Epilogue
BLAKE
Spring
“Tighten this here.” I point at the engine. “Yes, just like that.”
“You boys almost done?”
I look up, a smile spreading over my face when I see Savannah coming out of the house, Poppy in her arms. My little girl’s face lights up when she sees me, and my heart melts.
“Just a bit. You leaving?”
Savannah nibbles at her lip. “Maybe I should stay? You’re busy, and I don’t wanna leave Poppy alone…”
“I’ll look after Poppy,” Levi chimes in immediately, letting his bike drop.
We pulled Daniel’s truck out of the garage to do some work on it while Levi was riding his bike in the driveway.
“Hear that? We’ve got her, right, Princess?” I extend my arms and gently pick her up, lifting her in the air. “You’re gonna hang out with the boys, and we’ll have so much fun.”
Poppy lets out a bubbling sound. I chuckle, pressing a kiss onto her cheek before looking at Savannah. “Go.” I lean down and kiss her. “Have fun with the girls; you deserve it.”
Savannah nods slowly, that unsure expression still on her face. “Call me if she needs me?”
“Will do,” I promise. “I love you.”
Savannah smiles. “Love you too.”
With another nod, Savannah goes toward her car, once again looking back at us. I lift Poppy’s hand and wave at her as she pulls out of the driveway.
“Can I hold her now?” Levi begs.
“Why don’t you go and grab a blanket, and you two can play together.”
“Okay.”
He runs toward the porch and grabs a blanket, bringing it to us. I help him spread it out and put Poppy down. Levi joins her, that stuffed elephant he got her in his hand, and she wiggles her arms to grab it. That plushy was one of her favorites, and Levi took great pride since he was the one who picked it out for her.
“You good, buddy?”
“Yeah, I’ve got her, Dad.” He leans down and brushes his nose against hers. “Right, Pop-Tart?”
Poppy purses her lips and blabs something, which has Levi giggling.
With one last glance at the duo, I push to my feet and join Daniel. I show him how to change the oil before we call it quits for the day.
Grabbing a bottle of water, I hand it to him before taking a sip from mine.
“Are you planning to propose to Savannah?”
I choke at Daniel’s question, some of the water spilling down my chin.
Shit.
Levi looks up from the blanket. “Dad and Sav are getting married?”
“I…” I glance between the two boys. “What are you talking about?”
Daniel rolls his eyes at me. “You can’t tell me you haven’t thought about it.”
Only every moment of every day; I just didn’t know the best way to bring it up. It was hard toeing this line between being a father to them and a man who was desperately in love with a woman. But my children came first, always, and I knew Savannah wouldn’t have it any other way.
“How would you feel about it if I asked Savannah to marry me?” I ask tentatively, watching for their reaction.
“Fine.” Daniel shrugs. “Savannah is cool. Maybe a bit too cool for your old ass.”
“I’ll give you old.” I ruffle his hair, which only makes him laugh. It’s a sound that’ll never get old. “But seriously, would you be okay with that?”
“Does that mean Sav will be our mom?” Levi asks softly, his gaze falling down to Poppy, who’s kicking her chubby legs.
Dammit.
I didn’t see that one coming. Although, maybe I should have. Daniel and Savannah had a good, friendly relationship, but he was different. Older. Levi was a whole other story. He was just a boy who lost his mom and wanted to love somebody—wanted somebody to love him. And Savannah did exactly that. She filled the void Reina left when she disappeared without a backward glance. She loved and cared for them like they were her own. And in her heart, I knew they were.
Going to him, I sit down by his side. “If Savannah and I marry, that would make her your stepmom, yes.”
“But she’s Poppy’s mom,” Levi points out as Poppy grabs one of his fingers and brings it to her mouth.
“Yes, she is.”
He purses his lips, a sad smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. “I want her to be my mom, too. Do you think she’d want that?”
My throat feels tight. I meet Daniel’s gaze over Levi’s head, a trace of that old anger on his face before he manages to school his features.
