AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“And I’ve got to check how much money I’ve got in that secret account,” she says. She starts to walk for the coffee table “I need to start a list—”
“Kat!” I call out, stopping her mid-step. I take her hand in mine and kiss her palm as our eyes meet.
“Please, Finn, I have to get started on … well, everything,” she says, her bottom lip quivering. Fresh tears begin to trail down her cheeks. I pull her close and start to wipe them away as they fall.
“I know, baby,” I tell her. An idea strikes me. “I want to help you. Get started packing. I’m going to call my mom and tell her to make a little extra for dinner. You’re coming to stay with us.”
She starts to shake her head. “Oh, Finn, I can’t impose on you like that.”
“It’s not imposing at all,” I assure her. “It’s never imposing if it’s you.”
“But—”
“Sweetheart,” I say softly. “Please let me help you. I don’t know how serious your parents are, but I know how serious you are. And I know how serious I am about you,” I explain. Her eyes widen. “My mom and I, we’ve been through hell together. We know how to get through hard times.”
Kat sniffles as her face breaks with emotion. “Why are you being so kind to me like this?
“Because I have feelings for you that I’ve never felt for another person. Let me love you, Kat. Let me show you what it’s like to be in a family that cares about each other.”
Suddenly, Kat’s in my arms, wrapping herself around me as she steals kisses from me. “God, I thought I was going crazy, feeling like I felt.”
My heart stops. “What?”
“I feel the same way,” she exclaims, a wide, bright smile stretching across her face. It takes my breath away. “I thought that maybe it was too soon to call it love, but …”
“It’s not,” I rush out, hooking my hands beneath her thighs as she wraps her legs around my waist. “You sure you want a poor trucker like me, though?”
“I don’t want anyone else. I love you, Finn.”
Every single positive emotion my brain is capable of feeling explodes behind my eyelids as I kiss her deeply, savoring the weight of her body in my arms.
“I love you too, little girl. Let’s get you packed up and out of here.”
Epilogue
Kat
Nine Years Later …
Nothing beats the feeling of finishing a chapter and knowing you’ve nailed it. I press save on my manuscript and stand up from my desk chair to stretch. Now that I’m at a stopping point, I can take a break and check on my youngest. He’s a toddler still, not yet old enough to start at preschool or anything, but he’s a little more independent than his older sister, so I can leave him alone for a little longer than I could with her.
I pad down the hallway, listening to how the floor creaks. Each sound is familiar, and I can’t help smiling. I’ve long gotten used to the little old house my husband and his mother have lived in for decades, but I’ve come to love it as our family grows into it.
My son isn’t in the nursery where I expect him to be, and he’s not downstairs in the living room in front of the TV either. My brow furrows, but my concern disappears when I hear a bright giggle coming from outside. I peek out the lace curtains to see my son running through the grass as my mother-in-law watches him. She’s on her knees, covered in dirt up to her elbows as she pulls weeds from her flower beds. A big smile stretches across her face.
She’s been doing incredibly well over the past several years. Between her medication and group therapy, she’s better than ever, according to Finn. A few springs ago, she started planting flowers in the yard again. Over the years, her garden has grown bigger and bigger, as have her smiles.
But nothing makes her smile as widely as her grandchildren.
When I moved in so abruptly, I was sure she was going to take the intrusion on her space poorly. That didn’t happen at all. There were some growing pains, of course, but Finn and his mother were so welcoming and patient that it was like I was already family. It was easier than expected, having my parents disown me like they did, and it was made that much easier by being able to fall asleep in Finn’s arms every night.
Now that I know my little son’s not getting himself into trouble, I get myself a glass of water and go back up to my computer. Instead of pulling up my manuscript, I decide to check in with my social media.
They never tell you how time consuming it can be to go viral.
A year ago, one of my romance novels went viral in book reviewing circles and exploded to the top of multiple bestselling lists. I was shocked at all the sudden praise and attention, but when I saw how many readers loved my stories and connected with them, I felt inspired. Some people might get intimidated by success like that, but it just inspires me to keep telling stories that people resonate with.
