Authors: Samantha Garman
He brushed his lips across my forehead, then trailed down my nose and settled on my mouth. Before he could pull away, I reached for his belt and kissed him back, smelling of spicy peppers and desire.
“God, you’re perfect,” he said.
I cried again, only this time it wasn’t in sadness.
Chapter 34
Sage
Spring came, and it was wet with gloomy skies. A bout of massive hailstorms littered the countryside, laying waste to all that tried to bloom. But the mountains were green, and my body was round and ripe.
“I look big, don’t I? I mean, really big.”
Kai bit his lip, like he was debating on smiling. “Why do women do that?”
“Do what?”
“Ask questions they already know the answers to.”
I glared at him. “You could be a little more sensitive. I know I’m almost six months pregnant, but come on…people think I’m carrying
twins
. I’m huge!”
“That was one person, and she was a twenty-year-old cashier at the grocery store. She smacked her bubble gum for Christ’s sake. Who cares what she thought?”
“I don’t care what she thought,” I yelled. “I care that she said it out loud! Whatever happened to having a filter and not saying
every single thing
that comes to your mind?”
He rubbed a finger across his mouth. I knew he was smiling, the bastard. “It’s a generational thing.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Generational, huh? Okay, Grandpa.”
Kai sighed in mock defeat. “I miss my wife. She used to be so nice…”
I gnashed my teeth at him. “You’re lucky you’re cute, Ferris. That’s the only way I’d allow you to get away with teasing me.”
“Can I hug you? Or do you have a weapon I need to know about?”
Before I could answer, he came to me and I collapsed my bulk against him. He held me for a moment and said, “I think I have something that will cheer you up. Put on your shoes.”
“Why?” I asked. We walked to the front door, and I used his arm to steady myself while I slipped on the UGGS he had bought me. He grabbed my light jacket and helped me shrug into it.
We stepped outside, and I breathed in the fresh air. It was in the mid sixties, but the sky was clear. Perhaps it wouldn’t storm today. “Where are we going?” I asked as Kai took my hand and led me up the path.
He didn’t reply, and ten minutes later he stopped when we came to a cement spot surrounded by a small clearing with a panoramic view of the mountainside. “It’s not much to look at yet,” he said. “It’s just the foundation, but it’s solid enough to build the home of our dreams.”
I gripped his hand, letting my tears fall in the silent morning.
•••
“You have your wallet?” I asked Kai.
“Yep.”
“Got your ticket?”
He nodded.
“Lyrics?”
He pulled them out of his shirt pocket. They were hardly legible, and the papers were wrinkled.
“You ready?”
He grinned and kissed me. Dropping to his knees, he stroked my belly and kissed it. “I’ll see you soon,” he said to my stomach.
“I’m up here, buddy,” I said with a smile, my fingers toying with his beard.
He kissed me again, slower, almost endlessly. I sank into him. “Love you,” I whispered, pulling back.
Kai tugged on a strand of my hair. “Love you, too. I’ll call when I land.” He picked up his small travel bag and mandolin case. I opened the front door and stood on the porch, watching him depart.
I traipsed back into the house and settled myself on the couch.
A few hours later, my buzzing phone jarred me awake. It made a loud rattle across the coffee table.
“Just wanted to tell you that I landed, and I’m about to get into a cab and head to the hotel,” Kai said.
“That’s nice,” I mumbled.
“You were asleep, weren’t you?”
“No…”
He laughed. “Liar. Go back to bed you little incubator. I’ll talk to you later.”
I made myself a sandwich and went upstairs to the nursery. Keith had come over a few weeks ago and dropped off the crib. It was pushed against the far green wall. Kai hadn’t let me climb the ladder to stencil the dandelions, so he’d asked Alice to do it. They dotted the trim in pale yellow. I sat in the comfortable rocking chair and ate my meal, content that our daughter would grow up in a room full of dreams.
After taking some time in the nursery, I headed out to the front porch, wanting to catch the last of the afternoon sun, and maybe the sunset. George’s car pulled into the driveway, and even though he hadn’t called, I wasn’t surprised by his appearance.
“Hi,” he greeted, trudging up the porch steps.
I stood and hugged him. “Hi.”
“I’m on my way to the country club, but thought I’d swing by and check in on you.”
