by Jill Sanders
“Where is Gran?” he asked Scarlett.
“Home, resting,” she assured him. “It’s a little past nine in the morning. She’ll be here soon.”
He nodded. “I’ll talk to him,” he said to the room. “Thank you, everyone, for your concern. But I’d like to hear what he has to say.”
Zoey frowned but then nodded.
“I’ll go let him in. Would you like us to leave?” Aubrey asked.
“No, as you all pointed out, you are family too. Whatever he has to say, he can say in front of my family.”
Scarlett took his hand and smiled down at him.
When Michael stepped into the room, Levi realized how different he looked from the last time he’d seen him.
Gone was the suave sophisticated man. He’d been replaced by a man in jeans and a wrinkled T-shirt. The man looked tired and a little lost.
“Son, I had no idea…” he started only to stop and shake his head and close his eyes. “I swear.”
“Here,” Scarlett said, holding out a chair for him. “Why don’t you sit and tell us everything you know.”
His father sat just as his grandmother stepped into the room with a huge container from the bakery.
“Donuts.” She motioned. “What’s going on?”
Zoey grabbed the container from her and whispered. “Michael’s going to tell us everything he knows about his deranged wife who tried to kill your grandson.”
Every eye turned to Michael as they all waited.
His father took another deep breath. “I had no idea Leslie had even gone to the camp.” He looked around the room. “I mentioned, during our lunch, that we had fought about me contacting you.”
Levi nodded in agreement. “You did.” He remembered that part.
“Well, what I didn’t mention was that she had given me an ultimatum. Her or you.” He took a deep breath. “Things haven’t been great between us for a few years now. And, after knowing how she’d hidden you from me for all these years… Well, I chose to meet you for lunch. I had no idea she would do something like this.” He shook his head as sadness filled his blue eyes. “I just found you. I want a chance to get to know you. To have you in my life. I can’t imagine losing you now.”
“I believe you,” Levi said, reaching out for the man’s hand. “After all, you’re wearing my face. I know when I’m lying.” He chuckled and then groaned at the pain it caused him.
His father let a breath of relief out and nodded.
“I think you are the one wearing his face,” Aubrey said softly. “He is your father, after all.”
Levi smiled, then glanced around. “Why?” he asked. “Why would she do this?”
“When they woke us up to arrest her at our rental, she kept screaming that she’d gotten rid of you before. That you and your mother had gotten in between us before, and that she’d taken care of you both before.” His father sobered. He glanced around the room, then his eyes zoned in on his grandmother’s eyes. “I think Leslie had something to do with your daughter’s death.”
Levi stiffened and jerked his head around to his grandmother.
“They’re interviewing her about it now,” his father added. “But some of the things she was saying when they arrested her…” He closed his eyes and shook his head. “She’s not the woman I married.” His eyes flew open. “If I had known about you, that you existed, I would have tried to reach out. I’d always wondered why she was dead set against coming back home or to the reunion.” He looked down at his hands.
Levi watched his grandmother move across the room and wrap her arms around the man. “You couldn’t have known,” she said softly. “What’s in the past is done. Now you have to look forward to time with your son.” She smiled over at him. “And trust me when I say, Levi has been looking forward to spending time with you his entire life.”
Epilogue
“So,” Levi said as he settled on the sofa in the house in Pelican Point, “you love me?”
She laughed and would have playfully slapped his shoulder, but then she remembered how bruised he was under his shirt and touched his cheek instead.
“Yes, you idiot.” She leaned over and kissed him. “I do.”
“Do what?” he asked with a wicked smile.
“How many times are you going to make me say it?” she asked.
He chuckled, then hissed and held his ribs. “Forever,” he answered once he’d recovered.
“Don’t overdo it,” she warned him.
“Never.” He pulled her closer to his side. “What time is everyone coming over?” he asked after he’d kissed her.
“Soon.” She pulled him back down to her lips, but was interrupted by the front door of the house swinging open as everyone crowded into the living room.
“Not enough time.” He sighed and let her go as she moved to help carry in the food and drinks.
“This is the first bachelorette party I’ve ever been to,” he joked as everyone moved around him.
“You are not really here,” Elle said. “In fact…” She removed something from a bag she’d been carrying and then laughed. “You are officially Lisa tonight.” She set a hat on his head. A big, pink hat full of ribbons and bows. “There.” Elle nodded. “That suits you.”
