Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 33407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“Actually, I was thinking about Walt.”
It’s slight, but I see the way her hands still on the needles for a moment before she goes right back to her work. “What about him?”
“Seems you and him have gotten awfully close.”
She nods. “He’s a good friend.”
“Bullshit.”
I’ve never cursed in front of my mom, so the moment I say the word, she lifts her head and glares at me. “Don’t you swear in my house, Zac Maple.”
“Don’t be telling lies in the house,” I challenge. “Walter is more than a friend.”
She ducks her head and goes back to her work on the blanket.
“You know,” I say softly, “I’d be happy for you, for both of you, if you ever…” I swallow hard, forcing the words out. I never imagined in a hundred years we’d be having this conversation. “If you wanted to marry again.”
She still doesn’t look up at me. “That’s lovely, dear. I don’t need your permission.”
“No, you don’t,” I agree. “But if you were looking for it or wanting it, well, there it is. I want you to be happy, Mom. You and Walt both deserve it.”
“Well, that’s mighty nice of you.”
I chuckle because, of course, that’s how she takes it. Linda Maple has always been so strong. She found it in her heart to love countless foster kids before she eventually adopted five of us.
When her husband died and left her with a farm deep in debt and five kids, she started a candle-making business and carried on the way she always has.
“How do you do it?” I ask softly because the truth is, I don’t know how to do it. I want her to give me the answer.
She finally looks back up from her craft work. “How do you love again?”
“How do you still breathe? Because every time she walks out that door, I’m terrified that one day she’s not coming back to me.” My voice breaks on the last word. I thought the hardest thing in the world was losing my dad. But to lose Dotty—the woman who’s meant to be my wife—that would break me.
“Oh, Zac,” she says my name so softly, so filled with pity. “It’s always scary to love someone after loss. Love the second time around is different. You understand how precious and rare it is, how easily they can be ripped from your life. But that’s also a blessing, because you don’t take it for granted the way other folks do.”
“She’s the most special thing to me in the whole world,” I admit. When the recording contracts started and the money began rolling in, I thought my life was complete. I thought I had everything I needed. Then I discovered Dotty and I know how hollow all of it is. The only thing that matters is my girl.
“Then hold on to her. None of us are promised tomorrow. And you know the one thing that brings me comfort about your father’s death?” She asks.
I shake my head, blinking back tears. “What’s that?”
“That he died the happiest man on earth.”
“How can you know that?” They told me he died on impact and Mom wasn’t there. She couldn’t have known how he felt in his final moments.
“Because he told me. Every single morning, your dad woke up and let me know how very much he loved me and loved his children. He always told me he was the happiest man on earth because he had us, and he lived every single day of his life trying to make sure we all felt that love.” She sets her needles down long enough to wipe away a stray tear. “If this were her last day, you’d want her to know how very loved she was, right?”
“I love her more than life.”
Mom nods. “Then show her that. Show her that every single day. And when grief knocks on your door one day, whether it’s expected or unexpected, you can take comfort in knowing all the love you shared.”
“Do you still love him?” I ask softly.
She gives me a sad smile. “He was the best part of my heart. Walter understands that because he’s already faced his own loss.”
“Then go be happy with him,” I tell her as I stand. I can’t predict the future and neither can my mom. But I can hold onto my girl with everything in me. I can make her feel loved every day for the rest of our time together.
Chapter 13
Dotty
I’m still thinking about what the girls told me when Zac shows up for our date.
I scurry out of the bakery and onto the sidewalk. If he comes inside, I know they’re going to pepper him with questions. I don’t want that to happen. I want Zac all to myself, at least for tonight.
He opens the passenger door for me and brushes a kiss across my forehead before helping me into the truck.