by L. J. Stock
“Our relationship has nothing to do with you,” Garrett snapped before I could respond. “If you don’t like it, you can leave my house and not bother coming back.”
“She’s only with you for your money, boy. If that girl didn’t look so much like your brother and mamma, I would call her a liar. You are a fool to not see how conniving and scheming this girl is. She bewitched your brother and turned him against us. She’s just like her father—”
Garrett laughed, but the sound was bitter and all wrong. “This woman has more money than I ever will. She also gifted me back the land her daddy won from me.” I looked at him surprised with wide eyes in question, and he smiled back at me. “That was what was in the envelope I opened earlier, but I’m declining, and you’re keeping it.”
I shook my head, my mouth opening to respond, but he didn’t let me.
“It won’t matter who the land belongs to when we’re married.”
“Married?” Paul and I asked together, although the tones were completely different.
Garrett barely had a chance to get another word out when Holly rushed back into the room, the towel still wrapped around her. She had faked leaving the house so we could talk, which meant she’d heard everything that had transpired between Paul and me.
Shit.
“You promised I could be there when you proposed, Garrett,” she said, her voice tapering off as she realized we were all staring at her open-mouthed. “Uh… Sorry.”
“You were listening?” Garrett asked quietly.
Holly blushed and swung her hands behind her back before clasping them there and looking guilty. “I’m so sorry, I know I shouldn’t have listened to the conversation, but I saw the way Mr. Hill was looking at Mom, and I really didn’t want him to hurt her feelings. She’s been through so much already, and he’s here because I wanted to meet him.”
Paul looked between Holly and me and shook his head in abject disgust. “It was a huge mistake coming here.”
“Dad…” Garrett started, but Holly shook her head and took over.
“It wasn’t a mistake,” Holly said quietly. “I got to meet you, Mr. Hill, and I got to make up my own mind. You are my grandfather, but that doesn’t make us family. Michael Hern has been the only grandfather I’ve known in my life, and I love him with all of my heart. I hoped that we could be family, but I think you’re only here because you think you should be, not because you want to be.”
Garrett let off a small laugh and shook his head in wonder. He stepped forward slowly and dropped a kiss on the top of Holly’s head with nothing but pride in his eyes. Like me, he was finally seeing how smart this kid was, and how clearly she read a situation.
Garrett walked toward Paul—his hand stretched to the door in invitation. “Come on, Dad, I’ll walk you out.”
“I don’t need a goddamn escort, boy. I know when I’m not welcome.”
“You were welcome, Mr. Hill. This is your son’s home. I just think you made up your mind long before you got here. You weren’t willing to try and make this work.”
Paul Hill walked out of Garrett’s house, slammed the door and probably never once looked back, leaving the three of us standing and watching his exit together. I didn’t think Holly or I would ever see him again, but I knew Garrett had a sense of obligation. It was the same one that Dustin always had. I just wasn’t sure how long that was going to last if his father hated the idea of us as a family. Garrett was more like his brother than I’d ever known, and he would only take his father’s insults for so long before he grew tired of them. I wasn’t going to be the reason for that, though. I may have chosen my family, but I still knew what family meant, and I knew how lucky I was to be supported in all of my decisions.
“So…” Holly said with a one-shouldered shrug, stepping out from between us once Paul’s truck had left the house in a dust cloud raining against the windows behind him. “I do believe Garrett was proposing badly before all of that.”
“Holly!” I admonished, giving her a look I knew she would interpret.
“What?”
I turned to face her and shook my head. “That wasn’t a proposal. That was just a consideration for the future. It was a conversation you shouldn’t have even been listening to.”
“I know I shouldn’t have been listening, but, Mom, are you sure it was just a consideration?” She nodded to my side, and I glanced over with a quiet gasp as I felt my legs go weak.
Garrett was on his knees—his smile lighting up the room as his eyes shone with nothing but love. In his hands sat a small velvet box that he flipped open to reveal an exquisite diamond engagement ring.
“What are you doing?” I asked with heart palpitations.
“I’m asking you to marry me.”
I laughed and leaned against Holly as she wrapped her arm around my waist with a quiet squeal of joy.
“We have a strange history you and I,” Garrett said reverently, his gaze holding mine. “And it goes back long before we really even knew one another. By all accounts, we never should have met so anonymously and obliviously, but we did, and we fell in love against all the odds. You were meant to be in my life, Mikayla Quinten. You may not have always been mine, but I hope you always will be in the future. Marry me. Take on the world with me as my wife.”
I stayed silent for the longest of time—my body trembling as my daughter squeezed me gently, reminding me that an answer was expected. I sucked in a breath and looked across at my daughter who was smiling like she did when she was truly happy.
“Of course I will.” I felt the first tear fall with the quiet, happy laugh falling from my lips as I leaned into Holly for strength.
Garrett was on his feet and had Holly and me in his arms. I could hear the uneven sound of his breaths as he fought his own emotions, but I gave into mine and let the happy tears fall. We huddled around one another, and when he reached for my hand, I gave it to him, watching as he slid the ring on my finger while Holly watched on with a giant smile of glee. I stared between it and him for a moment before leaning in to kiss his lips. I waited for him to rise. Instead, he pulled a small bag from his back pocket and dropped another ring into his palm. If I’d been happy before, it was nothing to what I felt when he took Holly’s hand and slipped a tiny infinity ring onto her index finger.
“This,” he said, voice wavering with emotion, “is your ring, kiddo. Will you take the name Hill, Holly? After your dad, and for me?”
