I caught her hand with mine. “I know you will. You’ll be an amazing mother. You have so much love inside you. Our children will know it—the same way I do.”
She nodded, her eyes glimmering in the light. She still got emotional when she spoke of children or anything to do with her own childhood. Her mother would, I knew, remain a painful subject for a long time. I drew in a deep breath, thinking of the email I had received from Sean last week.
He let me know, only a couple of weeks ago, Ronald’s company had declared bankruptcy and the gossip had been rampant. Reports of mismanagement and embezzling were persistent. More rumors of a mistress added to the whole distasteful package. I had almost taken Ally on another side trip to delay her having to hear about what was going on, and any chance of having to deal with it. But I knew she would be upset if she found out why I wanted to stay away longer.
Unable to lie to her, I held her hand and told her the truth Sean had shared with me, unsure as to her reaction. I was shocked when she nodded, not at all surprised at the news.
“I do know how to use Google,” she informed me. “I saw something in the newsfeed.”
“You’ve known all this time? You didn’t say anything.”
She arched her eyebrow at me. “Neither did you.”
“I didn’t want to upset you.”
She stroked my cheek. “No, you wanted to protect me.” She smiled in understanding. “I love you for that.”
“I love you.”
“What do you think will happen?”
“I think life for Sarah and Ronald is about to take a fast turn to reality. It’s going to be a rude awakening.”
She lowered her head. “I don’t care about Ronald,” she whispered. “He made his own decisions.”
“Your mother?” I asked through tight lips.
I wanted the bitch to suffer. To see her haughty manner dissolve when she had to pay bills and forgo her designer shoes and lunch at the club. Her so-called friends would turn their backs once she was no longer “one of them,” and she would find herself alone and an outcast. I wanted her to have to clean houses and scrub floors for a living, her perfectly manicured nails raw and bleeding from actually having to do some work.
“I’m struggling,” she admitted.
“Why?”
“Does me turning my back if she needed help make me the same sort of person she is?”
“No, this is entirely different. She chose this life, she’s the one who made the decision to align herself with Ronald.”
She was quiet for a moment, then shocked me when she nodded. “You’re right.”
“What are you saying?”
She drew in a long breath. “You told me once I had to forgive her and move on. I did. But what I can’t forgive her for is the cruelty she showed to you. The pain she put you, us, through. That was deliberate and malicious.” She drew back her shoulders. “I will help her, if she comes to me and asks forgiveness—from both of us. Otherwise, I’m not going to.”
“You won’t seek her out?”
“No. She never wanted me, and she cut me out of her life. If she wants my help, she’ll have to abide by my rules this time.”
“She won’t. Because she’d have to swallow her pride.”
Which I hoped she’d choke on, I added silently.
“Then she’s on her own.”
“And you’re all right with your decision?”
“I’ve thought about it a lot, and yes. But if I do help her, I don’t want her in our life. I’ll help her financially because it’s the right thing to do, that’s all.”
I set down my empty mug and pulled her into my arms. “You’re still too good. I wouldn’t even consider it.”
She smiled up at me, shaking her head. “I’m the lucky one, Adam. I got my fairy tale. I got you. I can afford to be good.”
I kissed her. Long and deep, tasting her sweetness, knowing how precious this woman was. How she had it wrong, because I was the lucky one. I chuckled when she yawned, trying to cover it up. It had been a long journey home. I was rather tired myself.
“You wanna nap, my girl? There’s a bed over there that looks pretty inviting.” I waggled my eyebrows, hoping to coax her into lying with me.
She burrowed into my chest. “Will you kiss me some more in bed?”
We stood, snuggling as we walked to the bed. “I’ll kiss you until you fall asleep.”
“And when I wake up?”
“I’ll kiss you then, too. I plan on kissing you the rest of your life.”
“I’ll kiss you right back.”
I pulled her tight to me as we sank into the deep mattress. “Now you’re talking.”
Epilogue
Adam
THREE YEARS LATER
The flash went off again. And again. With a grin, I looked up from my laptop at my son who had crawled over and was now using his chubby little finger to press the button on my camera I had left on the floor. Ally constantly told me not to leave things where Teddy could get them now that he was crawling, but I didn’t care. I loved watching him explore.
I shoved the laptop off my knees and held out my arms, grinning. “What you up to, little man? You wanna take some pictures with Daddy? Show Mommy what we did all afternoon while she was out?”
He giggled and chortled away as he crawled toward my open arms. Scooping him up in my embrace, I nuzzled his downy head, breathing in his special scent. Ivory soap, baby shampoo, and little boy.
My little boy.
Theodore Oliver Kincaid was born eight months ago, completing my world. Ally and I had traveled some more, then bought a house we loved and settled into our life here. Our circle of friends was small but close. Emma and Alan were back in town, their daughter, Anna, almost a year old, and Ally saw lots of her best friend. Sean and his wife, Abby, were frequent visitors. And our closest friends, Peter and Edwina, lived near us and we saw them almost daily. They were Teddy’s godparents and for all intents and purposes, his grandparents. They doted on him. And us.
