“And our anniversary dinner,” I say, puffing my cheeks at the thought of food, really not feeling very well.
“At the soup kitchen. Great idea by the way hun. Two years of wedded bliss. Let’s go have a bowl of chili and some cold coffee in a paper cup.”
He looks up, noticing my face.
“Sorry, baby. I know it’s a great cause and I know you do more than serve up-”
He doesn’t get to finish.
In one swift movement, he’s scooped up baby Jack with one arm and launched himself over to me, catching me before my head hits the sideboard as my legs give out.
“Alright, it’s alright, everyone’s alright,” he coos, bouncing Jack and effortlessly planting me in a chair before he examines me.
“Give him here,” I murmur, taking Jack and bouncing him on my knee while Mason squats down in front of us both, stroking my hair back and then kissing Jack.
“Do we need to make a stop at the doctors on the way?” he asks, a familiar grin, a devilish glint in his eyes.
I screw my face up, trying to get mad again, but something in me just tells me he’s right.
“I’ll be fine, Mason, just Jack’s stinky diaper got to me. I’ll make an appointment next week. We’re kind busy this week,” I remind him.
“Anniversary? Then holiday? Remember those?” I hear myself whining, trying not to smile.
But he’s smiling too much for my liking like he knows what I just figured out.
Like I know somehow we’re going to be later than I’d like for the opening and for our anniversary dinner.
Fashionably late, the grand opening of the McPherson-Thorne community center goes ahead, followed by a gala dinner featuring the menu and serving staff from the center’s community outreach program.
I recognize almost everyone working tonight. I used to serve them bland chili and coffee in paper cups… now, they have jobs and a place to stay. Places of their own and most of them have families now too.
Florence gives a tearful speech, and I have to pretend I’m feeding Jack so she won’t see me cry. I eventually have to get up and declare the project officially open, which I do.
A familiar face hands me the novelty oversized scissors to cut the ribbon for the media while Mason holds baby Jack, cheering me on.
“How are you, Karen?” I ask, still amazed she’s stayed on so long. I made sure she kept her same salary, but I never believed someone like her would spend two minutes doing what we do here, let alone two years.
“Ah, y’know,” she murmurs, narrowing her eyes and looking from me to Mason.
“Not as well as some,” she says, almost sounding bitter, when one of the regulars I remember from when I first started helping here comes up behind her and squeezes her hips, kissing her neck.
“I’ve had worse jobs,” she says, finally smiling. But not at me. Smiling into the eyes of the man she’s found love with too.
Ha. Even Karen has a happy ending.
It’s Mason’s turn for speeches and as usual, there are a million media questions about everything not related to the center.
But he calls for silence, and to my horror, he produces the pee test he made me take, right before we arrived, announcing to the world that McPherson-Thorne Industries has a second heir on the way.
Right on time to celebrate our second wedding anniversary.
He shrugs and looks over to me, probably expecting me to be mad or embarrassed, but I’m not.
I only mouth the words I love you. Kissing baby Jack as I notice the tear at the corner of Mason’s eye as he smiles for the camera.
EXTENDED EPILOGUE
TEN YEARS LATER
Mason
“Well, I think it’s stupid,” Jack says gruffly, folding his arms and making a face that always reminds me of his momma, always makes me smile even though he’s mad.
Disappointed.
“That’s just how it goes Jack,” I explain. “Sometimes you hook the big fish and sometimes you come home with nothing but half the worms you left home with.
“I never wanna go fishing again!” he nearly shouts and it’s my turn to make a face at him in the rearview mirror.
“It’s not so bad, Jack. We’ll be going to the lake in a few weeks, and we can try again there, okay?”
But he looks really disappointed. “I just…” he starts, his cheeks red and his lower lip trembling.
Just like his mom, bless him.
“I just wanted to show you and mommy that I could do stuff, that I not just a little kid anymore,” he finally blurts out.
I feel a pain in my chest, cutting across two lanes of traffic, I stop at the nearest safe place.
I unbuckle myself and get out of the car. I walk around to his side, opening his door.
And I hug my son so hard, for so long.
