Chapter Twenty Three #2
Everything after lunch was a blur, because now I’m standing in waist-deep water in a heated pool while Remy practices cannonballs, while Rhyan clings to my back, yelling in my ear, “Be a sea dragon, Uncle Wyatt.”
Sera floats nearby in teal goggles, declaring herself the mermaid mayor.
Presley sits on the edge of the pool, laughing so hard she has tears in her eyes.
“You gonna come in and help me?” I ask.
“No,” she says, shaking her head. “You look busy.”
“These girls are forming an aquatic government.”
“Then you should respect the democracy.”
Rhyan tightens her arms around my neck. “Go faster, horsey.”
“I’m a defensive tackle, not a horse.”
“You’re whatever the queen says.” She taps my head.
Remy cannonballs beside us, sending water everywhere.
Presley shrieks as the splash hits her.
My head falls back, and I laugh.
“Oh, you think that’s funny?” she asks.
“Extremely.” I smile.
She stands slowly, and I recognize the look on her face.
“Presley … ”
She dives in, clean and smooth.
When she surfaces, she slicks her hair back, and I swear my brain briefly forgets there are children … and her parents present.
She sees me staring, and her mouth curves.
“You good?”
Nope.
I glare at her playfully. “I think you know what you’re doing.”
She swims toward me, and Rhyan immediately transfers herself from my back to Presley’s.
“New horse!”
Presley narrows her eyes at me. “You were goading me.”
I kiss her quickly. “I have no idea what you mean.”
“Uh-huh,” she says as she swims away with Rhyan and now Sera also clinging to her.
My chest warms as I watch her, wondering how I got so lucky that she came into my life. She didn’t know when she met me my freshman year of college that she was helping me deal with the loss of my dad.
And she hasn’t left my side since I lost Savannah.
I’m not sure how I could ever repay her for pretty much putting her life on hold for me. For the kids. But she didn’t hesitate. She just did it.
That’s a heavy thought, and makes me wonder what would happen to the kids if she did walk away from not only me, but them, after she gets access to her trust. Would she want to get back to the life she was living before?
God, I can’t allow myself to think about it. I just can’t imagine her leaving us like that. But she could.
I love her so much it would kill me if she did. So I just need to make sure the thought of leaving never crosses her mind.
The past two days are a blur of sunscreen and saltwater. We go to the beach in the morning. Swim in the pool in the afternoon. Barbecue at night.
Sera and Rhyan build sandcastles that they call dragon fortresses. And Remy learned how to body surf and got knocked over more times than I can count, but every time he popped up, he would laugh so hard he could hardly breathe.
I want to memorize the sound of all of it.
Presley and I take turns with the kids, but we’re together as a team most of the time. We chase them through the shallows. I teach Remy how to throw a spiral in wet sand. We watch Rhyan collect seashells and assign each one a rank to guard the dragon fortresses.
We spend our nights exhausted, but we don’t miss sitting near the firepit, eating s’mores. Well, they eat them. I’m in training mode, eating clean.
The kids are inside with her parents, watching a movie in what Rhyan calls “the fancy couch.” Sera fell asleep before the movie even started. And Remy is determined to stay away until the end credits.
Presley and I make our way down to the beach alone. The air smells like salt, and I can still smell the burnt wood from the firepit.
Presley’s walking beside me barefoot, sandals dangling from one hand, her hair loose around her shoulders.
My wife.
We stop near the waterline, waves rolling in soft and steady.
“This has been so good for them,” she says.
“Yeah, it really has.”
“I think it’s been good for you too, Saint.”
I look at her. “You think so?”
“Oh yeah.” She nods. “You need to let your body have this downtime because pretty soon, it’ll be put to the test week after week, and I’m still cautious about that knee. I know you made it through last season without issue, but it’s still something we need to watch.”
“So, good for me for training purposes only?” I tease.
She smiles, bumping my shoulder. “Well, no. You look lighter too.”
I shift my head back and forth. “Yeah, I think I feel lighter.”
I look out at the water.
“I keep waiting to feel guilty about it,” I admit.
“Guilty about?”
“Being happy.”
She doesn’t answer right away, but reaches for my hand. “Saint, it doesn’t mean you miss her any less.”
I close my eyes. “I know.”
“It just means you’re living. And she would want that—for all of you.”
A wave sweeps over our feet. It’s cold, but also grounding.
