I can feel kisses being peppered across my neck as Jonas begins to wake up. “I love you,” he whispers into my ear, making me close my eyes and savor those words.

“I love you, too.” Tears sting my eyes. We’ve lost three years but we’re lucky that it wasn’t more. It’s all so hard to wrap my mind around. I knew his grandma hated me. No matter how hard I’d try to get her to come around, she never did.

It tore me up inside that Jonas was always fighting with her. I never had a family before and I didn't want to rip someone else from theirs. I tried to make it work but failed every time. Eventually, I just stopped trying, knowing that whatever I did would never be good enough for her.

“I went to see your grandma.” I say, remembering the day of the crash. I’d been upset when I’d left this very place. I’d lost control of the car. All I can remember of the crash was that the rain along with my tears were coming down so hard that I couldn’t see. I’m not sure if that’s what caused the crash or not. The next thing I knew I was waking up in a hospital bed.

“I’m so sorry.” I can hear the pain in Jonas’ voice.

“I’d found out I was pregnant that morning. I was going to try to make peace with her. She wouldn't even see me.” I bark a humorless laugh. “She’d tried to convince me that you went away on business all the time. That you had a mistress.” I roll my eyes.

“I would never.”

“Jonas. I know that.” There has never been a doubt in my mind that he was unfaithful to me. Even when everything came rushing back to me I knew in all the years I’d been gone that he would have never moved on. This man loves me. That’s the one thing that his grandma had underestimated: our love. I might not have remembered us but my heart would see no others. It knew deep inside that it belonged to another.

“I can’t believe she went this far. She fucking moved you out of this state. Made you think you were all alone.”

“Without you I am all alone,” I remind him. Jonas and his sister have been my whole world since I met them. They were the family I never had. The one I was going to build one with. They taught me what family could be. They taught me that I deserved love and happiness.

Jonas lifts his head to look at me. “Without you I’m alone. I’ve done nothing but search for you and go through the motions for the last three years. The only thing that’s kept me going is my sister and the small hope that I might find you again.” I reach out, touching his face. I don’t think I’m ever going to let myself be more than a few feet from him again.

“What do we do now? Will she ever let us be?”

“She’s not going to have a choice.” I see the determination in Jonas’ face. I almost feel sorry for his grandma. Almost. When Jonas sets his mind on something, there is no going back. I know that better than anyone. He’d only known me for ten seconds and he told me I would always be his.

“You can’t work like you did. I can’t be away from you ever again. Especially now that Jax is in the picture. He needs his dad.”

“I promise you. You’ll never be away from me again.” His mouth comes down onto mine as he kisses me deeply. I get lost in him as he pulls me tight to him.

“Mommy?” My eyes fly open at the sound of Jax’s voice.

“You kiss Daddy.” He lets out a giggle. That sound always brings so much joy to my life. I turn my head to look at him standing next to the side of the bed. We’re going to need a crib asap. Jonas reaches down, pulling Jax into the bed with us.

I need clothes, I mouth. We’re both naked under the sheets. He gives me a nod as he falls back onto the bed. He tosses Jax into the air and catches him, and the sound of our little boy’s laughter fills the room. I slip from the bed, running toward the bathroom to snag a robe. I find a pair of pants for Jonas and head back to the bed.

I watch as Jonas throws Jax into the air over and over, making him burst into laughter. I fight the tears that once again try to break free. This is a sweet moment. I should be happy but I hate how much time they have missed together. I know better than anyone that time is precious and I don’t plan on wasting another second of it.

“You think I can get Mommy to marry Daddy today?” Jax looks over at me.

“Daddy?” He points to Jonas again. We’d told him earlier but I think he is really starting to put it together.

“Yes, that’s Daddy.” I sit down on the bed with them, tossing the pants to Jonas as Jax crawls toward me into my lap. “Your daddy is actually asking me now. Not ordering.” I kiss Jax on top of his head.

“You already agreed to marry me a long time ago.”

“I don’t think you asked me then either. You just put a ring on my finger. If I remember correctly.” I lift my hand.

“It’s just a ring. I can buy you a million more.” He sits up, grabbing my hand and kissing the spot my engagement ring once sat. “I made the mistake of asking you and not marrying you that same day. I won’t be making the same one again.”

“This is going to piss your gran off.” I smile. “I don’t need a dress. That will take too much time.”

“There’s my woman.” His hand goes to the back of my neck, pulling me down to press his mouth against mine. I smile against his lips as Jax tries to mimic the actions of his daddy. He leans down, placing a kiss on my cheek. That is the small silver lining in this. Jax will be a part of the day I promise his daddy forever.

Chapter 19

Jonas

I send Darby off to Melody’s house for my showdown with Gran. Gran will get ugly. Despite her wealth and her position, she has no problem going low if it suits her.

Try not to kill the old woman, Melody texts. Or if you do, make sure it looks like an accident. Check the will first tho! You never know. She might have left Willits to the gardener’s son.

Which gardener?

That’s right. She has five. Isn’t there someone in charge?

Me.

I put the phone away. I’ve let Gran terrorize everyone for far too long. Dad can’t come home. My sister’s parenting and life choices are constantly criticized and the wedge she drove between me and Darby almost worked. If I hadn’t found her at the Wards’, we could’ve spent the rest of our years apart. It’s a sickening thought and I shove it out of my head as I stride toward the double doors leading into Gran’s wing in the house.

I don’t bother knocking. I just slam the doors open and walk right through the opening. Gran is seated in one of her antique chairs she no doubt pilfered from some bankrupt European estate. Her head is bowed over a book in her lap and she doesn’t bother to glance up. She knows what’s coming and she’s pretending like she doesn’t notice.

I stop in front of the windows her chair’s facing and start pulling the shades apart. “A little dark in here, isn’t it? Hard to read without decent light.” I glance at the book in her lap. It’s about architecture and it’s upside down. Her eyeglasses are still on the coffee table. Gran is rattled. I keep my smile to myself and reach over to flip the book around.

She clears her throat. “I didn’t ask for the curtains to be opened. The sun is bad for my skin.”