by Lea Coll
Mason
Six Months Later…
When I rolled over, the first morning living in Mia’s house, the sheets on her side were cold. She wasn’t in the bathroom. I laid there, content to be in our home, breathing in her scent.
One of the owners of the summer camp Mia worked at over the summer offered her a job at a youth home for children. There are ups and downs but ultimately, she feels like she’s making a difference.
Mia hasn’t said anything, but I think she wants to foster a child. She talks about a teen, Anna, whose parents died when she was young but she was never adopted. She’s angry, jaded, but Mia has been so kind to her, so gentle. It’s like she sees herself inside this girl. She knows what’s inside Anna’s heart. She knows what she’s going through. She wants to make her life better. I know she loves Anna already. It’s just a matter of gaining her trust, showing her that she’s not alone.
Mia’s heart is so big. She has so much love to give. Providing a home for kids is the right thing to do. I want to ask her to marry me, to pave the way for what I know is coming, fostering, adoption, maybe even becoming the director of her own youth home.
She’ll have the family she’s always wanted, starting with Everett and me. What her aunt and uncle did was unforgivable, but they shaped her into the amazing giving person she is today.
She’s met with Corbin several times, but it’s a long slow road with her aunt’s interference. If and when Corbin finally cuts the cord with his mother, it might be a smoother relationship. Until then I don’t like how each visit affects Mia.
Fortunately, Mia recognizes what’s happening and will distance herself from them, a skill I gave her. She taught me to love, to give myself unconditionally to Everett and to her.
Everett’s playing baseball year-round between school and rec leagues. He’s made new friends who are a good influence. I don’t think Everett will slide back with his old friends, not with Mia and me caring for him.
Rebecca may have abandoned him, but we never will.
More awake, I headed downstairs to find her, knowing Everett won’t be up for hours on a Saturday.
I found her drinking coffee on the couch in the sunroom. We’d had heat installed since it was getting cold out.
“What are you doing up so early?” I sat next to her.
She gave me a soft smile. “Just thinking about some of my kids at the home. I know they’re not mine but—”
“They are your kids. You worry and care for them just like you do Everett.”
Her forehead wrinkled. “I hate leaving them at the end of the day.”
“I know.” I wrapped my arm around her. This was the hardest part of her job. The kids needing so much from her, I had to remind her she needed to take care of herself too.
She rested her head on my shoulder. “I thought this job would fulfill me. Instead, it pushes me to do more.”
I played with a strand of her hair. “You want to foster.”
“I do, but how can I bring home just one? Not when each child needs someone on their side.”
I smiled, her words the perfect opening for what I think we need. “I’ve been wanting to buy a bigger house.”
She lifted her head to see my face. “What are you talking about? You just moved in.”
“It’s not big enough for everything we want, to foster, adopt. Our family is going to get bigger and we need to be prepared.”
“How did I get so lucky with you?” She kissed me on the lips before snuggling closer.
“I’m the lucky one because you answered the ad to foster my dog. Then you insisted on contacting me while I was deployed. Those pictures you sent gave me a glimpse into your life. You were a connection to my son while I was gone. You knew what I needed when I didn’t.”
She smiled. “I sound pretty amazing.”
“You are. I was so closed off, compartmentalizing my home life from my work. I couldn’t help Everett like that. You taught me how to connect with him, with you.”
Her smile fell away. “Too bad we can’t connect with our families, my aunt and uncle, your parents.”
“I’ve been talking to my sister, Avery. She emailed me at the beginning of my last deployment, and we’ve kept in touch.”
She shifted in my arms to see my face. “I didn’t know that. You rarely talk about her.”
“It’s because I don’t know her. We’re getting to know each other now. She mentioned coming down here to visit sometime. She’s dating someone who has a child. I think he took in his nephew when his brother died.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I’d love to see her again, get to know her, meet the people in her life.”
“I’d like that too.”
I’d been wanting to ask her to marry me for a while, but it was never the right time. We are on the cusp of all of these amazing things and I wanted to do it together, with her as my wife. “I want to marry you. I want to live with you, grow our amazing version of a family, whether it’s fostering, adoption, or a baby of our own.”
She shifted slightly away from me to see my face. “Mason, are you proposing?”
“Why do you look so surprised?” Had I misread her? Did she not want to get married to me?
She hesitated for a second. “I guess I never thought you’d want to get married again.”
“I thought I was clear the day I met your aunt and uncle. I said I loved you and wanted to move in with you.”
Mia shook her head. “Moving in together does not equal marriage.”
Was she questioning my commitment to her? It was more of a reason to tell her how I feel. I cupped her face so I could look into her eyes. “I’m not a romantic guy. I don’t have a ring yet. I didn’t plan a spectacular proposal, just you, me, and this question, the most important one I’ll ever ask, Mia, will you marry me? Will you be a family with Everett, me, and all of the children you want to help?”
“Yes, I’d love to.” Her upturned face was full of love for me.
I kissed her then, reveling in the idea that she would be mine forever. I’d do anything to keep her in my life, in Everett’s. I’d never been passionate about anything in my life other than flying jets, but Mia helped me to see that there was something just as challenging, thrilling, and satisfying—the life we’d built together.
I hope you loved Mia and Mason’s story! If you’d like to read more about their happily ever after, download the bonus epilogue.
If you would like to read Mason’s sister, Avery’s book, Lost without You is available now!
THE END
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Desolation by Tori Fox
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Books By Lea Coll
All I Want Series
Choose Me
Be with Me
Burn for Me
Trust in Me
Stay with Me
Take a Chance on Me
Annapolis Harbor Series
Only with You
Lost without You
Perfect for You
Boudreaux Universe Novel
Easy Moves
Quick Snap Novella (With Me in Seattle Universe)
Lucky Catch
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Acknowledgments
To Corinne Michaels for allowing me to write in her world. I love the characters and worlds she’s created, and I’m honored to be given this opportunity.
To my family for continuing to support me in this dream, especially my husband whose belief in me never wavers.
To my friend Deb, who fosters for the Dogs on Deployment program, and sparked my inspiration for this book.
To my beta readers, Pat, Kendra, Christy, and Tammy who are brave enough to read my books before they’re fully edited. The books wouldn’t be as amazing as they are without your thoughts and suggestions.
To the bloggers who have read, reviewed, and shared my books. I love connecting with each and every one of you.
To the readers who read and reviewed my books—I appreciate it more than you’ll ever know. There’s nothing better than connecting with readers. To know that something I wrote resonated with you. I read to be in another world for a few hours and I hope that you enjoy being in the world I created.