The Driftwood Promise

by Suzie O'Connell

  That changed everything.

  Liam needed his parents together. He deserved to have his family whole. And if Hannah truly was beginning to come around and be the parent Liam and Gideon needed her to be….

  “Thought I’d find you here.”

  She pinched her eyes closed for a moment, then forced a smile as she turned her face to Gideon. Unlike the day she’d told him about the molestation and Chaz’s cheating, there was no hesitation in him. He strode to her across the sand with his lips curved in amusement but concern shadowing those beautiful dark eyes. When he reached her, he gestured to the log, asking if he could sit with her.

  She nodded. “Didn’t take you long to find me. I’ve only been here a few minutes.”

  “For someone who is so refreshingly multi-faceted, you are surprisingly predictable.” He paused a moment, then asked softly, “Everything all right?”

  She opened her mouth to say yes, but the lie was sour in the back of her throat. “Um, I’m not sure.”

  “Okay….”

  He picked up her hand and slipped his fingers between hers with such tenderness that, for a moment, she couldn’t breathe and couldn’t remember why everything wasn’t all right.

  “Want to talk to me about it?”

  “Are we making a mistake?” she blurted.

  “What do you mean?”

  Shifting toward him, she noted the frown of confusion drawing his brows together. She started to give voice to the thoughts swirling through her mind, but they were too jumbled to grab on to. How could she explain that she was afraid them being together wasn’t what was best for his son without sounding like she didn’t care about what was best for Gideon?

  Slowly, she finally said, “Hannah’s finally starting to be what you needed her to be all along. And Liam…. You should’ve seen his smile out there on the deck with both his parents together and talking and not fighting. He was so happy, and it was beautiful. I can’t take that away from him.”

  “Take what away from him? Erin, you aren’t suggesting….” His voice trailed off, and disappointment flashed across his face. “No, we aren’t making a mistake. And despite whatever you may think, there is no chance of reconciliation with Hannah.”

  “Not even if it’s what’s best for your son?”

  “Not even then because it isn’t. What’s best for him is to have a happy father who doesn’t fight constantly with his mother. And that’s what would happen.”

  “But you’re working things out with her.”

  “Erin. It’s never going to happen. Do you know why I’m so sure?”

  She shook her head.

  “You.”

  She lowered her eyes, unable to withstand the unwavering confidence glowing in his eyes. “You’ve known me barely a month.”

  “Doesn’t matter. Let me paint you a picture. It’s a gorgeous summer night—the solstice, to be exact. Bonfires litter the beach from point to point, music and laughter drift across the sand, and it is as perfect a night as anyone could imagine. There’s a group of people enjoying it all right here where you and I are sitting now. One of them is a single father watching this beautiful vixen teach his son the proper way to build a driftwood fort, and the joy on both their faces is so sublime and so precious. In those moments, this single father catches a glimpse of something he wasn’t sure he’d ever find—the family he’d envisioned for his son with a woman who doesn’t just humor him but enjoys his company and takes as much pleasure from this boy’s happiness as his father does.”

  Erin closed her eyes to picture it and had no trouble. Liam had been so adorable and so enthusiastic, him and Daphne. It had been a perfect night, indeed, and she’d dreamt of it frequently in the weeks that followed.

  “You are the reason I decided to file for full custody of Liam,” Gideon continued quietly. “Did you know that?”

  Jerking back, she stared at him. How could that possibly be true? He’d filed for custody in July—before they’d started dating.

  “That night showed me…” He shook his head as a poignant smile graced his features. “…so much possibility. Things I’d stopped hoping for. How does that advice go? Don’t invest in a relationship if you wouldn’t want one like it for your child. Something like that. I wouldn’t want Liam stuck in a relationship like I had with Hannah, settling for less than he deserves. That night, I saw what kind of woman I’d want for him. One who adores him and values what he has to offer and loves him, flaws and all.” He took her face in his hands and brushed his thumbs over her cheeks, searching her eyes. “The kind I want for myself. You remember what you said to me at your mom’s birthday? About what makes my heart beat?”

  She nodded. “Your son. And I just want what’s best for him, Gideon. I’m not doubting you at all. I know you love me.”

  “Silly woman,” he murmured fondly. “You and me together is what’s best for Liam. Because you love him and listen to him and give him what he needs. Because you make me happy. Because you make me want to be a better father and a better man.”

  Frowning, she shifted her gaze to the horizon as his words spun around with her fear that Liam needed his mother and father together in a dance that threatened to shift the world on its axis. She barely noticed Gideon shift his position even though he was sitting close enough that their bodies touched at several points.

  “Maybe this will help you see how sure I am.”

  It took her a moment to understand that he was trying to show her something, and when she comprehended it, she glanced first at his face before realizing what he wanted to show her was in his hands.

  Her breath sucked through her teeth. Resting in his palm was a ring box that he opened as soon as her eyes found it. She knew in a concrete way that it was an engagement ring cushioned so snuggly in the box, but her mind refused to latch onto the more abstract meaning of it.

  “Gideon… what is this?”

