by Harlow James
“You’re not replacing her and I don’t want to compare you either, because you are honoring her just by worrying about that. But you are our future, Rachel. That’s why we made this album. It’s time to build our life together, our story. My son loves you too and wants us to be a family.”
I blink away tears before I gently press my lips to his. “I’ve missed you both so much.”
“Is that a yes then?”
“Yes to what? You never asked me a question,” I scoff jokingly.
“Will you come back home? To our home? Be in our family and help me raise my son?”
“That depends.” I look up towards the ceiling before I smile back at him. “Am I coming back as the nanny?”
Luke shakes his head. “No. You’re coming back as my girlfriend, my partner, my forever.” And then he plunges his tongue into my mouth while we wrap our arms around each other and reacquaint ourselves intensely. I bask in the feeling of kissing him again when a part of me wondered if this was an experience that would only exist in my memory after our fight.
“Okay. Then yes.”
“Good,” he growls and then stands, still holding me in his arms.
“Luke! Where are you taking me?” I ask as he walks us down the hallway before we enter his room.
“You belong in here with me,” he says as he lays me down on his bed, the immensity of this moment unwavering as I realize this is the first time I’ve been in this room.
“Are you sure, Luke?”
He nods, trailing kisses down my cheek before finding my lips again. “Yes. This is our room now.” He juts his chin to the nightstand where a picture of us from our hike sits in a frame. And that’s when my eyes move around the room and I gasp again. The walls adorn several photos of us, my comforter is folded neatly on a chair in the corner, and a few of my pieces of clothing that Pfeiffer must have left are hanging in the closet.
“I love you, Luke,” I declare before pulling him back to my lips, sliding up the bed while he crawls over me.
“I love you, Rachel. So fucking much. You’ve brought me back to life, baby. I can never convey how much you mean to me.”
“Show me,” I plead as he reaches for my sweater and pulls it over my head.
“Oh, I plan on it, sweetheart. Every day I’m going to show you how much I love you.”
And then we’re frantic, a mess of limbs and desperation as clothing is discarded, lips are nipped and sucked, and both of us are finally naked, ready to reunite.
Luke reaches for a condom from his nightstand, and once he’s covered, he plunges into me, holding my face with one hand as the other grips my hip.
“Luke…” I moan as he moves, sliding in and out of me at a sluggish pace, reminding me of just how powerful our connection is as he gently makes love to me, savoring every moment.
“I missed you. I missed this,” he whispers in my ear as we rock and back and forth, holding on to each other. And then nothing but moans and gasps fill the room as Luke moves—caressing me, kissing me, loving me with his body.
Suddenly, he sits up and moves me to straddle him so we can face each other. I grind against his pelvis, creating friction against my clit and a glorious movement along a spot deep inside of me too.
“Oh God, Luke…” My head falls back, my hair flowing freely after Luke pulled my bun free earlier.
“Yes, baby. Keep going. You look so beautiful right now…”
“I’m gonna come…”
“Then come. I’m there too,” he grits out as we race to the finish line, flying past it together. Our bodies shake and twitch with each tremor that moves through us before he leans back and we finally collapse on the bed, my body covering his like a blanket.
“I love you,” I mumble through a shaky breath.
“I love you too, babe.” He plants a kiss on my head and then moves me off of him, walking into the bathroom to dispose of the condom.
Lying on my stomach, my bottom half covered by the blanket, I feel Luke slide under the covers to join me, trailing his fingers over my tattoo on my shoulder like he’s done a few times before.
“The Big Dipper,” he says quietly.
“Yes…”
“You got this for your grandpa, didn’t you?”
I turn to face him, still resting my head on the bed on top of my folded arms. “Yup. Even though I forget it’s there sometimes. But when I see it in the mirror, I love the reminder that it gives me…”
“That he’s always there?”
“Yeah. Or in his words, that he’s watching over me from the other side of the stars.”
Luke freezes, his eyes widening bigger than I’ve ever seen them, and then he swallows hard. I’m not sure how to take his reaction, my stomach churning as I contemplate if I just said something terribly wrong and everything we just discussed was all for nothing.
“Are you okay? Are you gonna throw up or something?” I ask as I scramble to sit up, but Luke just puts his hand out to stop me.
“Your grandpa used to say that to you?”
“What?” My eyes bounce back and forth between his as my heart gallops.
“That…” He clears his throat and then speaks with more confidence. “That he would watch over you from the other side of the stars?”
“Uh, yes. Why? Is that okay? Did I say something wrong?” I’m clutching the blanket to my chest as I wait on pins and needles for him to speak.
But he just smiles, and then shakes his head with his eyes sealed shut before he whispers, “Nicely played, Hannah.”
“Uh, Luke. I’m Rachel, remember?”
His eyes pop open and then he pulls me to him, kissing me with such force that I struggle to breathe. But I relent to his kiss, letting him process whatever the hell is going through his mind at this moment.
Finally, when we part, he smiles with tears in his eyes. “God, I love you. I can’t believe I ever doubted what we have. They sent you to me, Rachel. I whole-heartedly believe that now…”
“Okay?” I whisper, anxious to understand his reaction.