I open my mouth, unsure of what to say, but Daniel’s faster, his voice coming out raspy. “You should ask her.”
Levi’s head snaps up, surprise evident on his face. “What if she says no?”
Daniel rolls his eyes. “She won’t say no. Just ask her.”
“He’s right, you know.” I ruffle his hair. “As a matter of fact, we could ask her together.”
Pushing to my feet, I make my way to the tool closet. I open a drawer and pull out a little black box that I’ve been hiding inside for the last few months. It made the most sense since I knew that nobody would find it in there, and I’d been right. My throat feels tight, the weight of it feeling heavy on my palm.
And yet, it felt right.
That was the reason I bought it on impulse. I was in Austin for business, and I met with Andrew, who was in the city to meet with a few of his players. He was running late, so I was strolling downtown when I spotted the ring in the window, and I just knew I had to have it for when the time was right.
“Dad, what are you— Shit, is that…?”
I turn to face my son and flick open the box, the gems shining in the light. It felt perfect and so much like Savannah, so much like our family, and when I proposed to her, it would be to officially make her ours, and we’d become hers.
“An engagement ring. I had it for a while now, but…” I shrug. “What do you think?”
Levi peeks at the box. “It’s pretty.”
“She’ll love it,” Daniel agrees.
“I hope so.” I let out a nervous chuckle, brushing my sweaty palm against the side of my leg. “It felt symbolic somehow.”
Daniel nods slowly, his eyes still glued to the ring. “When will you do it?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t really think about it. I wanted to talk to you boys and see how you felt.”
Understanding flashes in Daniel’s eyes and a little bit of guilt, too. “Is this why you’ve been waiting? Because you thought it would upset us?”
I shake my head. “You’re not the only ones who need time. All these changes are a lot for everybody to take, including Savannah.”
“But you love her.”
“I do. She makes me the happiest I’ve been in a long time.”
“Okay, then.” Daniel nods and closes the lid. The soft thump echoed in the quiet garage. “Then let’s come up with a plan.”
SAVANNAH
“Admit it,” Becky says as the bell chimes, and the smell of freshly baked goods and coffee reaches my nostrils. “This was a fine idea.”
I roll my eyes at my best friend. “You were right.”
When Becky texted me this morning, suggesting we should have a girls’ day, I was reluctant to leave, but Blake insisted and reassured me they’d be fine on their own and that I should go.
We had lunch with Kate, after which she had to head back to work while Becky and I went to get our nails done. And Becky even insisted that we should stop at a boutique. I had to admit, it was nice to spend some time with my friends and just enjoy myself, but I was starting to miss my baby, and I couldn’t wait to get back home so I could squeeze her.
“Of course I was right.”
“What was she right about?” Jessica asks, smiling as Becky slips behind the counter and goes for the coffee machine.
“What am I not right about?” Becky smirks.
Jessica and I exchange a knowing look. “So you’d like to think.”
“Did you guys have fun?”
“Yeah, it was nice to get pampered for a few hours, but now I feel wiped. You’d think I spent the day running errands instead.”
“It’s hard to relax when all you do is work.”
Just then, the bell chimes, and as one, we turn toward the door only to spot Rose O’Neil coming into the café.
“Hey.” She gives us a tentative smile as she walks to the counter.
“Hi.” I give her a curious once over. “You look extra nice today.”
“You think?” Rose smooths her hand over her skirt. “I’m going to a job interview, but I wasn’t sure what to wear.”
“What kind of interview?” Jessica asks.
“For an assistant position at a law firm. It’s in the next town over. I figured I’d stop and grab a coffee on my way there.”
“That’s amazing.” I shoot her an encouraging smile as Jessica starts working on her order. “I think this is a good outfit, you look professional but classy.”
“Thanks.” Rose ducks her head for a moment. “The other few interviews I had didn’t really go well, then again, I never got around to getting my diploma so…”
I place my hand over hers. “Just keep trying. There has to be a job that values a good, hard worker over a diploma.”