“Can I get you something to drink? I have some freshly brewed iced tea in the fridge.”
He smiled. “Thanks.”
We walked inside and into the kitchen. “Ice?”
“Please.”
I dropped some cubes into a glass, added a slice of lemon and the tea.
He took a sip. “Peach?”
I nodded.
“It’s good.”
“Thanks.”
“Sorry I didn’t call first.”
“It’s okay. I kind of like you showing up unannounced. It has a very intrusive family feel,” I teased.
He laughed. “There’s a purpose to my visit, not just to surprise you. I was wondering if you’d like to spend a few days with us? You know, while Kai is gone?”
I opened my mouth to refuse, not wanting to be a burden, but I found myself saying, “That sounds really nice.”
He looked pleased. “Really?”
“Yeah, it can get kind of lonely up here. Thanks for the offer, George. It was very thoughtful of you.”
“It was Claire’s idea,” he admitted.
“Was it? Well, that’s a bit of a surprise.”
He nodded. “For you and me both. I can swing by and pick you up on my way home from the club. Give you a chance to pack a few days worth of clothes.”
“Perfect.”
•••
“You’re never going to guess where I am,” I said to Kai over the phone.
“I love guessing games. What are you wearing?”
“Don’t make this dirty,” I teased. “I’m in your parents’ house—in your childhood bed.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Your father invited me to stay over for a few days, but it was your mother’s idea.”
“I’ll be damned.”
“I think she’s finally coming around to the idea of me.”
“You’re my wife and the mother of my child. It’s about time.”
I laughed. “Hey, she’s trying to make peace. Anger is exhausting.”
“Damn straight.”
A patch of silence fell between us, and then I asked, “How’s New York?”
“Loud, dirty and expensive. I don’t know how you ever lived here. On the upside, though, Jules is driving down tomorrow and we’re having lunch. I’ll show her the studio.”
“Not fair.”
He sighed. “It’s not too late you know, for you to join me up here.”
“I—can’t.” I hadn’t been back since my mother had died. I’d never seen her headstone. I wasn’t ready.
We were silent again before he said, “Listen, I should get some sleep. I’ve got an early morning. And the sooner I go, the sooner this is done, and I can get back to my girls.”
I patted my stomach. “We’ll be waiting.”
I attempted to fall asleep, but I was restless. I got out of bed and quietly crept downstairs to the kitchen. I was rummaging through the freezer for the carton of vanilla bean ice cream when the kitchen light turned on.
“Gotcha,” George said with a grin.
I smiled back. “Sorry, did I wake you?”
He shook his head. “Nah, just had a hankering for something sweet.”
“Me too.”
“You were going to take that last piece of strawberry rhubarb pie, weren’t you?”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll fight you for it.”
“I’m carrying your granddaughter.”
He laughed. “Trump card. You win.”
“Let’s share it.”
“Better idea. That way Claire can’t yell at me about my cholesterol.”
“She loves you. Wants you to be around for a while.” I opened the drawer and pulled out two spoons and the ice cream scooper. The last piece of pie was on the cake stand underneath a glass lid. George went to the cupboard and withdrew a plate. I placed two huge scoops on top of the pie and stuck the tub back in the freezer. We settled at the informal kitchen table, but before I took a bite I snapped a photo on my cell phone and sent it to Kai saying, “Wish you were here”.
“Trying to make him jealous?” George teased.
“Alice will bake him a welcome home cobbler. He’s got nothing to be jealous about.”
“Hmm. Hopefully it’ll be peach. Alice makes a damn good peach cobbler.” He licked his spoon before diving back into the ice cream. “So why are you awake?”
“Late night call with Kai,” I explained. “Plus I’m pregnant. I’m asleep and awake at the oddest hours.”
He chuckled.
“Why are
you
awake?” I demanded.
“Age. Can’t sleep through the night.”
I snorted with humor. “I don’t buy that excuse.”
“No?” He looked thoughtful. He pushed the plate towards me and set his spoon down. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking.”
“About what?”
“Retiring.”
“You’re semi-retired already,” I pointed out.
“I know, but I don’t think I want to work anymore. At all. I want to play more golf, have more time with my family. Be able to travel.”
“Have you told Claire?”
