A Better Place

by Jennifer Van Wyk

  “What?” we both ask. “He’s hurting him!” I shout, breaking from the group and charging Vince, punching him in the kidneys.

  Vince is lost in his head, so determined in his attack on James that my punch doesn’t even phase him.

  “Stay back, Carly!” James shouts, and Will pulls me back, lifting me off the ground as I continue to kick at Vince.

  I look over at Tate, hoping he’ll step in, but he simply nods his head toward Brad as Brad is cutting in. Will releases me, and I move to his side so he can help him pull Vince off James.

  James stands up, wiping the blood from his face, chest heaving up and down. He looks over at me and winks. Winks!

  What.

  The.

  Hell.

  Is happening?

  Brad starts reading Vince his rights, pulling his hands behind his back.

  “What the fuck?” Vince shouts, still being held by both Will and Brad.

  “Vince Taylor, you’re under arrest for assault against Mr. James Cole, trespassing, and admitting to criminal harassment of Ms. Hanson. That is, of course, unless James or Carly choose not to press charges.”

  “Charge him,” James says, standing next to me, still breathing heavily as he rubs my arm up and down, comforting me while I’m standing here in a state of confusion, knowing full well he’s in pain, and I should be the one comforting him.

  I look up at James, blood covering his face, and shift my gaze to Vince, blood — James’s blood — is covering his knuckles. No doubt in my mind which way I plan to lean.

  I nod my head over at Brad, letting him know that I’ll gladly press charges. It should have happened after the first time he hit me, but I was so concerned about getting Jack and me away from him.

  “It’s all good, beautiful,” James reassures me as Brad hauls a disgruntled Vince out of my home.

  I look up at James, his eyes soft and calm. He gently kisses me on the forehead then releases me and wraps his arm around Jack, hugging him tightly. Then he leans back, hands on Jack’s shoulders and looks him square in the eye.

  “You good?”

  “Are you?”

  “I’m good, kid. I promise.”

  “I don’t understand what just happened,” he admits.

  Tate steps over with Will standing close by. “When you texted James to tell him there was a strange car in the driveway and to get over here, he was with us. We knew immediately who it was. A few months ago, when Vince came around looking for you guys, we came up with a plan and knew that when he showed up, we had to make sure he would never be allowed around you again. Even without knowing Vince, James had a feeling he would come after him. He didn’t fight back for a reason.”

  “So he couldn’t be charged with anything,” Jack says, shock and admiration in his voice.

  “That’s right,” James tells him, looking him square in the eye. “Are you okay, Jack?”

  “I am.”

  “You sure? Because…”

  “James, I’m good. I promise.”

  “You did good, son. Texting me right away. You saved her. You know that, right?”

  Jack swallows hard and flits his eyes over to me before looking at James again. I can’t control the constant stream of tears making a trail down my cheeks at the moment, so I don’t even try to wipe them away. “What you said…”

  “Meant every single word, bud. I’d make it official if I could.”

  “But… we only just met you,” he says, a look of astonishment on his face, and if I’m not mistaken, a few tears in his eyes.

  “Like I told your mom when she participated in Margarita Madness. Doesn’t matter the length of time I’ve known y’all. In my heart, I know what’s true. You’re mine. I guess that is, if you’ll have me. And Lil. We’re kind of a package deal.”

  Ovaries = exploding.

  Heart = melting.

  Body = tingling.

  I’m a mess. I’m a weepy, blubbering, idiotic mess considering we just saw Vince again for the first time in years, watched him kick the crap out of James, then reveled in him being arrested and hauled off in a police cruiser.

  “I love you, Carly. You know one day I’m putting a ring on this finger, right? Someday pretty soon?”

  “And what if I don’t say yes to that?” I ask, knowing damn good and well that if he even began to ask me to marry him, I’d say yes before he could finish his question.

  “Oh, you’ll say yes,” he says, reaching over and bringing us close together. His arms slide around my waist, and mine go to his chest. I reach up and graze my fingertips over his cheekbones, careful to be gentle with him. His left eye is already swollen, he has a cut on his cheek under his right eye, and there’s blood on his lip. He looks like a complete wreck. A complete wreck who stood up for Jack and me.

