Love Required (The Real Love Series)
Page 27
Jason’s eyebrows dropped in question. “I thought by the time he left you were okay with the thought of Lexi inheriting his estate? You gotta admit, it’s some crazy poetic justice that it happened like that.”
Tori let out a laugh, “Yeah. He must be throwing one hell of a tantrum in hell right now.” She paused before adding, “But that’s not what I’m thinking about.”
“Tell me.”
“Well, I was hoping that maybe I could delay signing them until you’re a little better, and we could go to Idaho to take care of it.”
“Of course, if that’s how you want to handle it, we will,” he said as his hand swept up and down her back. She really had missed being held by him.
She nodded. “Yes, I’d like to go to Idaho. There’s someone there I’d really like to see.”
“Then we’ll make arrangements for as soon as I can fly.” Jason kissed her once before saying, “Now get ready for bed, baby, I finally have use of one of my arms.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively then winked as he left the room. She smiled to herself, loving how playful he was. Facing her reflection, her eyes landed on the older scar. Her hand went to it and slowly traced its path. Then her other hand went to the bandaged side and repeated the motion.
When she let her hands drop to her sides, she grinned and thought about Damien. It was the first time she could recall smiling when thinking of her personal demon. She let her eyes travel from one side to the next, noticing the angles matched. Again, she smirked as she silently acknowledged that he at least made them symmetrical.
Turning to the side, she examined the scars over her right shoulder—the ones she had given herself and thought it funny that these were irregular and blotchy. She harrumphed and faced front again. Pulling the waistband of her shorts down, she exposed the scar low on her belly. Noticing that it, too, was a straight, even line, she let out a laugh. He definitely didn’t have the last word since every attempt he had at marking her, inflicting damage, or trying to destroy her were failed. Sure, he left marks behind, both physical and emotional, but they were her badges of survival. And with that wonderful realization, she put all thoughts of Damien away and got ready for bed with her man.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
JASON and Tori had decided—at Tori’s request to see the house again—to meet Mr. Quinn at Damien’s. Tori had things to do while they were there in Idaho, and he wasn’t about to go sit in an office where they would be made to wait. No, this way, he showed up, Tori signed the papers, and they were done. Especially since they’d requested the papers be sent to an attorney back in San Diego look everything over already, and Jason knew there was no further discussion needed.
Now that she’d handed over the signed papers and that was behind them, they stood together looking at the remains of Damien’s house. The house that Victoria had lived in. He had no idea what was going through her head, but he let her have her space. Taking hold of Lexi, he tried to keep her busy as Tori processed whatever she needed to.
It had been two months since Damien died, and all of their injuries were finally healed. Lexi was comfortable walking now, and Jason let her roam around, keeping her attention away from Tori. When she tripped on the edge of the grass, Jason picked her up and dusted her off. Once he finished, he noticed a man standing at the edge of the property, looking apprehensive but determined. He knew immediately who it was. Jason walked right over to him, extended his hand, and said, “Mack?”
Mack smiled and took Jason’s hand, returning the shake, he said, “Jason. It’s great to meet you. When I saw you out here, I hoped it was you guys.”
Mack was in his sixties and was probably pretty imposing in his days. With a full head of salt-and-pepper hair, a mustache, and shorts paired with a Hawaiian shirt, he reminded Jason of Magnum PI. Concealing the humor of his thoughts behind a smile, Jason said, “Yeah, we came to town for Tori to sign some papers, and she wanted to stop here.”
“This must be the little one; she’s beautiful,” Mack said as he reached out and touched Lexi’s hand. She smiled pretty for him, showing off what baby teeth she had.
Jason kissed her and agreed, “She sure is. Looks just like Mommy.”
Just then Tori walked up next to them and stood silently for a moment. Jason watched as tears formed in her eyes before she smiled and said, “Mack … I’m so glad you’re here.”
Tori threw her arms around Mack and hugged him tightly. The endearing look on his face made Jason appreciate him even more. Besides the fact he helped Tori escape the evil clutches of her husband, he had taken the time to seek her out when he thought she might be in danger. They were indebted to this man forever.
A minute or so passed before Tori finally let Mack go. She stepped back and wiped the tears from her cheeks. “Sorry, I promise I have self-control, but I seem to very emotional today.”
Mack smiled. “No need to apologize, sweetheart. I’m just glad I got to see you.”
She nodded, apparently still trying to compose herself. Jason wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her against him. Tori leaned into him as she asked Mack, “Can we take you to lunch? I’d love to spend time with you. You only know the parts of my life that were dramatic.”