“She’s right.” Jessica slides a to-go cup of coffee on the counter. “Your usual.”
“Thanks, let me just…” Rose starts to pull out her wallet, but Becky waves her off.
“It’s on the house.”
Rose’s head snaps up, and she shakes her head. “I can’t…”
“I’m the boss, so you sure can. For good luck.”
“Thank you, I really appreciate it.” She lets out a shaky breath and glances at her watch. “I have to get going. I don’t want to be late.”
“Good luck.”
Rose gives us a grateful smile as she leaves, my gaze glued to her retreating form.
“ Ouch ,” Becky hisses. “What was that for?”
I turn around just in time to see her rubbing at her elbow.
“You ever planning to post that job opening?” Jessica asks, which has Becky sighing.
“I’m going to do it. These last few weeks have just been busy.”
Jessica smirks at her. “More like you’ve been busy with your husband.”
Becky pokes her tongue out at the younger woman. “You’re just jealous.”
I stay at the café for a little while longer, the conversation shifting to our upcoming book club as I finish my coffee.
The late afternoon heat slams into me the moment I step outside, the fine hair at my nape sticking to my sweaty skin as I make my way to the car I parked on the street and slip inside, starting the engine.
This was the first time I’d been away this long from Poppy, and while I knew Blake and the boys were more than capable of taking care of her, I missed my little girl.
Since I gave birth just before the holidays, I’ve decided to stay on maternity leave for the remainder of the school year. There was no sense in returning back to class mid-semester, and I considered myself lucky to be able to stay home with Poppy. Blake even suggested I didn’t have to go back to work at all, but I love teaching.
Pulling in front of the house, I kill the engine and slide out of the car. We’ve been hard at work ever since we agreed to move permanently into Grams’ house—our home. It’s been a lot of work overall, with the boys moving the majority of their stuff just days before Poppy was born. We’ve put our focus into getting the boys situated, and since then, we’ve been slowly making improvements to the house. Just last week, Blake and Daniel painted the house, the bright white paint making the red shutters stand out.
“Hey, I’m home,” I yell as I enter the house and put my stuff onto the table by the door.
“In here,” Blake yells from the back of the house.
A smile spreads over my lips, excitement coursing through me as I make my way down the hallway toward the living room. “I have to admit it, you were right. I had fun—” I come to a sudden stop in the doorway when I spot Blake and the kids standing in the living room.
He smiles at me as I take in the space: candles and flowers. The four of them are side by side, from oldest to the youngest, with matching white signs in their hands. The boys are all dressed in a nice pair of slacks and matching red shirts, and they even dressed Poppy in a red dress with a tiny bow in her blonde hair. Definitely not what I dressed her in this morning, but damn, she looks adorable sitting in her bouncy seat.
I shift my attention to Blake, my tongue darting out to slide over my lower lip before I ask, my voice coming out shaky, “Wh-what’s going on?”
“We have a question to ask you!” Levi immediately says as he bounces on his heels, buzzing with excitement.
A question?—
Oh my gosh…
Nervously, I slide my hand over my skirt, my palms turning clammy. And why is it suddenly so hot in here. “You do?”
Levi nods eagerly and glances at his dad, his hands gripping the paper. “Is it time, Dad? Can we ask her? Please! Can we?”
“In a bit, buddy.” Blake shakes his head at him before those bright gray eyes turn to me. They crinkle with amusement, faint lines appearing in their corners. And love, so much love, that it feels like I can’t breathe.
“As Levi said, we have a couple of really important questions to ask you, Blondie. It’s been over a year since I first saw you in that bar. You took my breath away that day and every day since. And I know we did a lot of things backward, but meeting you, getting to know you, getting to love you, and having a family together has been the best privilege of my life.”
“Blake,” his name comes out shaky, tears prickling my eyelids.
“I mean it, Sav. Things haven’t been easy for us, but I’m grateful that I got to walk this path with you. And I want to keep on walking it until the very end. I want to marry you. I want you to share my name. I want to raise our family together, to laugh and to cry and to grow old together. I want it all with you.”