  “You seem pretty confident.” I raise my eyebrows, but I can almost feel my eyes twinkle and know he’s seeing through me.

  “No one says no to Captain James,” he says, smiling wide.

  “You’re such an ass,” I tease.

  “You love my ass.”

  “Damn straight. And what a fine ass it is,” I tell him as I reach around and squeeze his rock-hard ass cheeks. Did he just flex his butt?

  “Dude! Mom!”

  James and I both bust out laughing — James wincing in pain at what I’m sure are a couple of bruised ribs — as Jack looks on in horror. Tate and Will grab hold of my son, wrestling around and teasing him about having a hot mom while James stares down at me, with his swollen left eye and right cheek puffy and red.

  “Will you?”

  “Will I what?” I ask.

  He drops down to one knee, and my eyes bug out so big they about pop out of my head. My heart begins to beat so loudly I’m certain it can be heard across town, and suddenly, everything is quiet. Jack, Will and Tate are no longer wrestling, though Tate’s head is still in a headlock that Jack had just pulled him into.

  “Whoa,” Jack says quietly. “Now? You’re doing it now? I thought you had this whole big thing planned?”

  “You knew!?” I ask him.

  “Yeah, of course I knew! He asked me if it was okay! I didn’t realize he was just going to do it now though! No game, man. No game,” he says shaking his head teasingly.

  “Any chance I can speak sometime soon?” James asks from the floor.

  “You asked Jack?” my voice barely a whisper.

  Tears are already streaming down my face as I look at this man who had stood in front of me, accepting every hit he could in order to ensure the safety of my son and me. This man, who announced to my ex-husband that I was his forever. That Jack was his forever. In an instant, I’m on the ground on my knees in front of him. My hands go to his cheeks, and I press my lips against his. Our mouths open slightly, but I’m very aware of our audience. Our kiss is short and soft, but it means so much more.

  “Carly,” James mumbles, resting his forehead against mine.

  “Sorry, sorry. I just— Whoa, okay. Yes! Yes, I will!” I squeal.

  He raises his eyebrows at me. “Never asked a question, beautiful.”

  “James!” I shout and would stomp my foot if it was physically possible.

  He pulls on my hands, encouraging me to stand up.

  I rise to my feet on shaky legs and wipe the tears from my eyes, cheeks and chin. I laugh through a wobbly smile and nod my head, letting him know I’m ready for him to continue.

  “Like Jack said, I kind of had something different in mind, but honestly? I just can’t wait any longer. And I’m really getting tired of carrying this thing in my pocket everywhere I go,” he admits.

  He digs into his right front jeans pocket and reveals to me a beautiful vintage engagement ring. The diamond is nestled into a four-prong setting with scroll engraving on the white gold band. It’s the most gorgeous ring I’ve ever seen in my life.

  “Man, you’re really doing this? Now?” Tate asks.

  “Shut up, man. I wanna hear this,” Will shushes him,
making me giggle.

  James doesn’t even look at them; he just smiles up at me, complete with his cuts and bruises that he willingly endured for us, taking my left hand in his.

  “Carly, I’ve told you before… you’re everything I need. But I have a confession to make. That was a bit of a lie. I don’t just need you. I need Lily and Jack and you. We haven’t known each other that long, but there’s a funny thing I’ve realized. When your heart has been sleeping for as long as mine was, when it finally awakens, it’s not willing to be put aside for any longer.

  “From the moment you tripped over your shoes and into me, I was falling. I fell for your eyes that held so much sadness and hope. I fell for your smile. Every time it was aimed at me or I was the cause of it, I felt like I was bulletproof. I fell for your heart that held so much hurt, and I knew… I just knew that you built walls around it. I also knew that I would be willing to take as long as I needed to in order to chip away at that wall. I fell for your laugh, your strength, your happiness when it seemed like you had nothing but Jack to be happy about. I fell for the quiet moments you let me in, even if you didn’t realize it. I fell in love with the taste of your kiss, the scent of your skin, the feel of your touch. I fell for every phone call, text, and every minute I was in your presence.

