“No way. They just want to meet the artist. It’s common in art circles.”
“Is it common for the artist to go home after her showing with a big, bad police officer?”
“I don’t think that’s common at all. As a matter of fact I think I’m the only girl in the world who gets that privilege.”
“And the only girl who will ever have that privilege,” he says. “Just like I’m the only man who will ever have the privilege of making a beautiful family with you.”
“And what a beautiful family we have,” I say. My eyes scan the room and I take in the sight of our little ones. “The kids do seem to be having fun tonight.”
“I think the gallery owner is still a bit confused, and freaked out, by the idea of having a finger painting area for the kids at a big exhibit like this.
“I would be too, but it’s working. The big donors were able to pile their entire families into an Uber and come and enjoy a drink while their kids got to make friends and have fun at the same time. Plus the ones with kids in middle school and high school are able to introduce their children to the art world for the first time. I guess it pays to take chances.”
“Like moving back to L.A.” Chance says. “Another gamble that paid off perfectly.”
“But it wasn’t a gamble,” I say.
“You don’t think?”
“Nothing’s a gamble when I know you’re by my side. Everything’s a sure thing.”
“Mom. We’re about to run out of finger paint,” Vivian says.
I reach down and pat her on the head.
“She’s looking more and more like you every day,” Chance says.
She hears her father and opens her mouth as big as she can and smiles, showing her missing front tooth.
“I’ll run out to the car and grab some more,” Chance says.
“Thanks, sweetheart,” I say.
I watch Chance as he walks across the gallery to the exit. He’s still got it, and his butt still looks great in those jeans.
“Can I go with dad?” Vivian asks.
“Sure, honey,” I say, and she takes off after her father.
She grabs his hand in mid-swing as he’s walking and he takes it so effortlessly. He doesn’t even need to look down, being a family man comes naturally to him. And when he reaches across his body to rub her head with his other hand it melts my heart.
I pull out my phone and prepare to snap a quick picture.
The one thing I learned from photography is that it’s all about the moment. Moments like tonight are great when a bunch of strangers can come together over a common love of helping animals and in that pursuit we can all become friends.
Taking the pictures that hang on these walls tonight were moments I can still remember.
Selling out and being able to donate all the proceeds is another moment.
But there are no moments that compare to those of me, my husband, and my children.
Those moments are priceless and the ones I enjoy capturing the most.
Click!
I look at the screen. It’s the perfect shot. Chance is looking down at Vivian, and she’s looking up at him. They’re both smiling. It’s the perfect father and daughter moment.
This one is getting printed really big and going right in the living room where we share so many family memories…and where every time we put on a movie we all guard our bowls of popcorn from Charlotte, the “popcorn prowler.”
It’s just that these days she has a lot more little partners to help keep us on our toes and keep us laughing, living, and loving.
Together.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
Chance
Ten years later
“Come on, Vince! You can do it buddy.”
It’s the Little League city championship. The winner qualifies for the state tournament and the winner of that goes to Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series to face teams from all over the world. The teams from Japan, Korea and Taiwan are sure be tough again this year, but before we start thinking ahead we’ve got to win this game.
And things aren’t looking good.
It’s the bottom of the seventh, the last inning in little league baseball as they shorten it two innings for the kids, and the count is zero balls and two strikes.
One more strike and the other team wins.
But the bases are full and my boy’s is at bat.
There are not too many certainties in life, but the once certainly that I count on all the time, every time, is my family.
I’ve prepared Vince for moments just like these. I’ve worked with him not only on the physical aspects of sports and of life, but also on the mental aspects.
He’s my boy. He carries the name of our family on the back of his uniform. And there’s nothing I’d rather invest my time and energy into than my own family.
And right now we get to see just how well the investment of all those hours, blood, sweat, and tears is going to pay off.
“Dust yourself off. Forget about it. Keep swinging.” That’s what I always tell him. After those first two pitches he needs to keep that in front of his mind. He swung wildly and missed badly. Now the pitcher has a huge advantage and will likely throw a bad pitch and try to get Vince to chase it.
That’s what’s expected in baseball, but Vince is prepared for everything. It’s the way I’ve been working with him for eleven years now, since the day he was born.
And Vince isn’t the only one from our family on the field today. Bratton Dawson is on first. Gates Dawson is on second. Parks Dawson is on third. Yep…all boys of mine.
I wanted a family of seven initially, but once we got started we couldn’t stop. We are at nine and counting, and as much as we’re sure number nine was the last one we’ve been reminded before that there’s always room for one more.
Violet had given me everything. Her love. Her life. Our family.
And as much as I loved my daughters, there’s just something different about a man and his son…or in this case sons.
Violet’s baby making was like magic. She always seemed to know just when we needed a boy or a girl. A girl to calm our family at the right moment, and a boy when we needed a protector for one of the girls and a little more excitement and roughhousing for one of the other boys. It’s all about balance and Violet is a pro at that.
“Weight distribution!” I yell to Vince. I look down at his feet and see he’s just a tad off. He squares himself better and waits for the likely junk pitch trying to get him to swing and miss.