Scarlett laughed while Aubrey snapped a picture quickly of him before he had a chance to remove it.
“Sorry,” Aubrey said softly as she looked down at her phone.
“Don’t you dare post that,” he warned.
“Too late,” Aubrey said, moving out of the room. “I wouldn’t post it if you could catch me, but seeing as you’re on bed rest…” She stuck out her tongue at him as she moved into the kitchen.
“You owe me,” he said to Scarlett when she came back into the room.
“Here.” She handed him a large slice of chocolate cake and set a glass of milk down next to him. “My first payment,” she said with a kiss. “The rest will come later.” She wiggled her eyebrows.
When she stepped into the next room, her sister and friends were gathered around the kitchen table talking in low tones.
“What’s up?” She frowned, instantly worried.
They parted and sitting there, on the kitchen table, sat a small box. Scarlett’s heart jumped.
“What… is that…” She shook her head.
“It’s your turn,” Zoey said with a smile.
Scarlett moved forward and gently flipped the lid of the box open. The ugly unicorn ring sat nestled inside it as if it was the rarest of gems.
She remembered when the five friends had pooled their money together to purchase the thing years ago. They had all promised, after a fight of who would wear it, that the first one of them to fall in love would get the ring. Thus far the ring had been passed from Zoey to Elle to Hannah. And now, it appears it was her turn to wear it.
Scarlett couldn’t stop herself from laughing.
“That is so ugly.” She covered her mouth with her hand as tears started falling from her eyes.
“Yes, it is, but it’s yours for now.” Hannah moved forward and lifted the box towards her.
“And, until another ring is on that finger, it will stay there,” Elle said, slipping it onto her finger for her.
Scarlett looked down through tear-filled eyes at the silly unicorn staring back up at her.
“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” she said to her friends as they surrounded her in a hug.
Also by Jill Sanders
The Pride Series
Finding Pride
Discovering Pride
Returning Pride
Lasting Pride
Serving Pride
Red Hot Christmas
My Sweet Valentine
Return To Me
Rescue Me
A Pride Christmas
The Secret Series
Secret Seduction
Secret Pleasure
Secret Guardian
Secret Passions
Secret Identity
> Secret Sauce
The West Series
Loving Lauren
Taming Alex
Holding Haley
Missy’s Moment
Breaking Travis
Roping Ryan
Wild Bride
Corey’s Catch
Tessa’s Turn
Saving Trace
The Grayton Series
Last Resort
Someday Beach
Rip Current
In Too Deep
Swept Away
High Tide
Lucky Series
Unlucky In Love
Sweet Resolve
Best of Luck
A Little Luck
Silver Cove Series
Silver Lining
French Kiss
Happy Accident
Hidden Charm
A Silver Cove Christmas
Sweet Surrender
Entangled Series – Paranormal Romance
The Awakening
The Beckoning
The Ascension
The Presence
Haven, Montana Series
Closer to You
Never Let Go
Holding On
Coming Home
Pride Oregon Series
A Dash of Love
My Kind of Love
Season of Love
Tis the Season
Dare to Love
Where I Belong
Wildflowers Series
Summer Nights
Summer Heat
Summer Secrets
Summer Fling
Summer’s End
Distracted Series
Wake Me
Tame Me
Stand Alone Books
Twisted Rock
Hope Harbor
For a complete list of books:
http://JillSanders.com
About the Author
Jill Sanders is a New York Times, USA Today, and international bestselling author of Sweet Contemporary Romance, Romantic Suspense, Western Romance, and Paranormal Romance novels. With over 55 books in eleven series, translations into several different languages, and audiobooks there’s plenty to choose from. Look for Jill’s bestselling stories wherever romance books are sold or visit her at jillsanders.com
Jill comes from a large family with six siblings, including an identical twin. She was raised in the Pacific Northwest and later relocated to Colorado for college and a successful IT career before discovering her talent for writing sweet and sexy page-turners. After Colorado, she decided to move south, living in Texas and now making her home along the Emerald Coast of Florida. You will find that the settings of several of her series are inspired by her time spent living in these areas. She has two sons and off-set the testosterone in her house by adopting three furry little ladies that provide her company while she’s locked in her writing cave. She enjoys heading to the beach, hiking, swimming, wine-tasting, and pickleball with her husband, and of course writing. If you have read any of her books, you may also notice that there is a love of food, especially sweets! She has been blamed for a few added pounds by her assistant, editor, and fans… donuts or pie anyone?