He sighs and then lays down next to me so we’re facing each other, his hand cupping the side of my face. “I think it’s time I tell you a story…”
Chapter 28
Luke
Six Weeks Later
“Are there going to be lots of books there?”
“Of course, bud. There are lots of books in a school.”
“But do they have this book, Daddy?” Grayson holds up his favorite book—you guessed it, the one about the human body. The corners are tattered and a few pages are ripped, but the little guy still insists on bringing it everywhere.
“Uh, well, I don’t know, Grayson.”
“Then we have to bring it,” he declares, marching over to his backpack sitting by the door, unzipping the large pocket, and then shoving the book inside.
“The body book is going to Kindergarten, huh?” That voice that makes me smile instantly pulls my sight to the hallway as I watch Rachel stride towards me, a long yellow dress draped over her body, her hair down and curled delicately.
“Uh, yeah,” I say and then clear my throat. Suddenly my thoughts have nothing to do with the anxiety I feel about taking my son to his first day of school, but rather all the things I want to do to this woman later. “You look gorgeous.”
“Well, today is a big day, isn’t it, Grayson?”
“Yup! It’s our first day of school!” He jumps and then runs to hug her.
“That’s right. Are you ready?”
Grayson retreats and then sheepishly looks down at the ground. “Yeah, but I’m a little scared.”
Tipping his chin up with her fingers, she crouches down to his level and then smooths his hair from his face. “Me too, hun. But when we get home tonight, I’ll share all of my stories with you if you promise to tell me yours too.”
“Okay!” His face lights up again as he turns to grab his backpack.
“Don’t be nervous, babe. You’re going to do great.�
� My hands grip her hips while I gently pull her into my arms.
“I know. It’s just been a while since I’ve sat in a classroom. But this is it. I’m finally on the downhill slide to becoming a teacher.” Then she stands tall and takes a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
“I know you are.” Placing a soft kiss on her lips, she melts into me as I hold her like the treasure that she is. Grateful doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel having Rachel back in our lives.
After I groveled and convinced her to give me another chance, Rachel moved back in with us. It only took one afternoon to bring all of her belongings over to my house again, and the second Grayson came home and saw her there, he leapt into her arms. We resumed our schedule as normal, except for being completely honest with Grayson about Rachel being my girlfriend now.
Girlfriend. There’s something about that word that just seems juvenile. I guess if there was a label to classify who she is to me, it would be that one. But being as that I’m thirty-two-years-old, it makes the title of our relationship feel childish, when it’s anything but that. I know I want to marry Rachel one day, and she’s voiced the same confirmation. But she insisted she at least finish her teaching credential before we entertain that idea. However, she never said I couldn’t put a ring on her finger before then, a thought that’s been slowly taking shape in my mind.
“Okay, boys. Come on, we don’t want to be late for the first day of school!” Rachel grabs Grayson by the hand as I reach for my keys, locking the house behind us as we settle into the car and make our way to the elementary school a few blocks away.
With Grayson wedged between us, one of his hands in each of ours, we stride up to the school, taking in the scene of other families all around us. Older children kiss their parents at the gate, the sixth graders roll their eyes as their mom’s and dad’s attempt one last picture before they scurry off, and the younger ones all lead their parents to their new classrooms.
But the only sight I focus on is the one I’m a part of right now—my son and perfect woman in tow—our family taking our son to his first day of school.
As we wait in line to enter the room, I catch sight of the middle-aged woman holding a clipboard, checking each family in. Her glasses rest on her nose, her light brown hair is pulled away from her face, and her dress covered in crayons and markers all indicate that she must be the teacher.
“Hi! I’m Mrs. Heberland, your son’s teacher. Who is this little guy?”
“I’m Grayson,” he confidently announces, making me beam with pride.
“Nice to meet you, Grayson. Do you know how to shake hands?”
He nods and then puts his hand in hers. “Excellent. Who did you bring with you today?” She peers up at us from the floor as I wait for Grayson to answer her.
“This is my Daddy and my Mommy.”
“Nice to meet both of you.” She rises and then shakes our hands. I look over at Rachel as her smile widens before she kneels down to kiss the top of Grayson’s head.
When Rachel moved back in, the first thing Grayson asked is if she would be his new mommy. Rachel looked at me for permission, but I knew that decision had to be hers, and a mutual agreement between her and Grayson. She was careful to explain to him that although she would love for him to call her Mom, he needed to remember that his birth mom was still in heaven, and she would always be his mommy too. Grayson was absolutely fine with that, and so from then on out, Rachel became Mom to my son.
“Okay. So on the first day I insist that all families get a picture by the rocking chair. We use the photo in their end-of-the-year portfolios, and it’s a wonderful keepsake to remember the day.”
“Come on, Mommy.” He pulls Rachel by the hand as she struggles to keep up in her shoes while I laugh as I follow closely behind. Once we’re positioned in the seat, me standing to the side as Grayson rests on Rachel’s lap, Mrs. Heberland snaps the picture and then Grayson leads us to the chair he’s chosen, hanging his backpack on the clip under the table.
