Chapter Thirty-Three
SLOANE
THINGS SETTLED down at the ranch after Mason’s team left and all the damage was repaired, the last few days have been peacefully quiet.
I’ve been in bed most of the time, Mason gets bent out of shape if I get up and move around when he’s not with me, so he comes in from working outside several times through the day to check on me.
Even though Opal is in the house and can help me.
He’s become quite bossy.
I like it.
With the events of the past couple of weeks, and since I haven’t celebrated holidays in quite some time, I forgot that it’s Christmas time.
Presents have been showing up under the tree for the last week and Lainey Rai has been taking stock of how many are hers.
Her excitement practically has her buzzing.
I’ve learned the past few days that the Harlow family Christmas isn’t just on one day, Lainey Rai gets to open a present on Christmas Eve, and any of the siblings if they want to, so last night Breanna and Kinley opened one of their presents with her.
Tucker spiked the cider and the eggnog again, but Mason made it clear that some non-spiked had to be set back for me. So, Christmas Eve night was a night of games, drinking, and laughing together. It was the best Christmas Eve I’ve ever had.
“Hey sleepyhead, time to wake up.”
Mason’s whisper is next to my ear and a quick peek at the window tells me that it’s still dark out. “No.”
The deep timbre of his chuckle makes me smile as he tightens his arm around my waist. “Santa’s been here and if you don’t get up now, Lainey Rai will be pounding down the door demanding you get out of bed. She can be mighty persistent when it comes to opening presents.”
I groan and turn on my back to stretch and find the little bit of light that is peeking through the window reflecting from his shining eyes over my face, “Nobody got me anything, did they? I wasn’t able to get anything for anyone.”
He pushes my hair from my face with his palm and kisses my forehead, “No, but I have something for you.” I suck in a breath to protest, and he sets his finger over my lips, “It’s not from me, I’m just the messenger.”
Leaning over me, he turns the bedside lamp on and light floods the room, almost blinding me. He sits up and I realize that he’s fully dressed and on top of the covers, with an envelope in his hands. I push myself up to sitting and then push my hair behind my ears.
The logo on the sender section of the envelope looks official and my heart starts to beat faster as I wonder what it could be. I lift my gaze to meet Mason’s, he has a pained smile on his face, the type of smile that someone gets when they are nervous.
“What is that?” I whisper, “And why do you look like someone kicked your puppy?”
A more sincere smile tips his lips up and he hands me the envelope. It’s just an envelope, how bad could it be? Curling my fingers into fists, I hesitate to take it because it looks kind of thick.
“It’s good for you, you’ll be happy.” He pushes it closer.
Slowly taking it from his hand, I tear the top open, it looks like legal papers and some other official paperwork, but I see the edge of a piece of notebook paper with my mom’s cursive script on the page.
I pull the folded mystery out of the envelope and look up at Mason as I am unfolding it. He’s watching me closely.
I pull the notebook paper out first and drop the rest on my lap, It’s a letter from my mom. My eyes instantly start to fill with tears, and I cover my mouth with my fingers as I start to read.
My dearest Sloane,
I never told you this, but you are my miracle baby. The doctors told me it was unlikely I would ever carry a child, so when I found out I was pregnant with you, I knew there was good in this world. You are my good in this world and you have made me proud, my beautiful girl. Always know that.
A sob chokes from my throat and the tears start to fall.
If you are reading this, then something has happened to me.
I’ve tried to keep you sheltered from the bad in the world, I tried to make your life as normal as possible, but like it or not, there is bad out there.
I’ve always known that the life I chose was a gamble.
Before marrying your father, I never imagined I’d have to worry about a child’s wellbeing.
We tried to keep the life that Daddy was involved in as far away from you as we could, I want you to know that.
I set up an account for you that I’ve been putting money in for a few years.
If anything happens to me, take the money and get as far away from your half-brother as you can.
Start a life somewhere he can’t find you.
Daddy tried to get Austin help for his mental illness, but he refuses to take his medication and his morbid preoccupation with you is the reason Daddy won’t let him live in the house. There is something wrong with him, do not let him get close to you. I’m so sorry, love.
I love you, baby; you are strong, and you are smart, hang on to that and you will always go far my beautiful girl.
