AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“My grandma also wanted me to do something meaningful with my life, but after this, she said she just wants me to be happy. So I’m going to nail school.”
She held out her hands to display her nails, painted a milky pink. “I’m going to specialize in gel manicures. They’re really popular. I like a natural look, but I can do whatever. If you ever want a manicure, I’ll gladly give you one for free. In fact, you can have free manicures for the rest of your life because there’s nothing I can do to make up for what happened with your babies.”
“I swear it’s okay, Ruby.” Esme realized she truly meant the words. “Maybe the switch was destined to happen because I was meant to be a mother to both of my boys.”
Ruby’s frown quickly transformed into a smile. “That’s a nice way of looking at it. Those two babies are lucky to have you. Ryder Hayes, too. I hope y’all work things out.”
Esme had given up on hope, at least for herself.
“Good luck with nail school, Ruby. I know it’s not the same as nursing, but you’re going to make women feel pretty and pampered. There’s not enough of that in the world these days.”
The young woman got up and came around the table to hug Esme. “Thank you for being so nice and for saying that.”
Esme said goodbye to Ruby, closed the door and then stood in the center of her family room. Her future was the result of an innocent mistake by a frazzled hospital employee. Now she knew the truth, but what did it change?
Not her love for either of her babies or, as she’d told Ruby, the fact that she loved being a mother to both of them. Esme was grateful for her sons and the unconventional family she and Ryder shared.
The front door opened, and she must have had quite the look on her face because Ryder immediately stopped.
“I’m sorry. Do you want me to knock? I know this is all new.”
She shook her head and ran a hand over her cheek, surprised to find her body still solid when it felt like she was one million particles floating through the air.
Ryder picked up Noah’s infant seat, which he’d set on the porch while he opened the door and stepped inside. “Did I see that nursing assistant we talked to driving away?”
“Yes.” Esme stepped forward and closed the door behind him. “Sit down, Ryder. There’s something I need to tell you...”
Ryder’s emotions had run the gamut in the past twelve hours, from panic at Esme’s wide eyes and serious tone when she’d told him she had something to share, to relief that the mystery of Chase and Noah’s switch finally had a resolution.
A thin trickle of hope had followed like a mountain stream in the spring, flowing as the ice and snow above it melted. That was one of the many gifts Esme had given him—melting his heart and allowing him to believe in love again.
Or maybe it was for the first time. He’d wanted things to work with Steph for the sake of their son, but he could see now that trying to convince himself that a sense of duty could transform into love had been naive. Falling for Esme had been easy—they were like two pieces of a puzzle that fit together perfectly.
But he’d hurt her, and any plan he’d had to beg her to try again felt weak and insignificant after she’d explained what Ruby had shared. Although she’d seemed pleased to know the truth, her eyes had remained guarded, her manner distant, like she’d resigned herself to the idea of nothing more between them.
So he’d locked down the declaration he wanted to make, telling himself he needed to give her time.
But another sleepless night convinced him that there was no way he could hold off any longer. He didn’t want to wait, even though he had no way of knowing how she’d respond.
Esme had taken a risk in sharing her heart, and he owed her that same courage but had no clue how to prove his devotion until he’d stopped by GreatStore on the way to her house to pick up a few things for the boys.
He’d seen Lily Perry working in the baby department. Whether from lack of sleep, desperation or a combination of the two, Ryder had asked Esme’s friend for advice. The request had seemed to shock them both, but one thing Esme had taught Ryder was that he didn’t have to handle everything on his own and pretend he had it all together when he was a jumbled mess on the inside.
Lily had fired off a barrage of questions about Ryder’s intentions, clearly protective of her friend, just like Esme’s sister had been weeks earlier. It made him feel equally grateful and embarrassed. He should be the one to be protecting Esme, and he would for the rest of his life if she’d give him another shot.
His answers must have satisfied Lily because, after a few moments, she’d pulled out her phone and pulled up the site for the realty company he and Esme were working with, assuring him that his best chance of achieving a future with Esme would be to make her secret wish come true.
If Freya Fortune could be a wish maker, Ryder would take a page from the older woman’s playbook and do the same. He only hoped it would be enough.
“I think you missed the turn,” Esme said with a frown as she pointed to the street they’d just passed.
“There’s something I need to pick up at my dad’s,” Ryder answered. “It will be a quick stop at the gated community.”
“Oh.” She glanced at her watch. “I don’t want to be late for our appointment. The Realtor said there’s another family interested in the property.”
“We’ll be right on time,” he assured her, then cleared his throat after his voice cracked on the last word like he was a gangly teenager. He certainly felt as nervous as one, and the fact that Esme had indirectly referred to them as a family made emotion blossom in his chest in the best way possible.
He waved to the man at the guard stand, who recognized Ryder’s car and buzzed them in. As he drove through the quiet streets, it felt like ribbons of hope fluttered across his heart.