Blake glances at his kids, and I raise my hand to wipe away the tears that slid down my cheek. “ We want it all with you.”
Before I get to say anything, he gets on one knee, and all the signs turn as one.
I let out a soft sob and raised my shaking hand to cover my mouth as I stared at the words written on the paper, still in shock.
Will you marry us?
“I love you, Savannah. I love your fierce nature and your big heart. I love how you adore our baby girl, and I’ll forever be thankful for the role you play in my sons’ lives. I’ve watched them fall in love with you these past few months as much as I have. You gave me my boys back, you were the missing piece we never realized we needed, the glue that’s holding us together. You’re our family, Savannah, and now I want to make it official so there is no confusion. Marry me, Blondie. Marry me and make me the happiest man alive.”
My heart squeezes tightly, and more tears start to slide down my cheeks as his words echo in my mind.
Our family.
Everything I’ve ever wanted. Everything I never dared hoping for, not really. But he was giving it to me.
A family to call my own.
Biting the inside of my cheek, I go to him. Blake’s up immediately, his strong arms wrapping around me as I bury my head into his chest.
My rock.
His arms tighten around me, his mouth brushing against the top of my head. “Shh, it’s good…”
“I’m sorry, I’m such a mess, but this…” I shake my head, unsure of how to explain it, but I don’t have to. Not when it comes to Blake.
“I know, baby. I’ve gotcha.”
“Why is she crying?” Levi asks, and I can feel his arms wrapping around my legs. “You shouldn’t be sad, Sav. Don’t you want to marry us?”
Brushing away my tears, I turn in Blake’s arms to look at my beautiful, compassionate boy, who’s anxiously nibbling at his lower lip.
“I do. These are happy tears.” I place my hand on his back to steady us and blink my eyes open to find Blake watching me with all the love and patience in the world. “Because I do want to marry you.”
“All of us?” he insists, a little bit of that uncertainty that was there when I met him written in his eyes. It’s rarely present these days, which only shows how much this means to him, and my heart melts for this little boy as he purses his lips and nods. “Because we’re a package deal, you know. If you marry Dad, you get all of us.”
I brush my thumb over his cheek. “I wouldn’t have it any other way, Levi.”
And I meant it. They couldn’t understand how much this meant to me. The little girl who never knew her father, who was left by her mother, and robbed of her grandmother, the only real family she knew way too soon, finally had a family of her own.
“Yes!” Levi fist pumps excitedly. “Show her the ring, Dad!”
“I was getting to that.” Blake clasps my hand in his, his long fingers engulfing my palm. Patience and love, so much love, shone in his eyes as he slips his hand into his pocket and pulls out a ring that he slips in place, the warm band slipping easily onto my finger. I glance down at the ruby shining between four smaller diamonds and more tears start to fall.
My head snaps up. “Blake, this is…”
“You’ll never, ever be alone, Blondie.” His calloused hand cups my cheek. “We’re your family. That’s my promise to you. Today, tomorrow, and every day after that.”
Grabbing his shirt, I tug him down, my mouth meeting him in a gentle kiss. Levi groans in protest, but I don’t let it stop me. My lips sweep gently over his. “I love you, Blake Walker.”
“I love you more, baby.”
Poppy lets out an annoyed cry, done with being ignored. I turn to pick her up, but Daniel is already unhooking her from her bouncy seat and pulling her into his arms. “I think somebody needs attention.”
He brings her to me, and I brush away her tears gently before picking her into my arms. Daniel takes a step back, but I place my hand on his arm. “Are you okay with all of this?”
Our relationship has been much better in recent months, but I knew this was a big step.
“Yeah.” Daniel nods. “Dad loves you, and he’s happy.”
“I love him too.” I give his arm a gentle squeeze. “The promise from that day still stands. I love you, and I love Levi. Whatever you need me to be, whenever you need me, I’ll be there for you boys, no questions asked.”