  “I fell for you so hard, Carly. And I’m still falling. Would you do me the absolute honor and let me fall for you for the rest of our lives? Will you let me love you and cherish you? Will you let me protect you from birds and dance to old records and teach Jack how to cook and feed you endless amounts of chocolate? Will you let Lily and me into your and Jack’s life forever? Will you let me move forward with you? Will you marry me?”

  “Oh hell yes!” I scream and collapse to my knees once again in front of him, and he falls back just slightly so he’s settled back on both knees. He takes my face in his strong hands, my ring slid onto the tip of his own ring finger. My legs naturally shift so I’m straddling him. The kiss is soft and urgent, sweet and full of promise. He pulls back too soon, but probably not too soon, considering we have an audience.

  “Can I put this on you now?”

  I nod my head excitedly and present my left hand to him. He takes a deep breath and looks into my eyes, his own welling with unshed tears. He presses his lips together and bites it just slightly. I reach over and release his lip with my thumb. “Hey. That’s mine,” I tell him, copying what he once told me. “I love you, James David Cole. You’re everything I never knew I wanted. Everything I didn’t think I deserved. One look at you, and I had fallen, I count my lucky stars every single day that you fell right along with me. Thank you for loving me. For being patient with me. For giving me the privilege to both love you and be loved by you.”

  He leans up and rests his forehead on my own, and we breathe each other in for several quiet moments before my front door bursts open. Barrett, Tess, and Lily trip over each other getting inside. Barrett falls to the floor but stands up abruptly as if nothing had happened.

  “Are y’all okay? Is he gone? Did we miss it?” Lily asks breathlessly.

  “What the…”

  “I texted Barrett. Seemed like that was the quickest way to get everyone here,” Jack tells us.

  “I feel like I should be offended, but it’s truth. I have no ability to keep a secret. I’m just proud we beat the rest of them here.”

  “Them?” James asks, his eyebrows raised.

  His question goes unanswered. Instead, we are soon surrounded by our children. Lily and Jack have joined us on the floor. When I thought the three-person hug was my new favorite thing? I had yet to experience the four-person hug. Because this? This hug, full of my new family, letting our brokenness rain around us while our heartbeats piece together every little hurt, this is my new favorite thing ever. The four of us hold each other, crying sad and happy tears. Letting go of the memories that sting, celebrating the new memories that make our hearts fly to new heights.

  “Dad, are you okay?”

  “I’m okay, baby girl.”

  “Carly? Jack? You’re okay? Vince? He’s gone? What happened?”

  “Yes, sweetheart, we’re all fine. Your dad made sure of that.”

  “But… what happened?”

  “James told us that Vince was around. He found out the night that he and Mom went on their first date. Will and Tate had seen him at some bar, I guess. Anyway, we hadn’t seen anything out of him, so he was hoping Vince left, but he also gave us a code to text. Just in case we ever didn’t feel safe or saw something that didn’t add up or feel right. As soon as I saw a car with Arizona license plates in the driveway, I texted James. He just happened to be with Will and Tate at the time. I’m not certain, but I have no doubt they broke a few traffic laws getting here because they arrived fast.”

  “But… what happened when you guys got here?”

  “We saw Vince. He was doing his best to intimidate Jack and Carly. Jack was holding him back, but when he saw me, he went off. Just like we expected him to.”

  “You took the beating, huh, Dad?”

  “Damn straight, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.”

  “You two… mama and papa bears,” Jack says chuckling.

  “You know it. No one messes with our babies,” I say, making James’s eyes flare.

  “I’m so glad you’re safe,” Lily cries.

  “Thank you, sweetheart.”

  “Love you, Carly,” Lily says, and immediately the tears that I finally stopped come flooding back.

  “I love you, too, baby.”

  “Um, Carly? What’s this?” Lily asks, holding up my finger. A brilliant smile covers Lily’s face.

  “Wait. What the hell is happening in here?!” Barrett shouts. “Did we… did we miss that too?” Barrett looks around the room, glaring at everyone like he’s the only person left out of the loop.