As I promised, I took Ally to Africa, where we spent a month. A few months after we came home, Edwina and Peter decided it was time to return to Canada when Edwina’s sister became ill. Peter flew back regularly and the supplies I still sent over were well used. The clinic was thriving, run by local doctors and those who volunteered weeks of their time after the article had come out in Sean’s magazine.
In Africa, Ally’s need to help overwhelmed her at times. When we came home, she threw herself into volunteering, raising awareness for suffering children everywhere. I supported her with anything she asked. Now that Edwina was back, the two of them made quite a team.
When she had told me she was pregnant, my life, which I didn’t think could get any better, expanded to contain joy I couldn’t even imagine. She did it in perfect Ally fashion, handing me a small book of pictures she had taken, telling me she had a new project. I was confused as I looked at them.
A picture of a bread roll. One of the oven in the kitchen. One of her pointing to the roll inside the oven. And finally, a selfie of her grinning and holding a positive pregnancy test.
A bun in the oven.
My clever girl.
Teddy squirmed and kicked his feet, his tiny fingers grabbing at the two rings I wore. Theo’s ring was now on my right hand, the heavy silver and black glinting in the light. My wedding ring was made of the same white and rose gold like Ally’s. Inside she included the same words engraved into the thick metal along with one more.
Always Forever Yours —Ally
I never took it off. Teddy loved to pull at it, grinning and babbling when the light caught it as he yanked on it with his eager hands.
I stood, glancing at the clock. “It’s bottle time, isn’t it?”
He cooed and made his little grabby hand motions as I heated the bottle, sitting down in the living room to feed him. He gripped the side of the bottle, sucking away as he stared up at me, his eyes so blue and so much like Ally’s. I ran my fi
ngers through his hair, grinning at the mess of red curls on his head. He got my facial features, although his smile was more like my wife’s, and he had her dimples. He was long and lean—a large baby when he was born, weighing in at almost ten pounds. Ally had been huge while she carried him.
When he began to squirm and make his grizzly noises, I lifted him to my shoulder, patting his back. I was soon rewarded with one of his loud burps and he spit up on my shoulder. I chuckled as my shirt became wet. I always forgot the damn cloth.
“Nice job, buddy,” I crooned, lifting him away. “Did you get the sofa again? Mommy will be thrilled.”
He beamed down at me, then spewed again. I glanced down at my shirt with a wry grin. Ally was right. I never learned. I held him with one arm and tugged the disgusting shirt over my head, tossing it to the floor. How something so fucking cute could make smells the way he did was beyond me.
I grabbed a blanket and flung it over my chest, then settled Teddy back down with his bottle. His eyes started to flutter, and I knew he’d be out soon. My son loved to sleep, and when he did, he slept hard.
The nipple fell from his mouth and I pulled it away, setting it on the table. I was in no hurry to take him to his crib to lay him down, though. These moments were special. I loved being a dad, and I was surprised how good I was at it. I looked forward to watching him grow, teaching him about football and photography, and being with him. I never thought I would be a homebody, but he and Ally changed all that. The only traveling I was interested in now was when they were with me.
Today we’d gone to the park and hung out with Peter. I got some great pictures to show Ally when she got home. She’d love them.
With another sigh, I turned and stretched out on the sofa, settling him close on my chest, keeping him safe in my arms. I’d lie here for a while and then I’d put him down in his crib.
Just a little while.
Gentle fingers ran through my hair, while the voice I loved the most whispered my name close to my ear. “Adam.”
Blinking at the light, I squinted up at my wife.
“I love coming home and finding my boys having a snuggle.”
Teddy was still wrapped in my arms, his warm weight sunk into my chest. I smiled up at Ally. “We had a busy day.”
“Take lots of pictures for me?”
“Always.”
“Have long have you been asleep?”
I glanced at my watch. “Only about an hour.”
She rubbed Teddy’s back in long, tender strokes. “Did he eat?”
“Some. He fell asleep pretty fast. Took me out with him, too.” I grinned.
“Okay, I’ll feed him when he wakes up.”
“How was the afternoon?”
“Good. We got a lot of interest.”
“Of course you did. You and Edwina worked hard on the luncheon.” I paused, but had to ask. “Was Sarah there?”
A look of pain passed through her eyes, but she simply shook her head. Anger still simmered in my chest every time I thought of that woman. She hadn’t been as blind to Ronald as we thought she was, and when the scandal broke, she distanced herself immediately, portraying herself as the victim. He ended up in jail, dying not long after of a massive heart attack. She was like the phoenix, and somehow rose from the ashes, marrying yet another wealthy man and carrying on with life. She never once attempted to reconcile with Ally.
Edwina more than made up as a mother figure for her and I thanked God every day for the blessing of her in our life. She loved Ally like the daughter she never had, and it was returned fully by my wife.
