asked. He popped the last of his ice cream in his mouth and turned to Chase.

  “About asking your mom to marry me.”

  Tony’s eyes grew as round as saucers, but no words came out of his mouth. Shawn, who looked thoughtful, didn’t say anything for several minutes.

  “So would that mean you’d be my dad?”

  “Well, it’s not that simple. You already have a dad. But I’d like to be your stepfather, if you’d be okay with that.”

  Shawn’s brow furrowed while Chase watched him in anticipation. “My dad hasn’t been around much since we moved here, so I could definitely use a stepfather.” He looked from Chase to Tony, and then his lips twitched into a smile that matched Tony’s huge grin. Shawn cocked his head to the side. “That would mean Tony would be my brother, right?”

  Chase nodded. “But you’d have to share your mom with us all.”

  “Tony and Liz would have to share you with me though, right?”

  He nodded again, feeling relieved when he guessed where Shawn’s mind was headed.

  “Yes. I want us all to be a family because I love you and your mom very much.”

  “Can I call you Dad?”

  Chase smiled. He had hoped that one day Shawn would get to that point, but he hadn’t expected him to want it so soon. “I would be honored if you called me Dad, but you don’t have to.”

  Shawn looked over to Tony one more time, and something passed between the two. Without words, they communicated some unspoken victory, and Shawn’s smile lit up his whole face. He turned back to Chase, stood, and launched himself into his arms, knocking him on his back. Tony was right behind him, and they tackled Chase to the ground and bounced on his chest.

  “So I take it you’re okay with me asking her to marry me?”

  A resounding “Yes!” came from both boys.

  “Okay, then you have to keep this quiet. No talking to anyone about what we discussed here. You can’t even talk to Liz until I have spoken to her, which will be tonight,” Chase said with a knowing look. “Especially don’t say anything to Katie.”

  “Can I call her Mom?” Tony asked with a hopeful expression.

  Chase smiled and nodded. “If she says yes, I’m sure she’d love for you to call her Mom.”

  When they got back to the house, Katie and Liz were in the kitchen talking about the finer points of baking. Chase tried to help them start dinner, but he was shooed out and told that the girls were making dinner together.

  Once they were all together at the dinner table, Chase got a strong feeling something had happened between Katie and Liz. They had made huge progress over the past weeks and were finally at the point where Liz accepted her, but this . . . this was different. Liz looked at Katie with adoration, and Chase could see a shift in the way Katie talked and reacted to his daughter. There was a comfort and ease between them that hadn’t been there before.

  After Katie and Shawn went home, Chase tucked Tony in and then knocked on Liz’s bedroom door.

  “Can we talk?” Chase asked when he walked in.

  “Sure.”

  “I wanted to talk to you about Katie.”

  She closed her book and sat up to give him her full attention.

  “I want to ask her to marry me, but I wanted to talk to you about it first.”

  Liz’s eyes lit up, and she scrambled into his arms before he could say anything else. Her little cheeks were puffed up in the biggest smile he had seen in quite some time.

  “Yes, Daddy! I want Katie to be in our family.”

  “You do?” Even though he figured she would be okay with the news, he wasn’t prepared for her enthusiasm. Since their graveside visit, she had nagged him about making it official with Katie, always mentioning that it would make Tony happy.

  “Yes. I love Katie.” Her tone was one of disbelief that he would even question her, and he chuckled at the turn of events. It was as if she’d erased her memories of the horrible way she used to treat Katie.

  “So you’d be okay with her as your stepmom?” Liz nodded. “That means Shawn would be your stepbrother, too. So you’d also get another little boy who will, no doubt, irritate you to no end.”

  She frowned and looked thoughtful while she contemplated his words.

  “I can handle it,” she said at last, “as long as we even things out.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I want a baby sister.”

  “A whaaa—?”

  “A baby sister,” she repeated, looking at him like he was an idiot.

  Chase ran his hand through his hair and raked it across his face. He had no clue how to respond to her request and didn’t want to draw anywhere near a birds-and-bees conversation.