His throat bobs, but before I know it, he pulls me into his arms. I wrap my free hand around him, rubbing at his back.
“Thank you, Sav.”
“No thanks needed,” I reassure him softly before he takes a step back, and Blake’s arm is around my middle.
“Just when I think I couldn’t love you more, you show me otherwise.”
I tilt my head back. “That’s good. I like keeping you on your toes, Mr. Walker.”
Something primal and possessive shines in those gray depths.
“And when do I get to call you Mrs. Walker?”
“Hmm… How about we do it before school starts? Something small, just for close family and friends.”
“Hell yeah. A month.”
I blink, unsure if I heard him correctly.
“Wait now, I don’t think…”
Blake gives me a pointed look. “One month, Blondie. That’s the most I’m willing to wait for you to choose me in front of the whole world.”
“Fine,” I let out a sigh and brush my lips against his. “But you don’t need to wait. I choose you, Blake Walker. I choose you today, and I’ll choose you for the rest of our lives.”
Meeting Blake Walker was unexpected.
Falling in love with him was inevitable.
But loving him?
Loving him is effortless.
A soft tug at my hand has me looking down to find Levi watching me with big eyes. “Sav?”
“Yeah?”
He motions me closer, so I crouch down so we’re at the same level. He’s grown in the last year, and I was pretty sure sooner rather than later, he’d be towering over me too.
Levi leans down, his hand cupping around my ear as he whispers. “I want to ask you something too.”
My gaze darts to Blake, who’s just smiling at us.
“Okay, sure,” I say tentatively and give him my full attention, unsure of where this is going. “What do you want to ask me?”
“I know you’re Poppy’s mom, but…” His grip on me tightens, his palms clammy with nerves. “Can you be my mom too?”
My eyes fall shut, my chest squeezing tightly as all the emotions and the weight of his request slams into me. My throat bobs as I try to swallow. Blinking my eyes open, I find him watching me. I cup his cheek. “If you want me to, yes. It would be an honor to be your mom, Levi.”
“Really?” Levi blinks for a second, clearly surprised, as if I could ever tell him no, but then his arms wrap around my shoulders, and he buries his face into my neck. “Yes, I want to. I love you, Mom.”
Mom.
Yes, I’ve been a mom for the last five months, but this was the first time somebody—my child—called me such.
I clutch him tightly, “I love you too, baby.”
ROSE
“I’m not paying the child support.”
“You—” I blink, unsure if I heard him correctly because he couldn’t be serious.
Only he was.
My fingers clench into fists, nails digging into my skin. “He’s your son .”
“And I was taking care of him while he lived under my roof,” John says nonchalantly, the corner of his mouth twitching in amusement.
He was enjoying this.
The asshole.
“You mean, you contributed financially?—”
My lawyer gives me a warning look.
I bite my tongue and press my lips into a tight line while he turns to John.
“Mr. O’Neil,” he says evenly, his calm voice completely contrasting the storm brewing inside my chest. “My client has been very forthcoming during the mediation. She isn’t asking for anything except for the child support so that your son can continue to receive the best medical care.”
John works his jaw, his expression growing distant as he thinks. His hand rises, and he rubs at his chin. Today, he’s clean-shaven, his dress shirt is pristine, and his suit is ironed. There was no trace of the wild man that I’ve been living with for the last couple of years of our marriage, whose singular focus was on training and playing in the NFL until that dream was crushed this past fall.
As if he can feel my gaze, John turns to me, his eyes meeting mine, and the victorious gleam in them has an icy chill running down my spine.
“Fine.” Tense silence fills the room for a heartbeat, making me hold my breath. John smirks at me. “But if I have to pay child support, I want shared custody.”
Shared—
“Absolutely not,” the words are out before I can stop them.
My heart starts beating violently inside my chest, the sound echoing in my eardrums. I can hear the lawyers going back and forth, their voices just a distant noise as I stare at my husband—my soon-to-be ex- husband. He’s leaned back in his chair, his arms resting on the armrests, completely at ease as he watches me, basking in my misery.