“Yeah, she knows I’m thinking about it. I’d been thinking about it before Kai came home and now…”
“Now there are more important things than work?”
“Exactly.”
We smiled at one another until Claire’s voice interrupted our moment. “What’s going on in here?” she demanded. She wore a silk white robe and house slippers.
“Busted,” I stage whispered.
“We’re sharing dessert,” George said with a boyish smile. I saw Claire’s lips twitch in amusement, but she feigned anger. She stalked to the cupboard and pulled out a bag of marshmallows and a tin of gourmet hot chocolate.
“If you’re going to do this, you’re going to do this right,” she commanded. “George, get me the mugs.”
•••
“You’re so going to think I’m the bestest best friend that has ever lived,” Jules said over the phone.
I laughed as I threw my dirty clothes into the washer. George had dropped me off at the cabin earlier in the day. I’d enjoyed my time with my in-laws, but I was ready for Kai to come home. It had only been four days, but it was still too long to be apart.
“Oh, really? Why is that?” I asked.
“I’m coming to France this summer. After you move back.”
“For how long?”
“The entire summer. Before the baby’s born. After the baby’s born. And if I can get things in order…”
“Order?”
“I’ll be a permanent resident. I’m shackin’ up with Luc.”
I nearly dropped my phone. “
Shut. Up.
”
“Told you. I’m awesome.”
“You better not be lying to me. I will kill you.”
“Not a lie. I better start practicing my French now.”
“Yeah, and kissing doesn’t count.” My phone beeped, and I looked at the screen. “Jules, I gotta go. It’s Kai on the other line.”
“Okay, call me later.”
I switched over to call waiting and said, “Hello?”
“It’s me.”
“Hi, Me.”
He laughed. “I’m coming home early.”
“Really? You’re not teasing me, right?”
“Not teasing. Did Jules tell you her news?”
“How did you know about it before I did?”
“I had lunch with her, remember?”
“You both are sneaky sneaks.” I was beaming. “So when are you coming home? Tomorrow? The day after?”
“Tonight.”
“Tonight? Too good to be true,” I said.
“Try and stay awake.”
“I make no promises.”
“See you soon, darlin’.”
We hung up, and I finished loading the washer. I heard a rumble of thunder in the distance. Spring storms seemed to come out of nowhere. I went out onto the porch and watched the rain. It came down hard and fast in sheets, but it abated quickly, like it had an explosive temper.
Even after the rain had stopped, dark clouds continued to loom, and I knew there was a good chance the squall hadn’t yet run its course.
Chapter 35
Kai
I paid for my cup of coffee from the airport Starbucks, took my change and shoved it into my pocket. I had some time before my flight boarded, so I wandered into a gift store that had everything from snacks to magazines. As I scanned the tacky shot glasses and t-shirts, my eyes landed on the wall of books. One name, in big black letters, stood out from all the rest.
Penny Harper.
I picked up the book, flipped it over, and quickly read the blurb. My mouth quirked into a smile as I gently placed the book Sage’s mother had written back in its spot.
“It’s a good read. If you were on the fence about buying it,” a man said. He looked like he had popped out of a GQ ad. He was tall, blond haired, and blue-eyed and wore an expensive suit; the silver Rolex at his wrist caught the light.
“Thanks,” I replied. “I’ll think about it.”
“I’m a fan of Penny Harper,” he went on. “Read all her stuff, but that is her best work. By far.”
“Doesn’t seem like your genre.”
“Not usually,” the man agreed.
“Why did you read it, then?”
A sad smile flitted across his face. “I was trying to impress a girl. She wouldn’t let me take her out on a date until I’d read it. Anyway… Gotta catch my plane.”
I decided against buying Penny’s book. After all, I could just borrow a copy from Sage. I left the store and headed to my gate. I sat down, tapping my hand against my leg, my thoughts turning from Penny Harper to her daughter.
Would I ever see Sage’s name on a book? Would it become a
New York Times
bestseller and grace the shelves of bookstores around the world? Sage had a gift, one she had only started to embrace, but I would be there when she accepted it.
I couldn’t wait to get home to her.
•••
“Told ya,” Tristan says.
“Told me what?” I demand.
“Told ya you’d find your way,” he grins.
Reece laughs. “Took you long enough to listen.”