  “Um . . . you’re jumping ahead a little fast, pumpkin. Let’s get back to the question at hand.” Chase tried to steer her back to the proposal. “Are you okay with Katie and S
hawn becoming a part of our family?”

  “Yep, but I still want a baby sister.”

  He ignored her request and hugged her tight. “Thank you, sweetheart.”

  She nodded against his chest before she flopped back onto her bed. Chase tucked her in and made his way to her door, but when he opened it, she spoke again.

  “Did you get her a ring yet?”

  “No, not yet.”

  “Can I go? Maybe I could help you pick it out?”

  “I think that would be a great idea.”

  ~*~

  “Hurry up, Mom,” Shawn whined from the backseat.

  “Chill out,” Katie said while she pulled into Chase’s driveway.

  “Do you think Gina is here? I missed her while she was gone.”

  “Yes, she and Daniel returned yesterday from their honeymoon, so we’re going to welcome the happy couple home.”

  As soon as the car stopped, Shawn shot out the door, darted up the stairs, and tackled Gina. She was still giggling when Katie made it into the house and gave her a hug.

  “How was your trip?”

  “Are you kidding me?” Gina asked when they walked into the kitchen. “Sandy beaches, fantastic views, and that in board shorts,” she said, pointing at Daniel.

  He looked up and gave Katie a small wave before returning his attention to the marinating steaks. When Chase came in from the patio, barbecue tongs in his hand, Katie felt the warmth from his presence spread across her body.

  “Mom just called and said they’d be here in fifteen,” Chase told Gina when he entered the kitchen.

  He gave Katie a quick kiss in greeting, grabbed the steaks from Daniel, and went back outside. Katie thought it was funny that Chase couldn’t cook a single meal in the kitchen but seemed to be more than competent in front of a grill.

  Once Daniel was finished with his task, he took Gina into his arms, dipped her back, and planted a wet, sloppy kiss on her mouth. She shoved him away and slapped his butt before pushing him out the door to help Chase.

  “So what needs to be done?” Katie asked, smiling at their antics.

  “Would you mind making the salad while I finish up the dessert?” Gina asked, rummaging through the refrigerator for all the ingredients. Katie pulled out a cutting board and knife while Gina laid everything out on the counter. She glanced at the knife and narrowed her eyes.

  “You’re not going to cut the lettuce with that, are you?”

  Katie laughed and shook her head. “Heavens, no. That’s for the tomatoes and cucumber.”

  “I think I’m going to keep you and get rid of my stupid brother. I’ve told him a hundred times not to cut leafy vegetables.” Gina chuckled and turned back to her dessert.

  The rest of the evening was spent with tales of Gina and Daniel’s adventures in Hawaii. Tony kept pushing Daniel to tell him about the waves at North Shore, while Shawn listened in eagerly.

  The sun was on its final descent when they finished dinner. Katie stood to help clear the dishes, but Mia snagged the plates out of her hand and informed her that she and Connor would take care of cleanup. Katie sighed and relented.

  “Come take a walk with me,” Chase said in her ear, grasping her elbow to lead her to the door.

  “We can’t leave.” She waved her hand toward the kitchen. “Your family—”

  “Will understand.”

  Katie shook her head but followed him out of the house anyway. She couldn’t deny that she wanted some alone time just as much as he did.

  They went out the gate and down to the beach, where they walked hand in hand. The sun had touched the horizon when he stopped at the water’s edge and kissed her. Chase pulled away, and Katie’s eyes fluttered open to see him holding a little blue ring box.

  Her heart skipped a beat.

  Chase took her trembling hand and placed the box in her palm. When she opened it, Katie was surprised to see several pieces of paper folded inside rather than the ring she’d expected.

  She let out a shaky breath when her eyes darted up to Chase’s.

  “Read them,” he said, coaxing her.

  She pulled out the top note and unfolded it. Shawn’s chicken scratch was scrawled over pretty pink paper dotted with hearts.

  I love your hugs and kisses.