“Jack,” I tell him, my own voice cracking with emotion, “Mommy and Daddy love you so much, no matter what you do. You don’t have to prove anything to us.”
“I know, Daddy, I know. But you and mommy are always doing everything, doing so much for other people. I just wanted to… to… contribute,” he manages to say, carefully considering the word before he says it.
“I’m more proud of you right now Jack than if you’d brought home half the ocean,” I tell him. “And I know mommy will be too when I tell her.”
“Tell her what?” he asks, looking up at me.
“When I tell her how you put everyone else first, in your thoughts and feelings today, that’s more valuable than bringing home any fish for dinner. We can order that in,” I remind him.
“But what you got yourself there son, its called character, it’s what makes people great. I love you, Jack,” I tell him. Looking up and thanking whoever or whatever it is that brought these angels into my life.
We drive home in better spirits and Jack’s pleased enough with himself for being a better person while I’m astonished at just how great these kids are, all of them.
Pulling into the drive, I frown when I see a strange car.
Beat up.
Old.
As we reach the front door I hear a male voice, and my back’s up.
“Go get washed up son,” I tell Jack, ushering him in a different direction to the voice and make my way into the kitchen in three steps.
Jules is at the table, baby Sarah on her knee. Joel, our second eldest is on someone else’s knee, but I can’t’ see his face.
An old man who speaks before I get there before I even see his face.
“I told Jules you’d probably wanna thump me one, but she let me in any way, Mason. Let me in to see my grandkids, please.”
I feel the air rush out of my chest. I shoot Jules a look of disbelief, but her eyes are so calm, so peaceful as she holds Sarah.
“When did you get out?” I ask, not even trying to sound polite.
“Oh, a few years back.”
Nicholas turns in his seat to face me, his eyes move to an empty chair nearby.
“I won’t stay long, Mason. I just wanted to see you again… see how you were. You’re looking good, son. Real good,” he says.
I almost recoil at how he’s aged, how small he looks. The man I spent so much time and effort putting away, the man I relied on for twenty years before that, every day.
“I haven’t got long, Mason. Not much time-” he starts to say, but the sound of Jack talking loudly as he walks into the kitchen drowns him out.
“… Never wanted to go fishing again, but daddy said I did well because I put other people first. Told me I have character,” he says, addressing his mom, stopping short when he sees we have company.
“And who’s this fine young man?” Nicholas asks.
Jules stays quiet, and Jack looks from Nicholas to me.
“This is… This is my dad, Jack. He’s been away for a while and he’s come to say hi… maybe even stay a while,” I tell him, remembering the lesson he’s just given me on the way home.
Jack looks thoughtful for a momen
t. “Your dad? That would make him… our Grandpa! Wouldn’t it daddy?” he announces innocently. Excitedly.
“It sure would,” I hear myself saying, “why don’t you introduce yourself, Jack? Tell Grandpa Thorne here how you taught your old man a thing or two about fishing today.”
Jack shakes hands with the old man and starts to babble excitedly, offering his own room if Grandpa’s going to be staying.
Nicholas’ gray eyes move calmly from Jack’s to mine, then back to Jack again.
I move over and lean in to kiss Jules, my wife. Jack’s mommy. Joel’s and Sarah’s mommy too. My business partner. My best friend. My love.
She kisses me back and I want to tell her how proud I am of her, of Jack… of all of them so much that it hurts.
“I love you,” I whisper, hoping she understands everything I mean by that. Those three little words.
With a gentle touch of her hand on mine, she tells me she does.
“I love you too, honey.”
NEWSLETTER
Get a free, new, original story NOW by joining my mailing list and staying subscribed.
