“Do you think it would be okay?” I ask him.
“I do,” he says. “Let me call Hailey and I’ll call you back.”
Well, to say it was more than okay was an understatement. We ended up leaving Thursday instead of Friday so the girls would have an extra beach day. The ride was longer than I thought, and if I heard one more, “Are we there yet?” I thought I would poke my eyeballs out.
Pulling up to the house, I stare out wide-eyed. This is a perfect getaway. Hailey and Jensen walk out of the house when they see our car, then Jensen turns back and yells for Mila, who comes running out to meet us.
“So glad you guys finally got here. I swear if I heard Mila ask are they here yet one more time,” Jensen says.
“I’m so glad you’re here,” Hailey says, coming down and hugging her brother first and then me. “Let me show you around.”
She takes us inside, showing us her beautiful house. The master bedroom faces the water. I watch the waves crash onto the shore, and it’s almost as if I was here before. She takes us outside. The girls run ahead of us with Mila as their own personal tour guide. “It’s beautiful at night,” she says, walking down the stairs that lead to the beach. The girls run to the water, squealing when the wave crashes and almost wets them.
My girls look back and wave at us, and I’m so happy I think I’m going to burst. My hands go around Blake’s waist as he looks down at me, kissing me. “Love you,” he says, and I just nod.
We have dinner at Jensen’s house, which is like a private oasis. I swear the girls run straight outside to Mila’s new playhouse that Jensen built her. “I don’t think we are going to get the kids to leave here,” I lean into Blake and tell him as we sit in the outdoor porch area.
“Yeah,” Hailey says, coming to sit on the couch next to Jensen, her feet under her, “I’m not supposed to say anything, but the girls already brought their clothes for a sleepover.”
“What?” I ask, looking at Blake. “You did this?”
He puts up his hands. “I did not.” He tries to hide his smile. “Daisy asked me, and she used the pout.” He tries to plead his case. “And then she said she’s never had a sleepover at a friend’s house.”
I shake my head and roll my eyes. “She has you wrapped around her finger, and she plays you just like a fiddle each time she wants something.”
Now, he rolls his eyes. “She does not.” He turns to his sister. “She doesn’t.”
Jensen throws his head back, “When Mila was at Henry’s, she convinced him to try green nail polish. You Williams men have a soft spot.”
Hailey clears her throat. “Are your toes still painted?” She laughs as he turns to glare at her.
“I was napping.” And we all laugh.
The girls end up sleeping over at Jensen’s with Hailey, who is giving us her house. Crystal is away for the weekend with Gabe, so it’s just the two of us. We walk on the beach back toward Hailey’s house, the full moon shining bright. My hand in his as I listen to the waves crash into the shore. “I don’t know what it is,” I start to tell him. “But it’s almost therapeutic listening to the ocean waves.”
“I guess that is why Hailey loves it so much,” he says quietly.
“I dreamed of this beach,” I tell him, looking down. “Before we even got here, before we even started being what we are.”
“Did you?” he asks as we arrive at the house, and he turns to walk to it.
“I want to sit on the beach,” I tell him, and he sits right down, opening his legs so I can sit in the middle. With my back to him and his legs on the outside of mine, we watch the waves crashing. “I was here, with you,” I slowly tell him as his arm hugs me from the back. “And I think Frankie was here also. Almost like she was pushing me to you.”
“That would probably be her,” he says, kissing the side of my head.
“I love you,” I tell him, turning my head to the side to look at him, my hand reaching up to hold his face.
“Do you really?” He looks at me with his green eyes, almost an emerald green in the moonlight. “Do you love me enough to spend the rest of your life with me?” he asks as my eyes go big. “Do you love me enough to grow old with me?” My heart speeds up.
“Blake,” I whisper as I watch him get to his feet and take something out of his pocket. He gets on one knee in front of me.
“I never thought this moment would come. After Frankie, I just …” he drifts off. “I just never imagined loving anyone the way I loved her.” The tears I try to keep at bay escape. “I was wrong. I was so wrong because not only do I love you with every beat of my heart, but I also know that without you, I wouldn’t be able to survive. I watch you when you sleep, I listen to you breathe, my hand on your heart as it beats, and my body sits at ease,” he says, smiling at me as my lower lip trembles. “I want to help you with the kids; I want to be your shoulder to cry on. I want to celebrate all the milestones that are to come, and I want it to be with you as my wife.”
“Blake.” My hands cup his face, and I lean in to kiss him, not caring that I didn’t answer him. “I can’t believe I was lucky enough to find you, or that I’m lucky enough to have your love. To know that you’re my best friend and my lover. I want to wake up to you and go to bed with you. I want to come home from work to you; I want to sit on the porch and hold your hand as we wait for the girls to come home. I want to have your babies, so we can have a piece of each of our love live forever.” I kiss his lips. “So yes, I’ll marry you. Anytime, any place.”
“Fuck, I’m so happy you said that ’cause I would hate to have to drag you to that wedding,” he says and I laugh while I kiss him out on that beach where I first dreamed of him. A star twinkles in the sky, celebrating with us.
Epilogue Two
Blake
Three years later
“Shh,” I say while I rock my son, Carter, to sleep. He just turned eighteen months, and his teeth are coming in. “Don’t wake Mommy,” I tell him as he looks up at me with my green eyes.
“She isn’t feeling well,” I tell him. She has been nauseated for the past couple of weeks, and I immediately thought she was pregnant. It seems that I was right. We found out three days ago we are expecting another baby. I smile as I think about her eyes when the plus sign showed up on the test. “I’m giving you another brother or sister,” I tell him.