“I’d love to,” Mack said as he motioned over his shoulder, “Let me just lock the house up.”
They stood for a few moments before Mack returned and they set out to have lunch together. Jason enjoyed spending time with Mack, reminding him of his own father. As they waved goodbye to Mack and set out for their next destination, Jason made a mental note to have lunch with his dad when they returned.
TORI wasn’t sure why she was nervous; there was no reason to be. Maybe it was just anticipation, she thought as Jason passed through the rod iron gates. Taking in the scenery, she tried to remember where they needed to go. Having only been there the one time, she hoped she would recognize it when she saw it. The grass was a healthy green, cut tightly to the ground. In some areas, it just looked look like a large lawn to roll around on and play. She supposed that was their goal in those areas, to hide the stones and make it look less like a cemetery.
Jason drove slowly, asking, “Does anything look familiar yet? We could go to the office and get a map I think.”
Tori took Jason’s hand and squeezed. “Just keep going please, I see some things I recognize. I’m certain I’ll know it when I see it.”
“Okay, just tell me when.”
She nodded and turned back to the lawns. Her mother’s stone wasn’t a large one, but it wasn’t flat. The day she’d laid her to rest, Tori was mesmerized by the large tree that stretched over her plot. Because her mother had wanted to be cremated, she was able to choose the spot under the grand tree in hopes that she would have visitors. It made Tori’s heart hurt to think that she hadn’t been back since that day. But deep down, she knew her mother understood. After all, she believed she was watching over her all this time. How else would she have been saved in so many ways?
When the car came over an embankment, the glorious tree came into view, and Tori’s eyes filled with tears. Squeezing Jason’s hand, she pointed. “It’s over there, beneath the tree.”
“Wow, that’s some tree,” Jason said in awe. Tori smiled; it was so like her mother to pick that spot. Jason parked the car on the small road in front of the tree and turned off the car. Tori stared for long moments before he asked, “Would you like me to go with you?”
Tori nodded. “Yes, please. Can you carry Lexi?”
“Of course. You ready?” he asked softly, ever thoughtful of the situation. Again she nodded through the lump in her throat, and they got out of the car.
Jason came around the back of the car with Lexi. He stood next to Tori and held her hand. Tori took a deep breath and willed herself forward. Slowly, they traversed the sunny lawn, moving around headstones and flowers. When they reached the shaded canopy of the tree, she felt a sense of peace wash over her. It was a feeling she always felt around her mother.
Sto
pping just before the roots started, they came upon the rose marble stone engrossed with her mother’s name. The words ‘Beloved mother and friend’ were carved just below her name. Although she was so much more than that, those words spoke volumes to Tori. Together, they stood silently, feeling the peacefulness of their surroundings. It was almost like Lexi understood something was different about where they were because she, too, was quiet.
When Jason squeezed her hand in support, she whispered, “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to say or do.”
“What would you do or say if she were standing right in front of you?” Jason asked softly.
Tori sniffled and a small laugh escaped as she said, “If Mom were standing here right now, I’d introduce you to her, and then she’d lean over and whisper something inappropriate about how handsome you are.”
“And of course I would be oh-so-charming and say something like, ‘I thought I was meeting your mom, not your older sister,’” Jason said with humor.
She giggled, “She would’ve been so charmed by that, too. I can imagine her response would’ve been to slip her arm in yours and tell you to take her to lunch so she could hear more.”
“Then I would take her to lunch and tell her what a beautiful, strong, and amazing daughter she has. And that I love her very much,” Jason said, squeezing her hand. She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face and smiled.
“I can see it all in my head,” she wiped her cheeks and sniffled, “as if it really happened.”
Jason kissed her hand. “In a way, it just did. You can hold on to that image and let it live in your heart.”
Tori looked at him in shock, and shaking her head, she stated the obvious, “I’m so happy I found you.”
“Ditto,” he said before kissing her forehead and adding, “We’ll give you some time alone. I’ll be right over there if you need me.”
She nodded and watch Jason and Lexi walk away before turning back around. Closing her eyes, she latched onto the vision she had of her mom meeting Jason and smiled. She would keep that close to her heart and pretend it was real.
