"I don't need to be saved anymore, Owen. All I need now is to be loved. Do you think you can handle that?"
"I'd like the opportunity to try if you'll let me."
Words are cheap. I need to show him I want this, that I need him, that I still love him as much as he loves me. Pushing myself onto the tips of my toes, I pull Owen's lips to mine. It's an innocent kiss, but my message is clearly conveyed.
"Let's get out of the cold," I say as I rest my forehead against his.
"There's just one thing I have to take care of first. Let's head to the skating rink."
"Okayyyyyy."
"Don't worry. I think you'll like it. Plus, Jay's back there waiting for us. I know he wants to say hello."
"Jay's here? Why?" I ask, confused by his presence but excited to see him at the same time. I need to thank him. It was so chaotic, and I never found the chance. One of his men took me out to a vehicle while Jay tended to Owen. I never saw him after that. They said he went with Owen to the hospital while I spent six hours at the police station. My father arrived shortly after I did, and he refused to leave my side until we were safely back in Freeman Falls.
"He's helping me with something. Come on." Tugging on my hand, Owen leads us down the snow-covered path to the skating rink.
As soon as he spots us, Jay stands and waves. Letting go of Owen, I run toward Jay, straight into his chest, wrapping my arms around him.
"It's nice to see you, too, Bliss," he greets me, his tone less serious than I’m used to.
"Thank you, Jay. I didn't have the chance to thank you before, and I want to make sure you know how grateful I am for everything you've done for me." My words are muffled against his coat, but I think he gets the gist of what I’m saying.
"I'm just glad everyone is okay."
"Me, too," I reply, pulling back and looking over my shoulder at Owen. "Me, too."
"I want to say me three, but that sounds cliché," Owen chimes in. I roll my eyes ,and I hear Jay let out a cough to cover his laugh. "You taking off now?"
Following Owen's line of sight, I see he's directing his question to Jay.
"Yeah, it seems like you have this under control. Call me if you need anything. Better yet, don't call me unless you're in danger. Enjoy yourself."
Jay gives me one more hug, claps Owen on the back, and walks away without looking back. I have a feeling we’ll see him again. The look they shared just now leads me to believe that their relationship is finally on the up and up.
"Not that I mind seeing Jay, but why was he here?"
"He was guarding the place for me."
"Guarding what exactly?" I ask, motioning to the deserted ice rink in front of us.
"Exactly. Why do you think we have this place to ourselves? Jay's men have been standing guard for hours. I wasn't able to rent it out today, but no one said I couldn't pay people to go away so we could have it all to ourselves."
Laughing, Owen pulls me off the bench and toward the skate rental. He puts my skates on for me, tying them tight. It's been forever since I've been on skates. I'm a little unsteady on my feet at first, but Owen makes sure I know I can lean on him if I need to.
Skating backward, Owen guides us around the rink over and over again. My face is numb as are my hands and feet. I wasn't planning on being outside this long, and the slight drop in temperature is finally wearing on my body.
"One more lap," Owen begs.
"One more, and then we have to go. I need to jump in a hot shower and warm up."
Gliding to a stop, Owen arches his eyebrow at me, and I swat him against his chest.
"What was that for?" he asks.
"I know what you were thinking."
"I doubt that."
"Really? You weren't thinking about joining me?" I pop my hip out, resting my numb hand on top of it. Owen’s eyes follow the curve of my body.
"Is that an invite?" he asks, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he swallows.
"Nope," I reply, popping the P for emphasis.
"Fine," he says, kneeling down on the ice. "I guess I'll just have to see if there's someone else interested in showering with me."
"Good luck with th—"
A shimmer of light catches my eye, causing me to suck in a breath and stop mid-sentence.
Owen removes the glove from my left hand and positions the ring at the tip of my finger. I can't stop staring at it, even after Owen clears his throat.
"Bliss, I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You're the reason I wake up in the morning, and the last person I want to see before I go to bed at night. I want to hold you in my arms and kiss your lips all day, every day. Will you make me the happiest man in the world and be my wife?"
18
Owen
Holding my breath, I'm on the verge of passing out by the time Bliss answers me. Forgetting that we're on skates, I pick her up and spin us around. Losing my balance, we land with a thump seconds later. I can't help the laugh that escapes me. I'm happier than I've ever been in my life. Bliss just agreed to marry me, to spend the rest of her life with me, and I plan to make sure she feels how much I love her every day until I die.
Starting right now.
In a hot shower.
Our plane leaves in two hours. Bliss is frantically throwing her clothes in her suitcase while I gather her things from the bathroom. We've spent the last twelve hours in bed, and now, we're going to miss our plane to London.
"Owen, I can't find the shirt I was wearing last night," Bliss screams.
"I threw it over by the windows," I holler back from the bathroom as I attempt to grab everything in one load.
"Found it!"
Her clothes and mine went flying in every direction when we made it here last night. We made so many stops on the way that we were both crazy with desire by the time the door finally closed behind us.
"We have to go," I say, dropping all her bathroom crap in the suitcase.