  “James asked Mom to marry him.”

  Tess gasps and Lily squeals, tackling me in a hug that makes me fall backward.

  Everyone is saying their congratulations at once while Lily, Jack, James, and I stand up, together, hugging and laughing, before Tess interrupts.

  “Dammit, I want my hug!” she shouts, causing us to laugh.

  “Alright, little sister,” James says, making his way toward her.

  “Not you, idiot. My new sister.” Her slender body barrels into me, almost causing me to stumble backward again. “What did I tell you?” she whispers into my ear, still hugging me tightly. She releases me just slightly, hands still on my shoulders. “Couldn’t have chosen a single better person to love my brother. I love you, Carly. Welcome to the family,” she says, tears slowly falling from her eyes.

  “Thank you, Tess. I love you, too.” My smile is watery, but my heart is overflowing.

  Soon all our friends and family are surrounding us, with Cole and Mia on FaceTime. Lauren and Josh, Andy and Christine, Bri, Grady, Maggie, Harper, even Brandon, who I’ve only met once. The love and support of the Cole family should overwhelm me, but it doesn’t. It’s like hot cocoa and popcorn after sledding on a winter day. It fills me up, warming all those parts of my soul I didn’t even realize needed attention.

  “Show me that ring!” Lauren shouts as she comes through the door with Josh, Andy, and Christine. “And just to say, I’m never too old to be a bridesmaid,” she says, fist-bumping Tess.

  “Wait, how did you know already?”

  Everyone looks over to Barrett, who just lifts his phone and shrugs.

  “I got excited. Sorry.”

  “You knew for thirty seconds, and you had already texted them?” James laughs.

  “Tweeted it, too.”

  “You tweet? Who are you?”

  “I like being kept in the know!”

  “So, you won’t Facebook, but you’ll tweet?”

  “I like Instagram, too.”

  I look over to Jack, who looks like he’s ten seconds away from throwing up.

  “Hey, kid.” I make my way over to him, pulling
him aside for a moment.

  James looks over and gives us both a small smile then goes back to talking with everyone, allowing us our moment.

  “Yeah, Mom?”

  “You alright?”

  “Yeah. Just a little… I don’t know… overwhelmed, I guess. It was just you and me… and now…” He gestures to the flurry of people surrounding us.

  “I know. It’s a lot to take in, huh?”

  “Just a tad.”

  “Jack. Everything with your father…”

  “He is not my father,” he says adamantly, sparing a quick look at James.

  James, being James, notices. I see him whisper something to Barrett, then he walks over to us. He places an arm around Jack, pulling him in for a hug then stretches his arms out, framing Jack’s neck with his hands.

  “Can I show you something?”

  “Yeah.”

  James rolls the shirt up of his long-sleeve shirt, revealing a fresh tattoo on his forearm. A circle of four arrows, separated by names… Carly, Jack, James, Lily.

  A sob erupts from my throat as Lily looks over at us. She winks, already knowing what was just shown to us.

  “You’re mine, son. You get it now? He’s not your father. You’re not a product of him. You are nothing like him. You’re good. You’re amazing. You’re wanted. You’re loved.”

  Tears flow from Jack’s eyes as he nods his head.

  “Love you, James.”

  “Love you, Jack.”

  EPILOGUE

  James

  “Good morning, Mrs. Cole,” I whisper into Carly’s ear. She stretches her neck, turning her head to the side, giving me the access I desperately want. I was inside her less than two hours ago, and even though I’m in my mid-forties, I feel like a horny teenager, ready to take my wife once again.

  My wife.

  I’ll never tire of realizing that.

  “Mmm, well, good morning, Mr. Cole.” Her morning voice is husky as she runs her hands up and down my arms, spreading her legs and wrapping one around my hip. She reaches down, her slender fingers encircling me. Just lying next to her, knowing her body is naked and mine forever has me ready for her. “Already? Again?” she murmurs.

  “Always,” I answer in a growl and quickly shift so my body is completely covering hers, then plunging deep and without mercy.