But it’s not a junk pitch like everyone’s expecting. The pitcher’s trying to sneak one right down the middle for the final strikeout and the win.
Vince cocks back those oversized hands of his that he inherited from me. As the pitch nears his hands suddenly explode forward through the strike zone with the thick part of the barrel of his bat not far behind.
Crack!
My other boys take off running as the ball sails towards the fence.
Does it have enough?
The outfielder is tracking it down. He arrives at the fence and puts his free hand against the wall to steady himself and holds his glove up in preparation to make the catch…if the ball stays in the field of play.
“Come on!” someone yells from the dugout. “Get up!” they yell to the ball trying to will it to fly just a little bit farther and a little bit longer.
The ball starts its descent and a second later the outfielder jumps for the catch.
The entire stadium holds its breath. The ball lands a solid three feet past his glove and over the fence!
“Home run! Police All-Stars win!” The announcer yells.
Violet jumps higher than I’ve ever seen her jump before, grabbing me around the neck. I catch her in mid-air and kiss her hard. I set her down and we squeeze each other’s hands tight, running towards the field to congratulate our sons.
But it’s not just us. Our entire side of the stadium rushes to meet the boys at home plate a
s they round the bases.
The familiar crew is there, and not just Violet and our kids.
Harmony and Vic’s kids are there too.
After watching how much fun Violet and I were having Harmony and Vic somehow rekindled their childhood romance and started a family of their own. Their kids Hank and Vanessa also play a lot of sports. There two kids plus our seven would be enough for an entire team, if the ages were spaced out right.
Imagine that. An entire baseball team of just our two families’ kids.
That would be a miracle, almost like what we just witnessed today with Vince winning the game.
But it’s not a miracle. I trust all my children during moments in life like these that show us what we’re made of. And the way I see it the only real miracle was how lucky I got with my own personal home run…marrying his mother.
And she wasn’t just a home run. She was a grand slam! The ultimate triumph in my life. But by triumph I don’t mean conquest, I mean triumph in how we’ve won at this game of life together. Side by side, as equals.
The boys run off to the concession stand and I look down at Violet.
“Your boy did it,” I say.
“Our boy did it,” she says.
I give her a big hug and raise her high into the air.
“Would everyone please take a moment to gather at home plate for the presentation of the championship and runner-up trophies and the MVP award,” the announcer says.
“MVP. I think Vince has the Most Valuable Player award locked up after that dramatic moment,” Violet says.
“He may have that kind of MVP locked up, but there’s another kind of MVP I’m thinking of.”
“What’s that?” Violet says with a confused look on her face.
“The one who took him to all those games. The one who cheered for him in the rain. The one who feeds him and makes sure he does his homework and raises the best family she can. He may be the MVP on the field, but you’re the MVP in life. The Most Valuable Partner to me and the MVP to our entire family.”
“Awww,” she says. “Thank you.”
She gives me one of her famous hugs. At least they’re famous to me that is.
“And you’re my MVP. My knight in shining armor and protector to me and our entire family.”
“Knight in shining armor, huh? Well how about we pack up those kids of ours in my white horse and head up to the lake house at Bear Mountain tomorrow.” I point towards our white van, which serves as a shuttle to the grocery store and all our kids’ events.
“That sounds amazing,” she says.
“It does sound amazing,” I say. “The only thing more amazing was the yes you gave me when you accepted my marriage proposal. Nothing will ever top that.”
She leans in and hugs me.
“Sir, I’m sorry, but we have to ask you to move. We’ll be holding the MVP celebration here.”
“Right,” I say. Violet and I continue our hug just shuffling a few feet away.
Five minutes later our boy wins as we hoped.
But win or lose we already won. We’ve got the best family anyone could hope for and that’s the Most Valuable Perfection life can give anyone.
Statham
Broke, unemployed, and alone is no way to start off the new year, but that’s exactly what happens after my company closes shop after the holidays.
We’re in the middle of one of the worst winters on record, and like always I can’t find one of my gloves. When I go looking for it, I find something else entirely.
Him.
Statham’s Service Center needs help running their cash register, and I need help running away from him.
He’s quiet, confident, and a man of few words. I should turn and walk away, but it feels like my boots are stuck in the snow when I freeze up at the sight of him. With his hazel eyes, nearly bald head, and all that masculinity and sex appeal that oozes off of him I can't help but to stop and stare.
But he’s too old for me. I’m not sure what he’d see in a young, confused girl like me…but I sure know what I want him to see in me. His tool.
When I watch those strong arms of his flex as he turns a wrench unleashing a nut, I’m imagining another kind of nut we can unleash…together.
But will this manly mechanic check my fluids with his dipstick, or will he leave me stranded by the side of the road, dry, fuming, and with a blown gasket?
And when my dad comes by looking for a free oil change, he certainly isn’t expecting to see his daughter getting mounted, rotated, aligned, and adjusted.
Will this sexy loner service me and send me on my way, or will he provide a lifetime service guarantee for my body, mind, and soul...forever?
*Statham is an insta-everything standalone romance with an HEA, no cheating, and no cliffhanger.
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Police Officer's Princess: A Single Dad, Brother's Best Friend, Police Officer Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 31) Page 21