"I'm ready," Bliss declares, closing the top and zipping it up. She looks gorgeous this morning. There's a glow of happiness surrounding her, one that I'm sure mirrors my own.
Hand in hand, we make our way down the hall and into the elevator. The first day of our life together starts right now. London is our first stop, followed by Paris and finally, Italy, where we plan to get married. It's going to be just the two of us and Jay as our witness. He's meeting there in a few weeks if I can get Bliss to wait that long.
She wanted to run to the courthouse yesterday. When I explained the process to her, she wanted to elope to Vegas last night. I wasn't opposed to the idea as much as I want to give her a wedding she deserves. There's no need to rush. Neither of us are going to change our minds. If our love didn't waiver after thirteen months apart, it's not going to in the next few weeks.
We make it through security in record time. As they make the first boarding call, Bliss' phone rings. Pulling it from her purse, Bliss' face falls.
"It's my father."
"Answer it. He’s going to keep calling until you do," I point out.
"I don't really want to talk to him."
I don't blame her, but I also know he'll worry about her, just like I have, until he talks to her. I do the best I can to try and convince her, but she won't change her mind.
"When he calls back, do you want me to answer?" I ask as we walk down the tunnel, stepping onto the plane.
"Um, I don't think that's a good idea," she stutters, hesitant about my suggestion.
"Why not? If he's going to be my father-in-law, we need to start getting along sometime."
That's not really why I want to talk to him. I want to make sure he knows I never gave up, that I found her and that, even with how hard he tried to keep us apart, he failed. If there's one thing he can't stand, its failure. That's going to piss him off the most, and I'm going to enjoy every second of his stunned silence.
"I guess so," she agrees, sliding into her seat.
I stow our carry-on bags in the overhead compartment and slide i
nto my seat next to her. Her phone rings moments later. Without even looking at the screen, Bliss hands it to me.
"Hello?" I say, putting a little extra pep in my voice.
"Who is this? Where is Bliss?" Mr. Cooper hasn't changed a bit. Still demanding. Still an asshole on the phone. Well, not just on the phone.
"This is Owen, sir." I wait for his response, but it doesn't come, just as I expected. Smiling to myself, I continue. "Bliss and I just boarded the plane. Can she call you back when we land in London?"
"I thought I told you to stay the hell away from my daughter," he seethes.
"Yes, sir, you did. I chose not to listen." I keep my voice calm. If I let him get to me, it’ll ruin the high I’m still riding from last night.
"This is not happening. Let me talk to Bliss."
"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't do that. She's rather upset with you right now and doesn't want to talk to you. Apparently, she was under the impression I was dead." Smiling as I say each word, I can feel he’s about to explode.
"Damn straight she was, and she still would be if you had listened!"
"Well, thankfully, I've never been very good at listening to parental figures. I'm going to let you go now. Have a nice day, sir."
I hear him yell into the phone just as I'm about to end the call. One more thing, though. "Oh, Mr. Cooper?" I can hear him breathing on the other end of the line, so I don't wait for a response. "I've asked Bliss to marry me, and she's agreed, so we'll be getting married in a few weeks. We'll be sure to send you some pictures."
Ending the call before things get out of hand, I toss Bliss her phone and relax back into my seat, taking pleasure in the fact that he's probably throwing things around right now.
"You know, that wasn't the best way to make amends with him."
"It's a good thing I wasn't trying to do that, then. I said we needed to start getting along, Bliss. Before that can happen, he needs to realize that I'm not backing down and I'm not going anywhere. Sure, he's pissed right now, but he'll eventually get over it. I mean, if he ever plans to see his grandchildren, he'll have to."
"One thing at a time, Owen. Who says we're having kids?"
"If I have my way, we're going to have a least a dozen. The fun part is making them, remember?" I wiggle my eyebrows at her, causing her to start giggling. "Don't tell me you don't want kids."
"Oh, I do. Just not twelve."
"How many then?"
"Three?" she asks.
"Five."
"Three." This time, it’s a statement, not a question.
"That's not how this game works. You're supposed to say four," I reply, leaning in closer to her ear.
"Sorry. Two?"
"Okay, three it is, then. Whatever you want, Mrs. Hudson."
Smiling at me, Bliss whispers "Say it again."
"Mrs. Hudson," I whisper before kissing her on the side of her neck.
"God, I love you, Owen,” she replies, a shiver running through her body.
"I love you too, Bliss."
Keep reading for a sneak peak at BOTH Lucky 13 & Jumping Puddles…
Lucky 13
PROLOGUE
I wish there was a better term able to convey exactly how I feel right now. The only word I can think to use is empty. Empty, as if a part of me has gone missing, and no matter how hard I look, I can’t find it. I know I won’t be able to ever find that little piece of myself again. My heart is shattered in a way I never knew was possible. The pain is what’s the most unbearable. I want to cry, but I won’t allow myself to. Not yet. Not again. Not until I can describe this feeling.
I imagine it’s different for everyone. Death. No two people experience it the same. No two people grieve alike.