He was doing this on purpose; we both knew it.
He loved torturing me.
I left him, and now he wanted to get his revenge. And what better way to hurt me than to do it through our son?
He might not care for him, but he knew there was nothing I wouldn’t do to keep Kyle safe and happy.
John shifts in his seat and leans his elbows against the table. “Stop this nonsense, Rose, and come back home.”
Now he wants me to come back home? And for what? So he can act like I don’t exist? So I can be unhappy and unloved like I’ve been for most of our six years of marriage?
“No.” I push my chair back, the metal screeching loudly against the hardwood. Everybody quiets, all heads turning to me. “Kyle stays with me, that’s non-negotiable. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a job interview to get to, and I’m already late.”
I grab my bag and turn toward the door.
But of course, John wouldn’t let me have the last word, “You didn’t need a job when you were with me.”
Maybe I didn’t.
But I paid the price for my ignorance.
“So, Miss Hathaway, do you have any work experience?” Mr. Larson asks, a lazy smile on his lips.
I try to hold still under his intense, dark gaze, but it’s hard when every instinct in my body is telling me to get the hell out of this room. I thought the lady from HR would be conducting the interviews, but her boss just came out when I got to the office and insisted he would do it himself.
Get a grip, Rose. You need this job.
“Unfortunately, no.” I plaster a big, confident smile on my lips. The one that my mom insisted I should wear at every public gathering when we stood next to my father. “I had to quit college after I got pregnant, and since then, my focus has been on my son. However, I’ve always been a really quick learner, and I’m willing to work hard to learn the ins and outs of this job.”
“Mm-hmm…” Those dark eyes fall on my mouth, and the guy’s tongue darts out, sliding over his lower lip. “I’m sure you are a very quick learner, my dear.”
An uncomfortable shudder goes through me at the innuendo in his voice. The way he watches me makes my skin crawl, and the nickname doesn’t help. Still, I keep my face neutral, that fake, pleasant smile on my lips the whole time as I go through all of the reasons why I don’t have the luxury to mess this up.
I need this job. Like, I need it yesterday. Sure, I had some of my trust fund left, but that would only take me so far, which meant finding a job and saving some money so that I could move out of my parent’s house. Not only did Kyle need some sense of stability, but I also needed to get the hell out from under my parents’ roof. I was sick of listening about how I should get back with John.
I wouldn’t be doing it.
No way, no how.
Mr. Larson asks a few more questions, but those eyes keep staring at my mouth, or if not that, my cleavage. The need to tug my dress up and cover myself is more overwhelming, but I sit still until he wraps up the interview.
Getting to my feet, I extend my hand for a quick handshake. Only his big, sweaty palm envelops mine, and I have to bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from visibly showing my disgust.
“We’ll be in touch, my dear,” he says, his thumb rubbing over the back of my hand as his other hand lands on my shoulder, squeezing it.
Seriously?
Was I genuinely this desperate for a job?
John’s face pops into my mind, and I force out a smile.
“Of course, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
In my nightmares.
With one last smile, I tug my hand back, but before I can get the hell out of there, his hand lands on the small of my back. “Let me walk you out.”
“Oh, that’s really not necessary, Mr. Larson. I’m sure I can manage.”
“Nonsense,” he chuckles. “Such a pretty lady should never walk alone.”
Deciding fighting him is futile and will take longer, I reluctantly give in.
He chats as we make our way to the parking lot, where I suffer through another meaty arm grab before I manage to slip into my truck. The white Range Rover was a gift from my parents for my sweet sixteenth, something I was grateful for because, at least in that regard, I didn’t depend on John. Tossing my bag on the passenger seat, I start the car and pull out of the parking lot.
The soft country music is playing on the radio as I make my way back to Bluebonnet, my mind still reeling with my possibilities.
I did not want to take this job if it wasn’t absolutely necessary. This man was giving me the creeps. Sure, as a receptionist, I wouldn’t work with him, but something told me that wouldn’t matter.
