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I’m stunned because I had no idea the children could hear me, and I’m embarrassed that they’ve told Jace.
He slowly places Tammy on the sand. “Charlie can you take Tammy over there,” he points to a spot on the beach away from the water, “so I can talk to Savannah?”
“You won’t disappear again?” Charlie asks, and Jace winces.
“I promise not to disappear again.”
That’s good enough for Charlie, because he takes hold of Tammy’s hand. “C’mon.” They walk off together as we watch them go
, and I can’t help but smile at the pair—they are so cute.
Jace looks at me and drinks me in, just like I’m doing with him, my vision dimming again with tears.
I don’t need words right now, what I need is his arms around me.
Stepping into him, I wrap my arms around his waist and sob into his chest when his arms hold me tightly against him. His cheek rests against the top of my head as we stand, for I don’t know how long, holding each other, keeping the children in sight.
Jace slowly releases me from our close embrace and cups my face. His forehead drops to mine. “Please hear me out before you say anything, okay?”
I nod.
“I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to say I’m cured of PTSD, hell, I’m not even sure it’s curable, but right now, I can say I’m handling it better. I’m nervous about being around anyone else when I sleep, which is why,” he sighs, “I’m renting the house next door to you, here in Cape Elizabeth. I want everything with you, and if you’ll have me back, we’ll have to take one day at a time. Sometimes it won’t be all that easy, but I love you, Savannah. You’re the only reason I made it through my time away—once my thoughts turned to getting you back in my life, there was no stopping me.”
My tears won’t stop flowing, but my heart, for the first time in eight months, feels lighter. I don’t have to think about what he’s asking because I’ve missed him so much. The children have, although it’s been Charlie who is always asking, “When is Jace coming home?” And now our family is going to be complete.
There has never been a question as to me wanting Jace to be part of our future as a family, and hopefully, in a few years, we can add to that. The only question has ever been, when is he going to come home?
With my tears starting to dry up, I cup his bearded jaw, and offer him a watery smile. “I love you, and nothing in life worth having is easy.”
Placing a gentle kiss to my lips, Jace then takes my hand as we walk to collect our children.
Epilogue
Jace
Five years later…
Relaxing on a lounge chair out back surrounded by our family fills my heart with joy.
I wish I could say that once I reappeared in Savannah’s life that things had been perfect, but that would be a lie. The first year had been bumpy to say the least. At first it had been perfect, but as time went on and I wasn’t prepared to try to be with her overnight, she’d been unable to hide the hurt that my fear was causing.
It had taken two years for me to finally get the balls to be with her, and in that time her love for me had never wavered. And because of that we now have a beautiful life together. A life that I never dreamed would be possible.
Savannah has been my wife for two and a half years, and today has been the baptism of our youngest child, Mazie. She is three months old and currently nestled against my chest in a milk-induced coma. We’ve had a double celebration because yesterday had been Tammy’s ninth birthday and we couldn’t let that pass without making a big deal about it.
Jamie, our eighteen-month-old son is currently running around with Ryder and Dahlia’s three children. Faith considers herself in charge because she is the eldest ‘little’ girl in her household at nearly six. Georgia, her sister, has just turned four, and the baby of my brother’s family, Lacy is two. It’s no wonder that my brother has started to sprout grey hair. He matches me at least. I’m convinced my grey hair stems from our son, Charlie, who is now twelve, and has discovered that his prowess on the softball field attracts girls. Of course Ryder finds this highly amusing. He won’t in years to come when he has three teenage girls running around his house whispering about boys.
My heart aches because it’s so full of love for my family, and especially my wife and children. Not one day goes by that I’m not thankful to Savannah for believing in me, regardless of what happened between us in the past. She has always been by my side, and I know that she always will be.
THE END
I hated typing the end to this book because I feel like I could go on, and on with the life of ‘Jace and Savannah’.
Turn the page for a sneak peak at Blade, coming Winter 2015
Prologue
Sylvia
