“Well, I want more. Now, let me go.”
He stayed put for a moment then he let the car door go and whispered, “I do love you, Skye. That’s not a lie.”
“Then prove it,” I said and turned the car on, closed the door and pulled out of the garage as he watched me go but didn’t want to say the words that would stop me.
Chapter Nine
Aiden
That day had been the longest one in my life. I called Skye three times, and she answered every time. She’d ask if Joy was alright to which I’d tell her she was and that I wanted her to come home. She’d ask if I’d changed my mind to which I’d tell her I hadn’t but that I wanted her home.
Skye didn’t come back until very late that night. At four in the morning, I found her coming in from the garage. I’d been sitting up, unable to sleep. “Hey,” I said as she walked through the living room. I turned on the lamp that was on the table next to me.
“Sitting alone in the dark?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said. I wasn’t sure what the hell I was going to say to her. I was afraid. I was scared shitless is the reality of it. I had fallen for the woman in a mere month’s time. It was insane!
“Well, that’s pretty sad, Aiden,” she said then turned away from me. “Good night.”
I sat there, unsure of what to do. I watched Skye leave the room and heard her treading up the stairs. After a few minutes, I got up and went up the stairs. Stopping at my bedroom door, I hesitated only a moment then I went inside. I knew what I needed to do to make things right.
Skye
I’d fallen asleep quickly. I was utterly exhausted. Looking up an old friend, I hung out with her until I had to come home. I didn’t tell her everything. Just about the job and how much I loved being Joy’s nanny. It wasn’t a thing I’d ever even thought of being and I was pretty proud of the positive changes I’d made in the kid’s life. Joy had made changes in me too.
I had to admit to myself that I had no regrets. Not one. Getting involved with Aiden taught me a lot. I couldn’t regret him. But my heart hurt as I knew I couldn’t allow myself to be used by him any longer.
I was worth more than that.
That night I was woken up by a soft kiss on the top of my head. “Hey,” came his soft voice.
Turning over, I rubbed my eyes. “Aiden, don’t.” He’d never come to my bedroom before. I’d always gone to his. I had no idea what it meant that he was there, sitting on the edge of my bed the way he was.
I felt him take my left hand and he slid something onto my ring finger. “This belonged to my grandmother. I want you to have it, baby.”
Though my eyes were blurry, I could see the shiny gold ring he’d put on my finger. “And what does this mean?”
“It means I want you, Skye Fox. I want everyone to know that you and I are a couple. I don’t want to hide it any longer.” He scooped me out of bed.
As I wrapped my arms around his neck, I asked, “Where are you taking me?”
“I’m taking you to our bedroom. I’ll be moving your things into it in the morning before I start writing. And you and I will tell Joy, together. I think you’re right about her being more than okay with this.”
“I’ve thought about something else, Aiden. If we’re going to make this official, then I can’t take a salary for watching Joy anymore.”
“You don’t have to. What’s mine is yours, baby. You won’t be limited to that salary, I’ll get you a card, so you’ll have access to our money.”
“Our money?” I asked him. “Aiden, that’s your money.”
He shook his head as he took me into the bedroom I was to think of as ours now. “Skye, if it hadn’t been for finding you and all you’ve brought to my world then I’d never have written again. I’m getting an enormous advance from my publisher for the novel you inspired. And as you’ll keep inspiring me, I think it’s fitting that you have access to that money too.”
“I still want to be a nurse someday,” I said as he laid me down on the bed.
“And you will. As a matter of fact, I think you should use some of our money to get into a real nursing program. Why go the slow route when you can take the fast one?” He kissed me then. A sweet kiss that made my heart pound and melt all at the same time. When his lips left mine, he cupped my face in his hands. “I love you, Skye. I was foolish when I told you I wanted things to stay the way they were. The truth is I was scared.”
“Of me?” I asked as the thought seemed ludicrous.
“I’m a man who writes about the scariest of things. I was afraid of how society would look at me and how my daughter would see me. But nothing I can imagine is as scary as you leaving me. When you drove away today, I felt worse than I’ve ever felt and I’ve had some bad times, baby.”
Guilt flowed through me. “Aiden, I’m sorry. I didn’t think…” His lips stopped me as he gave me another long kiss.
“You were right to do that. You were right to stand up for yourself. It was wrong of me to even ask that of you. After I had put Joy to bed, I started thinking. I thought about her being in your position, and I knew right then, and there I’d want to kick a guy’s ass if he asked that of her. So, I went to the box at the top of my closet where my grandmother’s wedding ring was, and took it out. I vowed that if you came home, then I’d put that ring on your finger and let you know you’re one of the two most important people in this world to me.”
His words had a lump in my throat. All I could do was nod and kiss him again. My life was complete at that moment. I had a little family at the tender age of twenty-two, and I was overjoyed with that fact.
Epilogue
“Tonight, on National Novel Review, we’re welcoming Aiden Cooper and his family of six to our show.”
“Thanks, Gary,” Aiden said as he took a seat next to his wife, Skye. Their five children took seats on each side of them, Joy, sitting next to her father. “We’re happy to be here.”
“Well, you and your family are what it’s all about, man. Your books that you’ve said have been inspired by all of them at one time or another have made you a wealthy man. As well as entertained a plethora of people.”
“I’m not the only one who’s wealthy from this endeavor. I share the money that’s made from the books with my family. They’re the catalysts, and I’m merely the guy who sends it through my brain and gets it out on paper. I couldn’t do it without them.” Aiden took Skye’s hand in his. “And this little lady right here is the yen to my yang. If she hadn’t popped into our lives, then I don’t even want to think about where Joy and I’d be right now.”
Joy nodded and added, “Finding my mom at the toy store was the best birthday present Dad ever got for me.”
Aiden gave Skye a kiss on her rosy cheek. “I agree, Skye was a gift from above for us. I love you, baby.”
With tears in her eyes, Skye said, “I love you too, honey. Without you, my life would be less than the perfect life you’ve made for our family. I know I’m blessed that you two found me that fateful day. Thank you.”
And they all lived Happily Ever After, The End.
©Copyright 2017 by Michelle’s Romance-
All rights Reserved
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