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“Hey,” he whispered when Rainey came downstairs. He was happy that she wanted to move back up to the cabin. She said that her house had too many bad memories now, and she loved his home. That was good with him because as soon as he asked her to marry him, his cabin would also be hers.
“Thanks for letting me sleep in,” she whispered, grabbing a mug to pour herself a cup of coffee from the pot that he made earlier that morning. “Where are the kids?” she asked.
“Today was their first day of school here, remember?” he asked. She had been out of it for days now—the pills that they gave her at the emergency room really did a number on her, but it was the only way that her arm would fully heal. She was damn lucky that the gunshot went clean through her upper left arm. She’d be in a sling for a while, but she was learning to manage pretty well with it.
When they first got home to the cabin, after he arranged to have most of her house packed up and moved to his place, he wanted to wait on her hand and foot. But the doctor told him that Rainey would never get better if he did that. She needed to use her muscles and in just another day, that would prove even truer when she started physical therapy.
He watched as Rainey stubbornly struggled with the creamer, determined to do it herself, and when she finally sat down across from him, she gave him a half-hearted smile. “I forgot about them starting school today. I feel awful that I’m missing so much of their new lives up here.”
“Hey,” he said, reaching for her good hand and squeezing it into his own. “It was only one day. You’ll be there for so much more, honey, and that’s all that matters.” They had almost lost her, and he wouldn’t forget that fact any time soon.
“I know that. Heck, when I was in the hospital for a week, it was all I could think about. If that bullet would have been inches to the right, I’d be dead right now.” Hearing her say the words out loud made him angry all over again. The thought of that asshole taking her from him, and his family made him want to find his dead body and kill him all over again.
“I don’t like to think about that,” he insisted. “You’re here now, and that’s all that matters. You’ll be here to see more tomorrows and that means that you can help me wrangle those kids of yours in the morning and get them to school.”
“How did Ella do with her first day at pre-school?” she asked. He had convinced her to let Ella go to school three days a week. Ella would be three in a few weeks now, and it was time that she got the hang of being around kids her own age. Plus, it would give Rainey time to finish healing and to get the cabin in order. He had one bathroom and the laundry room to renovate and then, he’d be done.
“She did great,” he assured. “El told me that she was a big girl, gave me a kiss on my cheek, and told me that she’d see me later. Your little girl is kicking ass at pre-school.”
She giggled, “Careful,” Rainey said. “My little angel used to be a biter. If we get called into the principal’s office, I’m going to send you because you just jinxed us. Do you really think that letting her go to pre-school is a good idea?” she asked.
He chuckled, “I’m pretty sure that there isn’t a principal at the daycare. And yes,” he said. “Ella is ready; the question is, are you?”
She shrugged, “I’m not sure, but this will give me some time to finish healing, and then, I guess I need to get this place in order.” She looked around at all the moving boxes and furniture stacked against every bare wall in the great room. “That should take me long enough to figure out what I want to do next.”
“Well, I was hoping to be able to help you with that,” he said. “I mean, you could marry me next, if you want a real project,” he teased.
She laughed, pulling her hand from his to pick up her coffee mug to take a sip. “You really want to take on me and my kids,” she asked. “Because you know that we’re a package deal, right?”
He nodded, “I wouldn’t have it any other way. I want you and the kids, honey. Hell, I want the whole deal and so much more,” he assured.
“More?” she squeaked.
“Yeah,” he said. “How do you feel about more kids?”
“More?” she squeaked again.
“Only if you’re up for it—or in this case, them.”
“Actually, I’d always liked to joke that I wanted a half dozen, so maybe two more,” she said. “Are you sure though, Slater?” she asked. “I mean, you’ve already raised your son. Do you really want to start all over?”
“Yes,” he said. “I always wanted more kids, but never found the right woman to have them with. I finally have, and now, I’m ready.”
She smiled up at him, “Well, I guess I have my next projects then,” she said. “Marrying you and making a few brothers or sisters for the kids.”
“And I guess I’ll have my work cut out for me, adding a few more bedrooms to the cabin then,” he added. “This won’t be easy honey,” he said.
“Nothing ever is, but a life with you will be worth every ounce of discomfort,” she teased. Slater pulled her gently onto his lap and wrapped an arm around her.
“We’re going to be a family,” he whispered. “We’re quite a pair, honey.”
“Oh Slater, we already are a family,” she promised. “And you’re about to have a very full house.”
“Well, that’s my favorite hand, Rainey,” he assured. He’d finally found his entire future in the form of a single mom and her four great kids, and that made him feel like the luckiest player at the table.
The End