She and Sarah did on occasion see each other in public. Polite nods were all that passed between them before Ally would turn and walk away, her head held high. Still, I knew it hurt her. It would always hurt her.
I cupped her cheek, stroking the silky skin. She leaned into my caress, our gazes locked as I silently showed her I understood.
She stood, lifting Teddy off my chest, snuggling him close. I missed his warmth immediately and sat up, pulling her down beside me and wrapping them in my arms. He gurgled and shifted but still didn’t wake up.
“He sleeps so hard—just like you.”
I chuckled. “Yeah, he does. He’s safe and content and he knows it.”
She looked up at me, her eyes brilliant in the late afternoon light. “We’re both safe and content. Because of you.”
“Works two ways, Ally.”
She snuggled closer. I brushed my lips over her head. “I was thinking…”
She looked up, already smiling, ready for whatever I had to say. “Yeah?”
“The villa is open next month in Fiji. I checked yesterday. Sean wants a few new pictures. You up for a trip, my girl?”
Excitement lit up her face. She loved it in Fiji. All the stress fell away and we existed in a world of water and sand, sunshine and warmth.
“I talked to Peter. He and Edwina would love to go, as well. If we stay long enough maybe Emma, Alan, and Anna could come down for a visit?”
“I’d love that,” she breathed out.
“I’ll take care of it.”
She pressed her soft lips to my cheek. “Adam—”
“What?”
She drew in a deep breath. “I want something.”
“It’s yours.”
“It’s rather big.”
I grinned in delight. She never asked for anything. Ever. If there was something she wanted, I would get it for her.
“Tell me.”
“I want another child.”
My eyes widened. “Now?”
She laughed. “Well, it takes a while, but I’d like to start trying. I’d like them to be close in age.” She bit her lip. “How do you feel about that?”
Wrapping my hand around her neck, I drew her close and kissed her until I couldn’t breathe. Until we were dizzy.
“I feel,” I murmured against her lips, “like I was just given a huge gift. I want more children with you. If you’re ready, so am I.”
“Yeah?”
“Absolutely.”
Then I grinned and winked at her. “I’ll make sure to add a couple weeks before and after our visitors at the villa, so we have lots of time to make sure the project is a success.” I trailed my lips over her cheek. “Naked private time.”
“I like naked private time.”
I kissed her again. “I like you.”
Her voice caught and she touched my cheek. “I love you, Adam.”
“Always, my Nightingale.”
Teddy lifted his head, blinking and sleepy. Ally nuzzled his face and his chubby cheeks lifted in a wide toothless grin as he chortled and reached for her. I looked at my wonderful family—my wife and son—knowing that soon we could each be holding a child, and I smiled affectionately, already thinking of the photo I would take.
What an image that would be.
For Pamela—because you believed so much—this one is for you. Thank you, my friend.
And for my Matthew, who is my perfect image. I love you. Always.
Acknowledgments
Many thanks to my lovely prereaders—Karen, Janett, Darlene, Lisa, and Beth. Your comments were invaluable, and your support and friendship mean so much.
To Karen—there are no words my friend. My world is a brighter place with you in it. Thank you.
To Pam, Trina, Deb, and Shelly. Thank you for everything.
Victoria, thank you for being my muse. I hope I captured the essence of your spirit.
Carrie, Jeanne, and my fellow authors who take time from their own busy schedules to talk me down, and lift me up—you are such blessings in my life.
Endless thanks to the bloggers who show their love and support every day to all of us authors. You rock.
For Sue and the team at Random House. Your patience is appreciated, your belief in me amazing. Thank you for everything.
A shout-out to my minions, who make me smile.
And to my Matthew, who loses me for hours to the characters
and words in my head, but is always there when I finally return to this world. Thank you for your love and patience.
BY MELANIE MORELAND
My Image of You
Other Books
Into the Storm
Beneath the Scars
Over the Fence
The Contract
The Baby Clause
It Started with a Kiss
About the Author
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author MELANIE MORELAND lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her beloved husband of twenty-nine-plus years and their rescue cat, Amber. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them.
While seriously addicted to coffee, and highly challenged with all things computer related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties and enjoys traveling here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip.
Melanie delights in a good romance story with some bumps along the way, but is a true believer in happily ever after. When her head isn’t buried in a book, it is bent over a keyboard, furiously typing away as her characters dictate their creative story lines to her, often with a large glass of wine keeping her company.
Facebook.com/authormoreland
Twitter: @MorelandMelanie
Read on for an excerpt from
Vanishing Act
by A. M. Madden
Available from Loveswept
Chapter 1
“Action!”
For a long minute, the silence on set was deafening as everyone waited anxiously for me to deliver. The sweat that beaded on my forehead had little to do with the hot lights pointed at my face to ensure every expression was captured. It was all the emotion I’d channeled throughout filming that now seeped from my pores.
My Image of You Page 31