There was a beat when the world felt as though it fell into perfect silence, and it was broken with a girlish squeal as Holly flung her arms around his neck and cried. Her body shook with emotion as he folded her up in an embrace, a small tinge of surprise bringing tears to his own eyes. I don’t think he’d really counted on how much Holly already loved him, and as hoarse yeses fell from her lips, she released him with another emotional squeak.
“Good,” he said, standing and holding another box out to her. “It means that I can also give you this.”
“What’s this?” I asked, glancing over Holly’s shoulder at an old style key sat on a velvet cushion.
“This is the key to Sassy Pants’ stable. She’s yours as long as you promise to look after her,” he said to Holly who screamed and flung her arms around Garrett again. He caught her and swung her around in his embrace, while I watched on with a happiness that burned through my veins.
I really was happy.
Happier than I thought I could be.
Happier than I’d once thought I’d deserved to be.
I knew that I would always love Dustin Hill. I would love him for being the man he was, for being the man I knew he would be, and for giving me the most perfect creature as a daughter. I loved him for showing me how to love, for showing me what love could be, and for making me feel like I mattered. I also loved him for giving me Garrett, because I believed with all of my heart he was the reason I’d got a flat that day, and I believed he was the one that sent Garrett out there to annoy me. He would always be a part of our li
ves, and it felt right that it should be that way.
I looked down at my finger and the bright flash of the gorgeous stone that now sat on my ring finger in disbelief.
I was going to be Mikayla Hill.
Mikayla Hill…
Just like I’d written in all of my composition books fifteen years ago.
Playlist
This one is a long one. I tried to narrow it down further, but I was incapable. Forgive me?
Mind Games by BANKS
Cleopatra by The Lumineers
Amansworld by Klangstof
All Around You by Sturgis Simpson
Remain by Jay Som
Anchor by Novo Amor
Hell to the Liars by London Grammar
Settle by Vera Blue
Seagull by Bad Company
Walls by Kings of Leon
American Oxygen by Rihanna
Low Light by Aquilo
Steady by Kingslynn
Glitterbomb by Incubus
Body on Fire by Maggie Rose
In Time by Talos
Time of Our Lives by James Blunt
Silent Lucidity by Queensryche
You Move Me by Garth Brooks
Seaside by Haux
The Way I Choose by Bad Company
The One I Love by Mirror Fury
Probably by Keir
The Mountain by Bob Seger
Only by RY X
Between The Wars by Allman Brown
I was Made For Loving You by Tori Kelly Feat. Ed Sheeran
Beautiful Thing by WDL Feat. Pauline Kamusewu
Sweet Hell by Maiah Manser
Odyssey by Talos
Father by Demi Lovato
Loss by Phoria
Acknowledgments
Man, where do I start with this one? So many people have helped me from the beginning of this book all the way to the end. They have championed me every single step of the way and never let me quit, even when I wanted to.
I'm going to start with Victoria L. James. Vic, you never let me quit, even when I got to that point in the middle and struggled to follow through. You gave me advice, a hand to hold and more encouragement than even I knew I needed. You've always been such an amazing friend. You have a huge heart, a generous spirit, and girl; you are funny. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting you in 2017, and I hope we get to have another adventure soon. Thank you for being the Fred to my Wilma and the Moffy to the Ethan strutting around in my head – I can't forget Drew Tucker either. You're magic in ways most people can only dream of being. Thank you for your editing genius and those red slashes that help more than you will ever know. I'm a wordy bitch; I know this lol.
Charlie M. Matthews, I can't tell you how much your support and encouragement mean to me. No matter what it is, I'm writing you wave your hands and say yes, please. You're a beautiful soul, and you brighten my days. Thank you!
Emily, thank you for always recognizing when I’m about to freak out and snap me back into reality. Thank you for always having your pom poms out and cheering me on, and thank you for being there. I love you!
Amy Trevethan and Francesca Marlow, you both know what you mean to me. You both offer so much support and are always there.
Charlie M. Matthews, Sue Hollingmode, Mary Green, Amy Trevethan, and Monica Inmon thank you for your immense Beta skills and feedback. Your feedback and comments were invaluable! Every little cuss word, pillow hiding, and threat was priceless.
Kayrn Lawless DiGiorgio, girl you are a lifesaver. I can't thank you enough for EVERYTHING you have done for me. You have a great eye and a brilliant mind. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Claire Allmendinger, you are one fabulous lady! I was in a bit of a bind, and you stood up and held out your arms, and I can't thank you enough for that. I owe you so much. I hope you know I am eternally grateful.
To Bare Naked Words, Claire Allmendinger, and Wendy Shatwell. You both work so tirelessly to get your authors out there. You're with us every step of the way. Giving us advice and offering us hints and tips even when we're all turned around and clueless. Thank you for never thinking a question is stupid and being the fantastic team you are!
Lastly, but certainly not least, to my family. My sisters, my brothers, my in-laws, and cousins. To my dad and Ellen. Thank you for your support. Thank you for your encouragement. Thank you for knowing how important this is to me and always having my back. I know how lucky I am to have you, and I don't ever take that for granted.
Finally, to my readers. You took a chance on me, and for that, I will be eternally grateful. I certainly hope that the gamble paid off and that you enjoyed the novel. Every time you pick up a book and read, you encourage someone with a story to write a new one. You have no idea how huge that is. So thank you for reading. Thank you for being you, and if you made it this far, thank you for enduring this novel-length acknowledgment.