Love,
Mama
Hugging the letter to my chest, I drop my head and start to sob. Mason pulls me to him and rests my head against his chest. He holds me with his chin resting on my head until the sobs turn to hiccups
“I lost everything,” I say between hiccups, “She knew. She knew he would do something to me, I had to leave everything behind when I ran.”
He is rhythmically stroking my head with his hand while he rocks me. “I’m glad you have something from her, darlin’.
Pulling away, I wipe my nose on the back of my hand. “How did you get this?”
“Spits found the attorney your parents did everything through, the only thing your brother didn’t take is what you see here. He was working on having you declared deceased so he could get your bank accounts, the attorney was happy to hand this over once he spoke with my attorney.”
I look down at the half-folded papers in my lap and start to skim over the contents: a copy of my father’s will with what was left for me highlighted, the bank statements for that, and the bank statement for the account my mom set up for me.
When I see the amounts on the statements, I suck in a breath; this is more money than I have ever seen. My head snaps up to look at Mason. “This is a lot of money.”
He nods his head. “You can have your life back now. Are you okay? ”
Would I trade all this money to have my parents back? Yes. “I am.” Taking a deep breath, I blow it out and let my cheeks puff out, “Well, at least we don’t have to worry about how much babies cost.”
He winds his hand around my neck and pulls me in for a kiss while he laughs, “Darlin’, wait ‘till you see my bank account. Snipers on black ops teams make pretty good money.” He kisses me again, “Come on, Lainey Rai will be banging on the door any minute.”
Two hours later and the entire den is covered in shredded wrapping paper, there’s a fire in the fireplace, and someone’s phone is connected to the surround-sound playing Christmas music. Everyone is talking at the same time and showing off their gifts.
Mason lied when he told me that no one got me anything, a few gifts were handed to me during the wrapping paper frenzy, and I had to fight back the tears. As much as I hate to admit it, the Christmases of my youth were never this nice.
“Your hot cocoa, ma’am.” Mason bends over with the hot mug and hands me the cocoa that I requested. When he stands back up, he says, “Can I get everyone’s attention?”
All the heads in the room swivel in his direction, he stays standing as the chatter dies down and the only sound is the fire crackling and the soft music playing in the background.
“We had a close call this year.” He looks at his dad, who is drinking his second or third cup of coffee, I’m not sure which, “We’ve been reminded, again, of the importance of family.” He looks at Gray and Lainey Rai. Gray cups his mouth and chin in his hand and leans on the chair arm.
“It’s easy to forget what’s important while going through the day-to-day grind, I know I did. I took my family for granted and that’s a mistake I won’t make again.” He looks at Marley and winks and she gifts him with a smile.
“You know, if you would have asked me just a few months ago if I would ever have a wife and a child, I would have told you not a chance,” My heart sinks a little, but I swallow and keep the smile on my face, “it’s funny how life doesn’t give a damn about what you’re doing or planing.
In the past month, it has been made plain to me that things change in a blink.
He turns and looks at me and shakes his head, his eyebrows go up in disbelief, “I’m going to be a father.” Soft laughter fills the room. “I’ve questioned my ability a hundred times since I found out, but I think that with the right woman beside me, I can do anything.”
When he goes down on one knee, it’s my turn for my eyebrows to go up in disbelief, and I hear a couple of gasps in the room.
He takes my hand, “Sloane, when we met in that bar, I knew there was something different about you,” he lays his palm over his heart, “I knew I was supposed to talk to you that night, and I know we have only known each other for a month, but I also know you are the woman I want by my side.”
He slides his hand in his pocket and my heart starts pattering against my chest. He pulls a small, black, velvet box from his pocket and pops the top open to reveal a large, round, single-stone engagement ring, my fingers go to my lips as I look at the sparkling stone in front of me.
“You’re the woman who has changed my life.
So, in front of all the people in the world who are most important to me, I want to ask if you’ll be my wife, too? ”
Every eye in the room is on me, but my focus is on Mason. I couldn’t stop my smile if I tried, I nod my head. “Of course I will, yes,” I say around the lump in my throat.
The room erupts in whoops and hollers, and he slips the ring on my finger before he pulls me to him. I put my arms around his neck, and he kisses me under my ear where he knows I like it best. “I love you.” He says just loud enough for me to hear.
Turning my head, I nuzzle my nose in his neck. “I love you, too.”