  “My mother’s ring, intended since the day she died for the hand of the woman I want to marry. I never once considered it might ever grace Hannah’s hand, but I knew it should be on yours that night we made love—before we did. My father asked if I wanted him to bring it with him when he came down for Liam’s birthday, and I said yes. Without hesitation.”

  “I don’t understand. Are you proposing?”

  “Sort of.”

  Suddenly overcome by the urge to laugh, she tilted her head. “How do you sort of propose?”

  “Simple. I may be sure about us, but I don’t think you are yet. And that’s okay. Other men have put you through hell, and before you answer, I want you to believe without a single doubt that I won’t ever be one of them. So this is a promise. A promise that I’ll wait as long as you need me to. I know I still have a lot to prove. And if, when I have, you agree that this is forever, I’ll know when you put the ring on your finger. And if you decide this isn’t what you want, all you have to do is give it back, and I’ll accept your decision.”

  “Just like that? No questions asked?”

  “Well, I might ask questions.” His lips twitched with humor. “I think I deserve that. But I won’t try to push you into saying yes if it isn’t what’s in your heart.”

  When she made no move to take the ring, he took her hand, turned it over so her palm faced the sky, and settled the box—now closed again—into it.

  “Think about it.” He leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “I’ll leave you to it. Because I need to get back up to the cottage. Dad and Hannah have a truce, but who knows what might set them off again.”

  Then he was gone, striding away across the sand and disappearing through the waving grasses of the dunes.

  She stared after him for a long time until, once again, her gaze was drawn back to the sea. Not that she noticed more than the mesmerizing undulation of it; her attention was consumed by the small box in her hand.

  He wanted to marry her.

  On some level, she’d suspected he was heading in that direction. But… they’d been together less than a
full month. How could he be so confident? Sure, his father had proposed to his wife after only two weeks, and their love was so strong he had not, in the nearly three decades since she’d died, found anyone who could compare. She didn’t know much about their relationship, granted, but she didn’t think they’d faced the same hurdles she and Gideon had and would for who knew how long, namely on her side. Sure, he’d been patient and understanding and willing to let her dictate the physical side of their relationship, and of course she adored him for that. And, yes, making love to him that night had been so much better than anything she’d shared with Chaz, and she found herself wanting to try things that had once made her squirm to even think of. But….

  Her brows dipped as she searched for all the reasons why Gideon might turn away from her or why this delightful curiosity and desire might not last. She couldn’t think of a single one.

  She tried again.

  But what?

  The answer hung in the air, unanswered.

  But he might tire of her? But he might wander in search of less inhibited companionship? Impossible. He’d spent years with Hannah, clinging to hope that she might someday become the partner he needed even though he’d suspected from the beginning that she never would be. In contrast, if he was to be believed, he’d felt such a powerful pull toward Erin at the summer solstice that it had convinced him to seek full custody of his son on the glimmer of a chance that a real love and a real family was on the horizon. Or, at the very least, meeting her had shown him that there was more out there for him and his son than what he’d settled for with Hannah for so long.

  Erin lowered her gaze to the ring box, and she stroked it reverently for a while before compulsion drove her to open it. Maria St. Cloud’s engagement ring was simple but elegant. Tentatively, she slipped it from its cushioning and held it up, admiring how it glistened and sparkled in the bright morning sun. Then, without contemplating her actions, she slid it onto the ring finger of her left hand.

  Suddenly, everything became clear.

  It was silly, really, how that simple motion brought everything into perfect balance.

  She loved Gideon. She adored his son. She appreciated everything Gideon had already done to soothe her fears and heal her scars. He promised her that his son was in the best hands with her and with them together.

  What else mattered?

  Slowly, as if pushed by some unforeseen force, she rose from the log in front of her driftwood fort, glancing briefly back at her handiwork with a certainty that her days of seeking shelter in it and others like it were over.

  She tucked the ring box in the pocket of her windbreaker and started toward her car in the northern parking area. Her confidence grew with each step and her face lifted until, when she reached her car, she was beaming. She drew her phone from her pocket, snapped a quick picture of the ring, and sent it to her brother with the message, We’re even. So tomorrow I’ll tell you what really happened with Chaz.

  He was at his gallery, so she didn’t expect him to respond, but her phone chimed only seconds later.

  I told you so, he’d sent. A second message arrived. Does it matter anymore what happened with Chaz?

  She pondered that for a moment, closed her eyes, and sighed—fully at peace. No. It doesn’t.

  I am thrilled for you, sis, and finished it with a heart emoji.

  If it was possible, her smiled widened even more.

  Gideon was in the kitchen of the cottage with his father, son, and Hannah working on Liam’s birthday cake when she arrived. Quietly, she pulled him aside and handed him the ring box. His brows knitted together.

  “Open it,” she said.

  He did, and his frown deepened. “Where’s my mother’s…?”

  Coyly, she threaded the fingers of her left hand with those of his right and lifted both, tilting them toward his face so he could see.

  He jerked his head up and stared at her for what felt like at least a minute. “Are you sure?”