I squeeze her hand. “What about you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Any updates on the foundation? You had some meetings again the other day, right?”
Her face changes. It’s a spark of something like hope.
“Yes, and I’ll be meeting with the trust attorneys next week,” she says. “I should be able to start moving funds soon to set up the nonprofit structure and planning programs.”
“You already have programs planned.”
She glances at me. “Yeah, a few.”
“A few?” I laugh. “Presley, I’ve seen your spreadsheets.”
“You mean my organized ideas?”
“They look like battle plans that would make Rhyan proud.”
Her head falls back, and she laughs.
I turn toward her. “Seriously, tell me.”
She almost looks shy for a half second, which is rare, and makes me want to wrap her in my arms.
“Well, let’s see where to start,” she says.
“Football and flag football will be the first program. I’d like to use it as our baseline, if you will, to see what works and what doesn’t.
But I also want to include athletic training, injury prevention, nutrition, and mentorship.
I’d like to add programs as we grow and as I find the specialists, staff, and volunteers.
The football program is very easy for me to navigate, but I’ll probably have to pull out some favors to people I know in hockey, baseball, soccer, tennis … ”
I nod.
“I’d also like to have some leadership programs. Honestly, my dreams for this are big, and I have to keep reminding myself to take it one thing at a time.”
“Well, I think it’s incredible. I’m so excited for you.”
She looks at me, smiling. “I know you are.”
“I would really like to be part of it in some way.”
Her brows lift.
“Not because we’re married,” I add.
Her fingers tighten around mine.
“I want to help you build the football and flag football programs when I can. Maybe help raise money, bring in volunteers. Whatever you need.”
It’s hard to see in the dark, but in the moon’s reflection, it looks like her eyes are glossy.
“Saint,” she whispers.
“You’ve helped me carry the heaviest times of my life,” I say. “Let me help you build something good. Let me be part of it.”
She turns and steps in front of me.
I naturally wrap my arms around her waist, pulling her close.
For a few minutes, we just stand there under the moonlight, the ocean rolling over our feet, taking in this moment.
“Saint, I just want you to know how grateful I am to have you not only in my life, but by my side through a lot of life-changing moments. No, I haven’t had the losses that you’ve had, but you’ve been a support for me through med school, bad boyfriends, and too many good memories to count,” she says.
“So, of course, I would be honored if you were part of this journey with me.”
Her words settle in my chest so hard, and I almost don’t know how to react. So, I pull back enough to look at her. Emotions are swimming in her eyes.
“Presley, you are one of the most important people in my life. I can’t imagine not having you by my side through all of it,” I say.
“And I only hope I’ve given you the same care and support you’ve given me.
I don’t know if I can ever repay you for what you’ve done to help me with the kids. You’ve been my rock.”
Instead of replying, she kisses me. It’s soft, warm, and a little salty from the air.
I feel like I’m holding my entire future in my hands right now, and the feeling almost knocks me off my feet. Because, yes, I love her. I have for a long time. But I am one hundred percent head over heels in love with her. And I’m not sure what I would do if I ever lost her.
When we pull apart, I rest my forehead against hers.
“Should we start heading back to the house?”
“Yeah, we need to check on my parents and make sure the kids haven’t taken over the Grant kingdom.”
Our walk back is quiet. I think we’re both lost in thought.
As we get closer to the house, I can see the kids through the windows, piled together on the couch. Remy is in the middle, Rhyan is tucked into his side, and Sera is lying on his lap. They’re all sound asleep, including Presley’s parents.
After I take the kids to bed, I make my way to the room we’ve been staying in down the hall from the kids’ rooms. I can hear the shower running the second I walk in.
Presley’s back is to me when I walk into the bathroom.
The water is running down her spine in ribbons.
Her skin is flushed a deep pink from the heat of the water.
Now, I’m a pretty large man, all bulk and scar tissue, and seeing Presley’s elegant yet strong curves, framed by steam, makes me feel …
primal. I’ve spent this whole week being quiet and patient when we have sex, but right now, I want to be the man who owns her.
I strip off my T-shirt, shorts, and boxers and step into the shower.
The spray hits my chest and shoulders as I step behind her. I don’t touch her with my hands. I just press my entire front against her back, letting her feel my erection pressing against her ass.
She lets out a soft, jagged breath, her hands reaching behind her to touch me.