“So I guess I should thank you, Mom. You know at first, when things went bad with Damien, I thought how strange it was for you to have not seen it. Since you were such a great judge in character, but now I see it.” Tori laughed to herself, looking over her shoulder in the direction of the car. She took in the sight of Jason holding Lexi over his head as she giggled. Looking back at the marble stone she continued, “I know you would never have given your approval of Damien if you knew what he was capable of. But I see that it was just a step in a direction that led me to where I am now. If I hadn’t been with Damien, I never would’ve ran to San Diego. And then I never would’ve found Jason.”
Swallowing her tears, she continued, “He’s so good to me, Mom. So good to us. He’s everything you would’ve wanted for me.” She smiled. “But somehow I think you already know this, don’t you.”
After a long moment, she dried her cheeks, and said, “I won’t be by as often as I’d like to be, but I promise to come when I can. Just know that I’m happy, healthy, and loved. I have everything I could’ve hoped for, and I promise you’re never far from thoughts.”
She blew a kiss to the stone and smiled again. “Bye Mom.”
Turning around, she walked toward her future with a full heart and a smile on her face.
EPILOGUE
JASON leaned back in the chair and laid her head against his chest. Dropping his face into her hair, he placed a reverent kiss there. Quietly, they sat together. He would periodically kiss her head as he rubbed her back, his body finally losing the tension from the day’s events. Deciding he had a few things he wanted to tell her, he gently cleared his throat and spoke softly to match the atmosphere of the room.
“So, I was thinking. And you don’t have to say anything; you can just listen and let me say what’s on my mind. Unless you want to, of course. Anyway, I wanted you to know that since you’ve come into my world, I’ve thought of little else but you. On a daily basis, I worry about how you’re doing and if you’re okay. You should try not to hold it against me, it’s just how I am. In fact, you should just embrace it and see it as a good thing.”
He placed a kiss to her forehead before continuing, “I want you to know that I’ll do everything in my power to make sure you are happy, and healthy, and safe. There is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. All you have to do is say the word, I promise you.”
She opened her eyes and he smiled. “I love you so much already; it takes my breath away. And I promise to make sure you know that every single day.”
Finished with his speech, he felt the enormity of his words, the permanency of their connection. Sweeping an unruly curl on her forehead to the side, he watched as it sprang back, it’s color so mesmerizing. Her eyes began to droop until they closed completely and she went to sleep. Still smiling, he said with a little humor, “That’s okay, you don’t need to say anything. I know you’ll love me, too. I just needed to make sure you knew how important you are to me and how much I love you.”
A moment later, Tori’s voice, laced with exhaustion said, “Sounds like I should be jealous.”
Jason stood immediately, but cautiously, as he held his daughter tightly to his chest. Moving to her bed, he sat on the edge and smiled down at her. “How are you feeling, my love? Do you need anything? Would you like me to call a nurse? Should I get you some ice chips?”
Tori lifted her finger to his lips, “Shh. Did you know you babble when you’re nervous?”
He chuckled, “Yes, dear wife, I do, but only with you.”
She shook her head and smirked, “Not true. I do believe there are now three women in your life who can make you babble like a nervous monkey.”
Looking down at the newest addition to their little family, he asked, “Is it bad that I already want to lock her up and never let anything hurt her?”
Tori smiled before whispering, “I think it makes her one of the luckiest girls around.”
Jason shook his head before kissing Tori softly and whispering back, “It’s me who’s the lucky one.”
~THE END~
About the Author
Melanie is an amazing mother of four, an awesome and tolerant wife to one, and nurse to many. If you don’t believe her, just ask anyone in her family, they know what to say. She is also a devoted chauffer, the keeper of missing socks, a genius according to a six year old, the coolest soccer uniform coordinator according to a twelve year old, and the best damn ‘mac-n-cheese-with-cut-up-hot-dog maker in the whole world. Well that last title isn’t really official, but it’s still pretty cool to be called it.
When not being ordered around by any of the kids, you can find her with her nose in a book or on the sideline of a soccer game cheering on one team or another. But that’s mostly because she has a thing for the coach. When she is not doing all of the above, you can find her obsessed with a group of fictional characters all vying for a spot on the page of whatever she’s working on. It’s a fun and crazy life to lead, but wouldn’t have it any other way.
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Thank you for reading. Please look for other books in this series, as well as more to come. Remember that the best compliment you can pay an author is to leave a review … We love to read them.
The Real Love Series:
Love Realized
Love Resisted
Love Required
And coming soon…
We get to hear from the younger generation of Baxters in:
Assumptions
Expectations
Table of Contents
Love Required
Dedication
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Table of Contents
PROLOGUE
&n
bsp; CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
CHAPTER THIRTY
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
EPILOGUE
About the Author