  Katie smiled at his admission. She never would have guessed he liked her public displays of affection since he whined so much about them. Maybe he’d written what he thought she wanted to hear. Katie chuckled before refolding the paper and pulling out the next one. Tony’s neat handwriting appeared on the same printed paper.

  I love when you make dinner and it feels like we’re a real family.

  Tears pricked at her eyes. She glanced up at Chase, and his smile never faltered.

  The next paper was from Liz.

  I love that you’re always so nice, even when I’m mean, and you do things with me that remind me of my mom.

  Katie didn’t hold back the tears. There was still one more note at the bottom of the box, and she pulled it out, knowing it would be from Chase. It was thick, and when she unfolded it, fourteen dollars fell onto the sand at her feet.

  She laughed through her tears while he knelt to pick up the money. “Read the note,” he said. Katie was overwhelmed by her emotions, but she smiled and began to read Chase’s elegant script.

  I love everything about you. You make me whole, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.

  Her breath caught in her throat, and when she looked down at Chase, he held out the money to her.

  Again, not what I expected to see with him on his knees.

  “You have to accept these fourteen dollars.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “Nope. They’re yours.”

  He gave a disappointed sigh, and then turned the full force of his charm on her. “This isn’t about control, Katie. I love your independence too much. I need to know that the woman I marry will let me take care of her even if it is just fourteen dollars.”

  Katie swallowed. “Cheater,” she whispered, making him grin up at her.

  When she’d reached out a tentative hand to take the money from his fingers, Chase reached into his pocket and pulled out a little black velvet box.

  “Marry me?” he said while he popped open the top.

  Katie knew at once that this was the right thing to do. This was the next step in her happily ever after.

  She sank to her knees and threw herself into Chase’s arms. “Yes! A thousand times over, yes!”

  His arms wound around her back, and he pulled her closer, kissing her with a passion that made her toes curl. In one swift motion, Chase stood, scooped her into his arms, and twirled her around.

  Katie let out a loud laugh when she caught a glimpse of Shawn and the whole O’Donnell clan standing in the picture window of Chase’s home, watching with happy smiles.

  “We have an audience,” she said.

  He looked to the house and grinned. “Well, then let’s give them a show, because as soon as we get back to the house, I’m kicking them all out.”

  Chase pulled her closer until their lips met in an urgent kiss. Katie’s hands wound into his hair, and she tugged him closer to her. Gasping for breath, he pulled away and looked into her eyes.

  “I will love you forever.”

  “And I you.”

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  About the Author

  Annalyse Knight is a recovering craft addict. She spent many years jumping from one hobby to another until she discovered that writing satisfied all her creative cravings.

  A stay-at-home mom, Annalyse raised her three children on California’s Monterey Peninsula. Although she and her family later moved to the Sacramento area, the beach, the quiet community, and the beauty of the California coast continue to inspire her writing.

  She spent several years writing with an online community, and she loved the
direct interaction with her readers. Her online participation eventually led to her volunteer at The Writers’ Collective, an online writing workshop group founded to create a supportive community for writers. With her children almost grown, Annalyse decided to take her hobby to the next level and become a published author. Ready to Love Again is her first novel with The Writer’s Coffee Shop.

  Acknowledgments

  I would seem terribly ungrateful if I didn’t express my heartfelt thanks to a few people who helped me in this adventure.

  To my first cheerleaders: Amanda, Jess, and Katie. Your encouragement and late night chats kept me motivated to continue this story when life seemed to fall apart around me. We had our ups and downs, but I’ll forever be thankful for your support.

  To my awesome writing group: Erica, Dawn, Karen, and my first editor-in-chief, Melanie. Thanks for beautifying this story before I sent it on to the workshop. Your thoughtful insight helped me see where I needed to cut, expand, or reword some of my “interesting” phrases.

  To my amazing team at The Writers’ Collective: Tiffany, Beverlyn, Jodie, Karen, Betsy, Robin, Melissa, and Anne. You guys helped turn this story into something I’m proud to call my own. I appreciate the long hours everyone put into this. Thank you!

  Last, but certainly not least, my children. Thanks for believing in me and supporting my incessant need to be behind the computer. I love you!