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Her warrior.
Her love.
Her forever.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Why was the meeting taking so long?
They were the longest and worst minutes of Gideon’s life. He could almost hear his watch ticking even though it was digital.
And then, there she was, running down the sidewalk to him. Thank God. He swung Rosie up and held her tight, not able to speak for several long moments, as profound gratitude held him in its grip.
“It was perfect,” she said when he finally let her feet slide back down to the ground. “He’s terrified. He’ll leave us alone.”
Gideon stroked a finger down her cheek, breathed in the sweet scent of her. “I’m so proud of you.” They were in the middle of the sidewalk, people all around them, but she had to know—he had to tell her what he’d never admitted to another soul. “I blamed myself for not making Karmen stay inside the wire.”
“I know you did.” Her voice was so gentle, so understanding. “Even though no one else blamed you.”
“But you know what the real problem was?” He’d finally worked it out in those long
, agonizing minutes as he waited for Rosie. “I didn’t trust her to take care of herself.” He hadn’t even trusted her enough to tell her how he felt. “We fought about it, about how I was always asking her not to go, not to do her job the way she thought best. We fought about it just before that last mission.” He swallowed hard. “I know that’s not why she died. But I also know she didn’t die because she was careless. She died because she did what had to be done, because she was a hero, like everyone else on my team. I will always feel the ache that it was them and not me. I can’t help that. But instead of arguing with her, I should have trusted Karmen to be the soldier that she was.” A stranger hurrying down the sidewalk jostled Gideon closer to Rosie. “Back then, I didn’t understand how strong a woman could be. But I know now, Rosie. Because you and Ari and Chi, Paige and Harper and Charlie and Tasha, all of you Mavericks, you’ve helped me see it. But especially you, Rosie, how you’ll do anything for Jorge—yet at the same time, you don’t let anyone take advantage of you either.”
“I’ve been taking care of myself and Jorge for a long time.” She wrapped her hand around his nape, pulling him even closer. “But knowing you were out here today, to back me up if I needed you, helped me stay strong in the face of evil. You and me, we’re strongest together, Gideon. The two of us, we can do anything.”
It hit him then, the true meaning of Karmen’s gift. Pulling Rosie around the corner, out of the crowded street, he backed her up against the wall. “I’ve just figured it out, why Karmen said there was magic in the painting. It’s about two people being the strongest they can possibly be by leaning on each other, helping each other, trusting each other.”
“That really is magic,” Rosie agreed. “And yet, it’s so simple too.”
His voice was infused with a new strength and certainty as he said, “I need to sell the painting.”
Rosie studied his face for a long moment. “You’re completely sure about letting Karmen’s painting go now, aren’t you?” It wasn’t even a question. Rosie knew him inside and out, everything there was to know.
He nodded, never having felt more sure of anything, apart from how he loved Rosie and Jorge with every piece of the soul he thought he’d lost. “With the money from the painting, I can help people find the strength within themselves. The foundation we can set up will be akin to standing outside their door offering that helping hand.”
“I love it, Gideon. It’s so perfect. You can do so much good.”
“We, Rosie.” He stroked her cheek. “I never could have figured this out without you, when all I’ve done for so long is stand on the sidelines.” It was what he’d been doing for ten long years, living off the grid, hiding in the shadows. Even after he’d found Ari, he hadn’t truly participated, hadn’t really lived, except for the times he let himself go with the boys. “Will you work with me to start a foundation where we can help vets and their families?” His mind whirled with all the possibilities. “We could help foster kids too. People like me, kids like you and Ari and Chi. We could help people who need a team to support them, bring them together. What do you say, Rosie? Will you be my team to get this off the ground?”
“Yes,” she said as she held him tight. “Yes to every single one of your amazing ideas.”
“I love you. I love you so damned much.” He picked her up, twirling her around, making her laugh with sheer joy. “I want to keep on saying that every day for the rest of our lives. You are my heart. You are my soul. You’ve set me free.”
* * *
Gideon was a new man. He smiled all the way up to his beautiful sky-blue eyes.
He’d always been strong. Loyal. Amazing. But now, for the first time ever, Rosie could see that he was truly happy.
As happy as she was. He would be the best father for Jorge, a man Jorge could admire, the kind of man Jorge could strive to be. And the best life partner for her.
They truly were strong because they were together, because they gave each other strength instead of sapping it. She’d been paralyzed by those phone calls. But sharing her fear with Gideon had shown her the solution. Sharing and trusting had given her strength. Just as Gideon’s sharing and trusting her with the full story of what had happened in the Middle East had given him the strength to finally forgive himself—and to risk his heart again.
The moment they got back to Evan and Paige’s house, she gathered Jorge up in her arms. She hadn’t realized how tense she’d been the past few days, since that first phone call. Now, as she smothered her son with kisses and knew in her very soul that he was safe, she could finally let it all go.
“Love you, sweet boy.”
“Love you too, Mom.” Then he raced back to the epic Lego city he and Noah were building on the dining table with the new Lego pieces Paige must have had delivered.
