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“I hope it will be.” I look around for the last time, and wait for my uncle to finish locking up so that we can say our goodbyes before I hit the road for the next chapter in my life.
Chapter Thirty-One
Jace
Two months later…
Sitting on top of the sand dunes at Crescent Beach, Cape Elizabeth, I’m unrecognizable. My once whisker covered jaw is overgrown, and my clothes sag slightly from my weight loss.
The past eight months have been difficult to get through. At least the last month has been easier because I’d made the decision to go back for the woman that I love.
Ryder has been a bastard and refused to mention Savannah, since I sent her the letter, so I have no idea how she’s been or what she’s been up to. I’d wanted to know if she’d been awarded Tammy, or if she was involved with someone else. I have no clue and the lack of information has driven me crazy.
I do know that Charlie has been adopted, and although it makes me sad that I couldn’t visit him when I’d finally gone home, five days ago, I’m happy that he now has a family. Karen had told me that much, but wouldn’t tell me anything else, other than he was with a loving family, and he now has a little sister. Karen can be damn evasive when she wants to be, so I discovered.
But the one person who I’d dreamed about seeing every single morning, had left—moved away. Not one person—Ryder, Dahlia, Karen, or her uncle—would tell me why she’d moved. I did figure it had something to do with me, but I didn’t want to presume.
I love my brother though, because he did come through for me and supplied her new address—Cape Elizabeth. The fact that he’d given me this information told me that she wasn’t seeing anyone else. I mean, he wouldn’t be so cruel, right?
Sighing, I turn to look down the beach and watch as Savannah appears just like she has for the past two days like clockwork. The loneliness I see on her face gives me hope, and makes me want to rush down the dunes to tell her how much I still love her.
Something has been holding me back, and I’m not sure whether it’s my fear of repeating that night with her, or my fear of rejection.
I’d certainly deserve the rejection, but I’m not strong enough to walk away from her without trying.
I’m going to do this…
Savannah
This is the one thing I look forward to doing every morning, walking along the beach. Regardless of the weather, we’re here for a morning walk to blow the cobwebs away, and frighten the seagulls that tend to have a birds meeting on the sand dunes.
Batts is the one responsible for chasing the seagulls away. He’s a King Charles spaniel and loves to get into all sorts of trouble, sometimes to my dismay.
We’re a family here in the Cape, except there is one person missing to make us complete…and that’s when I spot him walking toward us.
I have to blink a few times to make sure he isn’t a figment of my imagination, but he’s still there.
Jace looks so different as he walks toward us. His facial hair has grown into a short beard, and he looks to have lost some weight, like I have. I’d recognize him anywhere…and it appears the children do as well—my son and daughter—the adoption being final going on eight weeks.
Charlie drops his bucket of water and small stones and races to Jace, wrapping his small arms around Jace’s waist when he makes contact. Jace pauses and then lifts Charlie up into his arms. I watch as Jace’s arms wrap around Charlie and he holds the child tightly, while Charlie is probably strangling the life out of him.
Tammy is more hesitant and slides her small hand into mine.
“Mommy,” she whispers, and I’ll never get tired of hearing her call me that.
“Hmm.”
“Is that Jace?”
My feet start moving us toward him as I lift Tammy into my arms. She snuggles against me, but doesn’t take her eyes from Jace and Charlie.
With my vision blurred, I watch as Jace puts Charlie back on his feet and takes Tammy into his arms.
“I’ve missed you.” He strokes down her blonde hair and the tears leak from his eyes when she wraps her arms around him.
Pulling back she adds, “I missed you too, but you’re not to leave Mommy again, because she cries sometimes.”
“Yeah, a lot,” Charlie adds.