CLICK HERE >> Get a FREE book now
A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT HE WANTS
Book 1: Baby Lust
Book 2: Veteran
Book 3: Built
Book 4: Bambino
Book 5: Rescued
Book 6: Leader
Book 7: Professor
Book 8: Burned
Book 9: Worldly
Book 10: Pistol
Book 11: Policed
Book 12: Driven
Book 13: Lucky 13
Book 14: Lumberjacked
Book 15: Protector
Book 16: Carpenter
Book 17: Italian Stallion
Book 18: Gardener
Book 19: Budapest Billionaire’s Virgin
Book 20: Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 21: Cocky CFO
Book 22: Fireman’s Filthy 4th
Book 23: Mechanic
Book 24: SEAL’s Secret
Book 25: Police, Pooch, and Smooch
Book 26: Fireman’s Fake Fiancée
Book 27: Billionaire’s Virgin Ballerina
Book 28: Bitcoin Billionaire’s Babysitter
Book 29: Veterans Day Daddy
Book 30: Cowboy’s Christmas Carol
Book 31: Police Officer’s Princess
Book 32: Statham
Book 33: Bodyguard
Book 34: Greek God
Book 35: Billionaire Single Dad's Babysitter
Book 36: Mountain Man
Book 37: SEAL’s Justice
Book 38: Royal Romance
Book 39: Doctor Mountain Man’s Special Delivery
Book 40: Crocodile Dan D
Book 41: Mountain Man’s Secret Baby
Book 42: Doctor Bad Boy’s Secret Baby
Book 43: Cop’s Babysitter
Book 44: Nanny for the Cop Next Door
Book 45: Small Town SEAL’s Saving Grace
Book 46: Cop’s Fake Fiancée
Book 47: Billionaire’s Nanny
Book 48: Cowboy’s Babysitter
Book 49: Steamy
Book 50: Brother’s Best Friend
Book 51: Possessive Professor
Book 52: Firefighter’s Babysitter
Book 53: Soldier’s Secret Baby
Book 54: Ward’s Independence Day
Book 55: Doctor Next Door
Book 56: Possessive Policeman
Book 57: Coached by the MMA Fighter
Book 58: Boss’s Babysitter
Book 59: Virgin in New York
Book 60: Rock Star’s Baby
Book 61: Possessive Protector
Book 62: Possessive Australian
Book 63: Best Friend’s Brother
Book 64: Possessive Cowboy
Book 65: Summer Romanced
Book 66: Possessive Prince
Book 67: Lovers’s Enemy
Book 68: Cop’s Best Friend
Book 69: Possessive Firefighter
Book 70: Football Next Door
Book 71: Doctor December
Book 72: Possessive Canadian
Book 73: Blue Collar Billionaire
Book 74: Possessive K-9 Cop
Book 75: Possessive Brazilian
Book 76: Hockey Obsession
Book 77: Possessive Boston Irish American MMA Fighter
Book 78: Halloween Next Door
Book 79: Possessive Russian
Book 80: Baseball Mine
Book 81: Cop’s Caribbean Captive
Book 82: Instalove Island
Book 83: Dad’s Best Friend
Book 84: Thanksgiving with Dad’s Boss
Book 85: Possessive Italian Neighbor
Book 86: Possessive Portuguese
Book 87: Possessive Christmas Cop
Book 88: Russian’s Obsession
Book 89: Possessive Doctor’s Christmas
Book 90: Possessive Parisian Pilot
Book 91: U.K. Boxing Day
Book 92: Jealous Russian Stalker
Book 93: Italian Mountain Man
Book 94: Aggressive Russian
Book 95: Possessive Valentine
Book 96: Possessive Hunter
Book 97: Dad’s Russian Mafia Friend
Book 98: Russian Teacher
Book 99: Australian Obsession
Book 100: Russian Next Door
Book 101: Dad’s Irish Friend
Book 102: Nanny for the Russian Mafia
Book 103: Best Friend’s Dad
Book 104: Basketball Babymaker
Book 105: Possessive Veterinarian
Book 106: Brother’s Fireman Friend
Book 107: Brother’s Canadian Cowboy Friend
Book 108: Summer Vacation with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 109: Dad’s Italian Mafia Friend
Book 110: Dad’s Irish Mafia Friend
Book 111: Dad’s Football Friend
Book 112: Possessing His Dancing Queen