  She searched his eyes, and the hope that edged out the confidence inspired as much a sensation of power as of endearment. She nodded. “I don’t need to think about it. I know you’re the one.”

  He crushed her to him and let out a sigh of relief.

  “Just so we’re clear,” she murmured, grinning, “that’s a yes to your proposal.”

  Chuckling, he released her to pick up his son. “You hear that, bud? I asked Erin to marry me, and she said yes.”

  “What?!” the boy blurted. “Really?”

  She laughed. “Yes, really.”

  “Oh, man!” He wrapped an arm around her neck, and Gideon draped an arm around her shoulders. “Best. Birthday. Ever.”

  Matthew embraced them all and expressed his joy at the announcement, and Shadow, sensing the excitement, pranced around them with her eyes happy and her ears alert. Even Hannah offered genuine if somewhat crestfallen congratulations as well.

  “I’m curious,” Gideon said after his father, Liam, and Hannah had gone back to the cake. “What made you decide you didn’t need to think about this?”

  “I realized that I’ve found what makes my heart beat.”

  He waited several moments before he gave in. “And that is…?”

  She glanced at Liam and smiled. “Your sweet, beautiful son.” Turning to Gideon again, she slipped her arms around his neck, rose up on her toes, and whispered against his lips, “But most especially… you.”

  * * * * *

  Thanks for reading! I hope you’ve enjoyed The Driftwood Promise, and I would be eternally grateful if you would please leave an honest, spoiler-free review where you purchased the book to help other readers find it.

  * * *

  All done? Turn the page for an exclusive offer!

  Click or tap the image or visit www.suzieoconnell.com/newsletter to get your copy FREE.

  * * *

  About the Book:

  * * *

  Annemarie Garrett had a clear plan for her future. Getting pregnant at eighteen by a man twice her age wasn't part of it. Shifting directions at the unexpected fork in the road, she moves across Wyoming to secure a future for her son from the wealthy rancher who fathered him. But a gift of five hundred acres unwillingly given isn't the boon it seems. Annemarie knows nothing about ranching, and this barren tract of land is just a stone's throw from a man and his family who hate her and everything she represents.

  * * *

  With six older brothers ahead of him in line for his family's ranch, Gabriel Collins knew from a young age that he'd have to find his own way in the world. Now he's a master electrician with a successful business. Something is missing, however, and when Ms. Garrett calls in desperate need of his expertise, he catches a glimpse of exactly what. Could the indomitable young mother, her adorable little boy, and their struggle to turn Garrett Ranch from a money pit into a profitable operation might just be the family and the cause he didn't know he was searching for?

  CHAPTER ONE

  “What on earth was I thinking?”

  Annemarie groped her way down the treacherously steep, inky black stairwell, placing her feet more carefully when she knocked loose a cascade of crumbling concrete debris. As she descended, the air became stale with lung-clogging must and mildew. Her hand brushed a dangling cobweb, and she shivered. The basement was bad enough fully illuminated, but even with her eyes wide, there was nothing for them to see but blackness that provided the perfect canvas for her imagination.

  Her skin crawled at the thought of the giant brown spiders she knew lurked down here.

  Don’t think about them. She snorted. Yeah, right.

  She located the flashlight hanging from the rough-sawn beam to which the breaker box was screwed. Clicking it on, she located the tripped breaker for the kitchen and dining room—how sad was it that she knew them all now without needing to decipher the faded, curling labels?—and reset it. Warm light flooded the basement from the bare bulb directly above the trap door in the tiny dining room. “Utterly brilliant mo
ve this was, Garrett.”

  “Mom, are you okay?”

  She glanced up to see her sandy-haired son peering over the edge of the trap door. His blue eyes were wide, and she flashed her most reassuring smile. “I’m fine, pumpkin. Just a tripped breaker.”

  “You didn’t see any monsters down there, did you?”

  “Nope.” She glanced to her left as she climbed out of the basement, spied an eight-legged creepy-crawly staring at her from the crack in the foundation, and suppressed a shudder. No monsters. Just really big, ugly spiders.

  She reached the top of the steps and lovingly stroked her hand through Cody’s silky hair. This is all for him, and it will all pay off for him someday. I hope.

  “TJ says there’s monsters down there. And ghosts.”

  “Well, he’s wrong. And he’s a liar who only said that to scare you.”

  “But—”

  “Don’t listen to TJ, Cody. Just because he’s your half-brother, it doesn’t give him any right to be mean to you. Go on back to your drawing and forget about ghosts and monsters.”

  Cody wandered into the living room and plopped on the floor amid the sheets of printer paper, coloring books, crayons, and markers scattered across the scarred pine floor.

  After four months living here, tripped breakers were nothing new to him. Their cabin’s old wiring simply couldn’t handle the load of modern appliances, and she tripped a breaker at least once and frequently two or three times a day. This fear of monsters was sudden and new, however, and she needed to have a talk with TJ’s mother. At eleven years old, TJ was plenty old enough to know better than to bully a kindergartener. Or maybe she shouldn’t bring it up. Knowing Sandy, she’d probably encourage it.