My father has stood tall and remained as unemotional as I’ve ever seen him. He’s shut down. I want to be able to do the same. Maybe then I wouldn’t have this excruciating pain radiating through my entire body.
I tried not to cry, but my emotions got the best of me. I couldn’t help it. Hiding in my room until the funeral, I tried to get all the tears out so I could be brave and stand tall like my father. I wanted to make him proud, but most of all, I wanted to prove to him I’m all right. I’ll be fine.
I may have just lost my mother, but I still have my grandmother. I still have him. I don’t need anyone else.
Grandma keeps asking me if I want to talk about it, about her. I don’t. I’m not ready yet. I know what happened. I heard grandma and my father talking, but I wish I hadn’t. Pretending I didn’t won’t change anything.
“Madison, are you sure you’re all right?” Grandma’s voice, soft and gentle as always, breaks the silence in the car.
“Yeah. I’ll be fine.” I’ve been giving her the same answer for the last two days. She’s hasn’t pushed yet, but I know it’s only a matter of time.
“Fine is not an answer. I want to know how you’re feeling. You can tell me anything; you know that.”
Let the inquisition begin.
“It’s the only word I know to describe how I feel right now, Grandma.” Being able to explain myself better is what I want, but I don’t know how. I know she’s not going to accept my answer.
“You’re a smart girl, Madison Melissa. Your vocabulary is expansive and the only word you can think of is ‘fine’?” she asks with a sassy attitude, one I rarely hear.
I don’t answer her right away. If the car wasn’t moving, I would jump out and run. I love my grandma dearly—she’s my favorite person in the world. I look forward to visiting with her at the end of every summer. This visit, however, was unplanned, and I’m not excited about it at all.
She promised we would relax and have a little fun. Those plans have changed already, and we’ve only been off the plane for an hour. She got a call that someone needs her back in New Bern. Of course she apologized, but turned the car around and headed to her house.
“You know, we’re still going to head to the beach. I just need to take care of a few things first. We have two weeks this summer, and I plan to make the most of both of them. I promise this won’t take more than a few days.” There’s optimism in her voice but less conviction than I was hoping for. She doesn’t believe her words any more than I do.
“I get it, Grandma. I’m not mad.” I lie. I am, but only a little and I’ll get over it.
“I’m glad you understand. Thank you. Now, do you want to tell me what else is going on in that pretty little head of yours?”
“Not really.”
I feel Grandma’s eyes on me, studying me, but I keep my attention focused out the window. Nothing but trees as far as the eye can see. We should be close to New Bern by now, so as long as I can avoid her questions for a few more minutes, I’ll be in the clear for the rest of the day. Maybe I’ll be able to describe this feeling by then.
“Your mother loved you. You know that, right?” Grandma almost chokes on her words, attempting to cover her mistake with a cough.
I close my eyes and swallow the lump that’s formed in my throat at the mention of my mother. Tears are threatening to fall, so I try to think of other things. School starts in a month. The beach is only a few days away. I get to redecorate my room at Grandma’s while I’m here.
Nothing works.
The first tear falls, and I let it drip onto my tank top. If I wipe it away, Grandma will notice. I nod, knowing she’s still watching. If I speak, she’ll be able to hear the sadness in my voice. I haven’t found a way to mask it.
Feeling her hand on my knee, I welcome the warmth and love she radiates. I will be okay. I will be better than fine. I will survive this. Having Grandma and my father, life will go on, and I will embrace it. I will not let the sadness devour me. I will break through. All I need is a moment alone so I can release these tears.
Grandma’s emergency is waiting in the foyer of the house when we arrive. A frazzled woman with blonde hair, and a boy that looks about my age, are sitting on the stairs. The woman jumps up and thrusts her hand out to introduce hersel
f as soon as my grandma sets her bag down.
“Carol,” the woman says, her voice trembling. “This is my son, Joshua.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” Grandma replied, covering Carol’s hand with her own. “We’re going to take good care of the both of you. I promise. Why don’t we go in the living room and talk for a few minutes?” Grandma ushers Carol down the hall, leaving me and Joshua alone in the foyer. Before Grandma disappears into the living room, she turns and addresses me. “Madison, why don’t you show Joshua around outside. We’ll only be a few minutes.”
I nod, knowing Grandma wouldn’t ask me unless it was important.
Smiling at Joshua, I open the front door and walk out onto the porch. “I’m Madison,” I say as he catches up to me.
“Hi,” he replies softly.
“Want to walk down to the river?” I get the impression he doesn’t want to talk from his body language. Maybe walking will help lift his spirits. It’s worth a shot. I feel bad for him because I know his situation has to be awful, even compared to my own.
“Sure.”
We walk in silence, around the house and down to the river. Picking up a few rocks along the banks, I start skipping them across the water. I want to ask him about himself, but I know better. He won’t be able to tell me much. If his mother is here, she needs help—they need to disappear. Today, he’s Joshua. Tomorrow, he won’t be. Grandma will take care of them, help them start a new life. That’s what she does. That’s what I’ll do someday.
“How old are you?” he asks just as I’m bending down to search for more rocks.
Saving Bliss Page 16