Book 113: Brother’s Cop Friend
Book 114: Halloween With Dad’s Best Friend
Book 115: Claimed By Her Boss
Book 116: Possessive Rider
Book 117: Dad’s Ex-Biker Buddy
Book 118: Possessive Undercover Cop
Book 119: Falling For Her Boss
Book 120: Claiming His Fashionista
Book 121: More Than Dad’s Best Friend
Book 122: Thanksgiving With Dad’s Best Friend
Book 123: Bossy Italian
Book 124: Christmas With Dad’s Mafia Friend
Book 125: Maid For The Italian Mafia
Book 126: Nutcracker
Book 127: Cowboy Cerrone
Book 128: Chef’s Kiss
Book 129: Claimed By The Russian
Book 130: Bought By The Italian Mafia
Book 131: Hot Nerd
Book 132: Dad’s Italian Mafia Boss
Book 133: Mine
Book 134: Taken By The Thief
Book 135: Curves Ahead
Book 136: Her Mafia Valentine
Book 137: Doctor Valentine
Book 138: Maid For The Irish Mafia
Book 139: Winning Her Curves
Book 140: Dad’s Cartel Best Friend
Book 141: Dad’s Greek Mafia Friend
Book 142: Lawyer’s Obsession
Book 143: Attending Her Curves
Book 144: Maid for the Russian Mafia
Book 145: Priest
Book 146: Claimed By Dad’s Best Friend
Book 147: His Curvy Office Obsession
Book 148: Easter with Dad's Best Friend
Book 149: Veterinarian's Obsession
Book 150: Curves For Her Older Boss
Book 151: Mob Lawyer's Curves
Book 152: Maid For The Doctor Next Door
Book 153: Possessive Forest Ranger
Book 154: Nurse For The Russian Mafia
Book 155: Dad’s Fireman Friend
<
br /> Book 156: Russian Mountain Man
Book 157: Possessive Italian Doctor
Book 158: Dad's EMT Best Friend
Book 159: Claimed By The Publisher
Book 160: Mr. CEO
Book 161: His Curvy Castaway Obsession
Book 162: Claiming His Reunion Obsession
Book 163: Claimed By Dad’s College Friend
Book 164: Dad’s Detective Best Friend
Book 165: Attending The Russian Mafia
Book 166: Dad's Biker Best Friend
Book 167: My Dad's Russian Mafia Friend
Book 168: Possessive Landlord
Book 169: Gardener For The Mafia
Book 170: Possessive Fighter
Book 171: Claiming Her Sweet Curves
Bool 172: Possessive Camp Counselor
Book 173: Claimed By Dad's Italian Best Friend
Book 174: Possessive Neighbor
Book 175: 4th of July With Dad's Best Friend
Book 176: Claimed By Her Enemy
Book 177: Bodyguard’s Obsession
Book 178: Falling For The Player
Book 179: Possessive Alpha Cop
Book 180: Her CEO
Book 181: Falling For Her Dad’s Boss
Book 182: MMA Fighter’s Obsession
Book 183: Possessive Lawyer
Book 184: Claimed by the British Rockstar
Book 185: Summer Obsession
Book 186: Paris with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 187: Claimed by the Possessive Fireman
Book 188: Possessive Trucker
Book 189: Falling for Dad's Enemy
Book 190: His Undercover Maid
Book 191: Her Innocent CEO
Book 192: Bratva Boss’s Babysitter
Book 193: Sold to the Bratva Boss
Book 194: My Dad's Best Friend
Book 195: His Cabin Obsession
Book 196: Driver's Obsession
Book 197: His Unexpected Love
Book 198: London with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 199: Hot Neighbor
Book 200: Maid for the Hollywood Heartthrob
Book 201: The CEO and the Wedding Planner
Book 202: Claimed by the Italian
Book 203: Dad’s CEO Boss
Book 204: The Mob and His Messenger
Book 205: Rome with Dad’s Best Friend
Book 206: Haunted by Her Curves
Book 207: Her Vampire
Book 208: Bidding for Her Curves
BRATVA BEAR SHIFTERS
Bidding For Her Curves: An Instalove Possessive Age Gap Romance (A Man Who Knows What He Wants Book 208) Page 13