“Remember to use your manners and be kind, okay?” I speak to my son as he colors the picture in front of him.
“Yes, Daddy.”
“And promise to pay attention so you can tell me all about your day later,” Rachel adds.
“Yes, Mommy.”
“Okay, we’ve got to go, bud.” Rachel and I move to stand, kissing the top of his head before we walk away.
“Bye!” Grayson waves. “I love you!”
“We love you too, bud!” I call out as Rachel tears up beside me. Pulling her into my side, we back out of the room and then to my car, alone.
“Oh my gosh, why was that so hard?” She speaks through her emotion, checking her make-up in the mirror on the visor as we make our way across town to the college.
I grab her hand and lace her fingers with mine as I drive. “Because he’s growing up. This was a huge milestone. It’s in moments like these that I wish I could freeze time.”
“I agree. It sure is amazing to watch him change. I can’t imagine how you feel about it every day as his real parent.”
“Rachel,” I turn to her when I stop at a red light. “You are every bit that little boy’s parent as I am. You care for him, discipline him, and love him like your own. He’s your son too, okay?”
A tear slips down her cheek as her smile stretches across her lips. “Okay.” I kiss the top of her hand just as the light turns green and I finish the drive to the college.
“Here you are. Do you want me to walk you inside and help you find your seat too?” I tease as we arrive in front of the door to Rachel’s first class of the day.
“No, I think I’ll be okay,” she laughs.
“You sure? I could always introduce myself to your professor. Put in a good word for you.”
She slides her hands up my chest as she moves closer to me. “Oh, really? And what would you say are my strengths?” The lust in her voice is easy to detect, especially for my dick. I’m instantly hard, which is a big problem as other students start to arrive.
I move her around the corner, out of sight before I press her up against the wall of the building. “You know how to turn me on in an instant. You know how to drive me crazy and make me crazy for you at the same time. And…” I pause, staring down into her eyes. “You know how to love me despite the fact that I never thought I’d deserve that again.”
“I do love you, Luke.”
“I love you too, baby.” Crashing my mouth to hers, we get lost in our kiss as the world continues spinning around us. But this woman is my world now, my second chance. And I promised that I would take every opportunity to show her how much I loved her forever.
“Now go. Get to class before you’re late.” I smack her on the ass as she walks away from me, her head turning over her shoulder with a bewildered expression on her face.
“You’re gonna pay for that later,” she smirks.
“I’m counting on it.”
And later that evening, as the three of us sit down to dinner and recount our day, I realize that Rachel was the one thing I never counted on, but the one person who I ended up needing the most.
Epilogue
Luke
Two Years Later
The day of our wedding is finally here, one I had been anxiously waiting on for the past two years. And as I watch my future wife walk towards me, I can’t help but silently thank my first one for sending her to me.
One year from the day that I met Rachel here by the lake, I dropped to my knee in the snow and asked her to marry me, Grayson mimicking my position by my side. I needed Rachel to know that we both wanted her in our lives forever and to never doubt that we chose her. She made us a family, solidifying the connection we all felt that day when the three of us crossed paths and I trusted a stranger to watch my kid. Not my finest moment as a parent, but definitely the one that changed my life more than ever.
She screamed her answer and hugged us both, but true to her initial declaration, she wanted to wait to get married until s
he finished her teaching credential. Surprisingly, she was hired at the elementary school near our house right after she finished the program, thrown into the tornado of the first year of teaching. One night, I came home to the vision of her on the kitchen floor, leaning back against the cupboards, drinking straight from a bottle of white wine. She was distraught and crying, but still so strikingly beautiful. I held her, stroked her hair in comfort as she admitted out loud how much more challenging her job was than she thought it would be—the lesson plans, the behavior problems, the students that needed the extra help to fill in the gaps. Listening to her and reassuring her that she was made for that job, she powered through the rest of the year while we anticipated our wedding for this summer.
And now, it’s a perfect Saturday in June, the sun resting high in the sky, the humidity not terrible, but the warmth of the air still palpable enough that I want to make this as fast as possible. Not to mention, once the ceremony is over, I’ll finally be able to call Rachel my wife, a title I never thought I’d want so desperately to give to another woman after Hannah. But I do, with every pump of blood through my veins. This woman is mine and I want the entire world to know it.
Rachel looks stunning, her white dress flowing to the ground in soft waves of elegant fabric, sprinkled with crystals that sparkle as the sun catches them, her father guiding her down the path of the hill to me as I stand waiting at the gazebo adorned with white and variegated roses, the same ones I gave to her the night of our first date. Tendrils of her dark chocolate locks hang around her face, her make-up light and soft to highlight her natural beauty, the strapless top of her dress showcasing her collarbone and toned shoulders that I can’t wait to kiss and nibble on later.
But it was her vibrant green eyes and blinding smile that took my breath away, the same way she caught my eye that first day in this very same spot—the day when the flecks of gold caught the sunlight and dulled the darkness I’d been living in. No matter how gorgeous I found her to be on the outside though, it was her heart and soul that captured me, revived me, peeled the blindfold away I was walking around with on my eyes for five long years before she showed up.