I sent out a few more e-mails earlier today; not an easy feat since Bluebonnet Creek was a small town, and there weren’t many options to begin with, especially not for a college dropout who hasn’t-worked-a-day-in-her-life single mom of a six-year-old boy who’s deaf.
Still, I was hoping any of those would get back to me and get back to me fast. I guess I could always search for something else while I worked here.
Maybe I should try and take a few classes at the local community college. It wouldn’t be ideal, but it might give me an edge in the job market. God knew I needed any edge I could get. Something had to give, right?
A girl could ho?—
A loud bang startles me out of my thoughts as the truck swerves on the road. My fingers tighten around the steering wheel as I try to gain control of my truck and press my foot against the brake.
The truck lets out a screeching sound. My body jerks forward, hair falling in my face, when the truck finally comes to a stop.
Oh my God.
My whole body is shaking as I suck in gulp-fulls of air, my heart hammering against my ribcage. Slowly, I lift my head and look out, taking in the empty road in front of me.
It was fine.
I was fine.
One by one, I uncurl my fingers from the steering wheel and reach for the door handle. My legs are shaky when I get out and take in my truck. It’s standing askew, and the front right tire is busted.
“Dammit.”
I so do not need this right now.
I run my still-shaky fingers through my hair. “What the hell am I supposed to do now?”
So much for thinking things can’t get worse.
I glare at the offending tire, at all the different screws and mud on the black rubber. Did I even have a spare? I never had to use one, so I had no idea, and even if I did have it, I wouldn’t know how to change it. When I was a teenager, my dad used to take care of my car, and then after I got married, John was the one to do it. I never had to think about it, until now.
Pulling out my phone, I search for our local mechanic’s number. Mrs. Darrow answers after a few rings, her voice extremely perky as she sing-songs, “Darrow’s Mechanic Shop, Julia speaking, how can I help you?”
“Hi, Mrs. Darrow, this is Rose O’Ne— Hathaway.”
“Rose, hi! How are you doing, honey?”
“I… I’ve had better days,” I admit, letting out a sigh. “I was just going home when my tire blew.”
“Oh, no, that’s awful.”
“Tell me about it. Do you think somebody could come and replace it? Or tow my truck back home?”
“Dang it, Jimmy just went out with the tow truck. There was an accident, so it might take a while. Can you call somebody else to come and help you out? If you have a spare, they can just exchange it, and you’ll be good to go.”
Shit.
Could this day get any worse?
“I’m sure if you called John, he’ll be there in no time,” Mrs. Darrow continues.
I swallow back a snort. There was no way I was calling John.
“I’ll try and figure something out.”
“You do that, honey. If nobody can help, just give me a call, and I’ll send Jimmy as soon as he’s back.”
“Thank you so much, Mrs. Darrow. I really appreciate it.”
Hanging up, I let my hand drop, my fingers clenching around the phone. “Now what?”
Nibbling at the inside of my cheek, I consider calling my dad but push the thought back. Maybe I could look it up online? How difficult would it be? Sure, I never changed a tire or done anything else around my car, but…
I’m opening my browser so I can find a how-to video when the sound of an engine approaching fills the air. I turn around and lift my hand to shield my view from the blazing sun just as the car pulls to a stop behind mine.
My eyes adjust as the door opens, and a tall body emerges from the black pickup truck.
I tilt my head back and then back some more, taking in a plain black tee stretched over firm muscles and wide shoulders, all the way to piercing hazel eyes and a scar that runs over the side of his face. The face I’ve stared at way too many times when we were kids, and I was crushing on my best friend’s older brother.
Rose is done with love after her ex shattered her heart. What she didn’t expect is to run into Chase. The wounded soldier is hiding on his ranch, away from everybody. A chance encounter brings them together, but can they heal and learn to love again, or will their wounds drive them apart? Find out in Make Me Trust Again, a single mom, small town romance! Pre-order today.
Thank you so much for reading Need You To Choose Me! I hope you enjoyed Blake and Savannah’s story as much as I did.