He loves his mom and dad, more mom than dad, but the love he has for his sisters is something so fierce. No matter where they are, he wants to be there. Lizzie is more understanding than Daisy, who still doesn’t understand why he just can’t poop in the potty. Or why he goes in her room and touches her things. She asked for a lock for her eighth birthday. I shake my head. “What do you want?” I ask him. “Do you want a brother to even things out or would you like another sister?” I ask him, and he looks at the door, expecting them to be there.
“Izzy?” he says his name for Lizzie. “Dayday?” he says for Daisy.
“Yeah, buddy, I know, but you have to go to sleep,” I tell him as he chews his pacifier. He looks at me, his eyes getting heavier and heavier as I continue rocking him long after he falls asleep.
“You going to come back to bed?” my wife asks from the door. Yeah, something I didn’t wait long on to put that ring on it. So in front of our family and friends on a beautiful sunny day, she walked down the aisle with her girls next to her, and I vowed to love them all.
“I’m afraid to put him down,” I tell her, and I have to say my kids are my weakness. A tear, a pout, or a sad face, and I’ll give you whatever you want.
“Blake,” she says, “he’s sleeping. Put him down.” I get up and place him gently in his crib and walk to my wife.
I get into bed behind her and wrap my hands around her stomach. If I didn’t know better, I would think she’s further along because she already has the small pouch. She falls asleep right away while I listen to her breathe. “I love you,” I whisper to her. “Thank you for making my broken whole,” I say, and just like t
hat, I follow her into my dreams.
THE END!
Don’t miss out on Natasha’s latest book news. Subscribe to her newsletter!
www.natashamadisonauthor.com
Love Series
Perfect Love Story
Hailey
What do you do when you find out your whole life was a lie?
That your husband really wasn't your husband but someone else's.
That the vows you made to each other were simply empty promises.
You pick up and move to the country to start fresh.
When life hands you limes, you make sure you have tequila because your life is about to get stirred up.
Jensen
Married to my high school sweetheart, the best thing she gave me was my baby girl.
But we weren't enough for her. I wasn't enough for her.
The last thing I expected on my birthday was a Dear John letter, but that’s what I got when she upped and left. Now, it's just me and my girl against the world till the new girl moves in next door.
Is there such a thing as a perfect love story?
Unexpected Love Story
Gabe
I thought I had it all with the best medical practice in the state and the woman of my dreams.
I wore a smile on my face every single day. I couldn't wait to watch her walk down the aisle and start our forever, except she never did. My runaway bride made me realize love isn't worth it.
Crystal
I was the strong one, they said, until two words brought me to my knees.
It was a secret I didn't share with anyone. A secret that made me promise I’d never fall in love. I no longer wanted that white picket fence of every woman’s dreams.
Until the unthinkable happened.
What happens when your dreams unexpectedly come true? This is the story of unexpected love.
Also by Natasha Madison
Something Series
Something So Right
Something So Perfect
Something So Irresistible
Something So Unscripted
Tempt Series
Tempt The Boss
Tempt The Playboy
Tempt The Neighbor
Heaven & Hell Series
Hell and Back
Pieces of Heaven
Heaven & Hell Box Set
Love Series
Perfect Love Story
Unexpected Love Story
Broken Love Story
Acknowledgments
When I first started this series it was one book, I bought the cover while order ham at the deli counter. The whole story come to me, and then while writing I fell in love with all of them.
My Husband: Thank you for being by my side through this whole thing.
My Kids: Matteo, Michael, and Erica, Thank you for letting me do this. Thank you for being proud of me, I love you honey bunches and oats!
Crystal: My hooker and bestie. What don’t you do for me? Everyone needs someone like you in their corner and I am so blessed than you chose to be in mine. I can’t begin to thank you for the support, love and encouragement along the way.
Rachel: You are my blurb bitch. Each time you do it without even reading this book and you rocked it. I’m so happy that I didn’t give up when you ignored my many messages.
Dani: You are hands down one of the most genuine person I’ve ever met thank you so much for guiding me.
Lori: I don’t know what I would do without you in my life. You take over and I don’t even have to ask or worry because I know everything will be fine, because you’re a rock star, I’m also scared of that whip!
Melissa: My cover girl, I have more covers than stories, but I know you won’t let me stop. Thank you for sending me covers while I sleep so I don’t yell at you before you go to bed. I love you.
Beta girls: Teressa, Natasha M, Lori, Sandy, Yolanda, Yamina. For three weeks I bombarded your messages with chapters and you ate it up. Thank you for holding my hand, telling me when things sucked and for being by my side.
Madison Maniacs: This little group went from two people to so much more and I can’t thank you guys enough. This group is my go to, my safe place. You push me and get excited for me and I can’t wait to watch us grow even bigger!
Julie: Thank you for taking my book with all it’s mistakes and making it pretty, or as pretty as it can be.
BLOGGERS. THANK YOU FOR TAKING A CHANCE ON ME. You give so much of yourself effortlessly and you are the voice that we can’t do this without.
My Girls: Sabrina, Melanie, Marie-Eve, Lydia, Shelly, Stephanie, Marisa. Your support during this whole ride has been amazing. I can honestly say without a doubt that I have the best Squad of life!!!!
And Lastly and most importantly to YOU the reader, Without you none of this would be real. So thank you for reading!
Broken Love Story Page 20