Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68004 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 340(@200wpm)___ 272(@250wpm)___ 227(@300wpm)
“I wanted too many, so they are giving me none?” he said achingly, wanting to rage against the gods, but knowing if he did, the reprisal would be swift in coming.
Ginny moved away from the banister she was leaning against. “They are giving you ten children,” she said softly with tears in her eyes. “Ten children who won’t grow up fatherless or motherless.” Walking toward him, she took his clenched fists in her hands. “Ten children who you can give the same wonderful childhood you had, that we all had. Did you feel any differently toward me when I told you that I wasn’t your biological sister?”
“No!” He loved Ginny just as much as he had loved Leah.
Matthew stared down at Ginny’s swollen belly. He was never going to see Alanna swell with their child. It had been stolen from them, just like so many other firsts had been stolen.
Matthew broke, unable to hold back, his face cracking. “I wanted to be the first one to hold my own son when he was born.”
Ginny released his hands to hug him close. “You won’t be holding a son you created, but you will hold your son. It’s doesn’t mean it won’t be just as meaningful.”
Isaac moved up next to him, placing his arms around him and Ginny. “You can hold my son first,” he offered.
Matthew felt Jody’s and Jacob’s arms surround them.
“Mine, too,” Jody said.
“Same, bro,” Jacob added.
Moses’s hand landed heavily on his shoulder. “Ezra won’t tell me how many I’m having, but, dude, you’ve got first dibs.”
Matthew heard the slam of the screen door.
“You can have mine. I don’t want kids.” Fynn sidled under his brothers to wrap his hands around Mathew’s waist.
Matthew lifted his eyes to where Ezra and Silas were still sitting, seeing the same thing in their eyes that he had always seen when they talked about his future with Alanna. Never-ending love.
“At least tell me you didn’t lie about how old we’ll live to.”
Ezra gave him a stank face. “Bro, I don’t know why you want to live so long. You’ll have to have prosthetic balls.”
Matthew felt love surrounding him and knew he didn’t have anything to complain about. He was already blessed with his family, his soul mate had finally found her way to him, and she seemed to be starting to like him. Having his own children would have just been the cherry on an already heavily decorated cake.
“That’s easy to answer,” Matthew scoffed back. “At least one of us has to outlive Greer.”
Chapter Nineteen
“I’m not going.” Alanna took another look at who was sitting in the front seat with Silas and started walking back to her trailer.
“Come on, Alanna.”
Alanna heard Matthew hurrying to catch up with her.
“I promise he will behave. This is the only way the sheriff will let you go.”
“Then I won’t go.”
“Come on,” he wheedled. “He won’t say a word, I promise. They have fresh apple cider and caramel apples.”
He had her at the apple cider.
Spinning on her tennis shoes, she gave him a threatening glare. “If he so much as touches my caramel apple, I will shove it down his throat,” she warned.
Matthew raised a hand, as if pledging. “I’ll do it for you.”
Alanna poked a finger in his chest. “I’m going to hold you to that promise.”
Matthew nodded solemnly.
They walked back to Silas’ truck, and Matthew held the back door open for her behind Greer, allowing her to slide inside. Alanna stared straight ahead as Matthew closed the door and went to the other door.
“Let’s hit the road,” Matthew said enthusiastically, closing the door once he was inside.
“About time.”
Greer’s sarcastic voice sounded like nails on a chalkboard to her.
Matthew gave her an apologetic glace as Silas pulled out of the driveway.
“Mind turning the radio on, Silas?”
Quiet music filled the cab of the truck as Silas pulled onto the main road in the opposite direction of Treepoint.
As Silas drove, everyone was silent, including Greer. Alanna was able to relax back in her seat and look out at the scenery. The trees were beautiful as they started getting their springtime buds. Staring at them, she began to realize she wasn’t seeing the tree trunks; she was gazing at the top of the trees. Leaning her head closer to the window, she glanced down to see the huge drop-off. They were climbing the mountain and going higher.
“Are you afraid of heights?”
Alanna turned away from the window to smile at Matthew. “No. One of the few things I’m not afraid of.”
“See if you can say that in about ten minutes. We’re going to be coming down, and then going up that big mother.” Greer pointed toward the front windshield.
Alanna tilted her head sideways to look around Greer’s seat. She stared ahead.
“I thought you said you weren’t afraid of heights,” he teased.
“I’m not. I’m just stunned at how pretty it is.”