Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 55271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55271 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 276(@200wpm)___ 221(@250wpm)___ 184(@300wpm)
Mr. Flay worked his magic in helping with the donation front for The Women’s Center. After I talked to Nelle, she brought up a good point and advised me to do this anonymously. This small town of ours talks. One person would start a rumor about the reason I left when I was seventeen wasn’t because of Mont’s wishes; it’d be spun in a way in which I was pregnant, left town to have my baby and give it up for adoption. I rolled my eyes, but Nelle was right. I set up a corporation in my mom’s maiden name. If someone did enough digging, they could figure out who helps them. Plus, as much as Nelle hurt from her past, she was trying to move on, not to forget but to forgive a piece of herself she didn’t realize she was blaming. That left us with the other foundation I wanted to start, which is still in the early phases. Sad to say, unlike The Women’s Center, where everything is set up and thriving, this new idea isn’t, causing it to take twice as long. Soon, we’ll get all the small items ironed out, but until then, it’s a waiting game.
“Can I help?” Chase’s niece, Sunny, walks up beside me in her princess crown, dress, gloves, and shoes.
“Of course. Will you keep William entertained while I grab the cake?” Everyone is in their seat, Heather and Hank on one side, Chase and Nelle on the other, the table in between. Ledger’s seat is mysteriously empty.
“I will.” Sunny’s eyes light up, and while I usually wouldn’t leave William or Sunny together on a pool deck with the fence down, I know the extra sets of eyes will watch them as well.
“I’ll be right back,” I tell the table. It’s a hot day here in Orange Blossom. The breeze is non-existent, making the pool Ledger and I argued about non-stop perfect. I held my own. So much for him saying he only wanted a say in a few things. There was no way our home needed an ultra-modern square pool, with sharp angles and a three-tiered waterfall. Where I wasn’t opposed to the waterfall, I added a small slide that everyone could use, with rocks carrying around it, blending the colors with the house. And I chose more of a kidney shape where deep end isn’t twelve feet deep like Ledger originally wanted. That last part came directly from the pool company. Florida’s water table would cause the pool to crack later down the road. No thanks. This damn pool was an investment enough, and then came the argument over the pool. How we were going to divide it. I got so pissed off that he wouldn’t let me contribute half that I stormed out of the house, ran down the dirty driveway, across the road, and straight to the orange groves. The citrus scent calmed my frayed nerves, but I barely had a moment to myself before Ledger was there with me. He wouldn’t compromise, and since I was seething mad, the only way to smooth things over between us was by him backing me up against the trunk of the tree behind me, dropping to his knees, lifting one thigh over his shoulder, sliding my thong beneath the sundress I was wearing to the side, and apologizing with his mouth, tracing I am sorry with the tip of his tongue. A different version when he’s all about using numbers instead of letters. Needless to say, I gave in, and he paid for the pool after all.
“There you are.” His arm bands around my back, pulling me in while holding William’s smash cake with the other.
“Where else would I be?”
“We need to tell everyone. Today. Mom already noticed you bypassed the beer. Nelle will be onto you next.” I roll my eyes. Neither of them would say a word, suspicious or not.
“Ledger Sinclair, I’m onto you. We’ll tell them after William eats his cake.” He wants to announce to the world that he can knock me up in little to no time at all, unbelievably proud of himself.
“That’ll do. Thank you. Love you, butterfly.” His lips peck mine.
“I love you.” This is who my husband is, a man who has no problem staking his claim, any way he can.
EPILOGUE
LEDGER
Six Years Later
“Dad, is this where Uncle Mont is?” Our firstborn son, William Montgomery, asks. In my arms is our baby girl, Charlotte Marie, a mix of Tulsa’s mom’s name. We like to carry our loved ones’ names through our children. James Oliver is currently with my wife, who’s sitting on the bench nursing our baby boy. We quickly became a family of five over the last six years. If it were up to me, we’d have at least three more. Tulsa is good with the three we have now. That means it’s up to me to convince her otherwise, which I have no doubt will be successful. Each of our children represents a loved one we lost along the way.