Page 39 of The Homewrecker's Fate

He moved in close, set our bags down, and pulled me into his warm embrace. “She wanted to do something for you. When I suggested the lake for the week away, she knew you wouldn’t go and leave her behind. Her nurse, the one you like the most, agreed to come along. Plus, Mel and the kids came, too. They’re not staying in this cabin, though. They have their own, two up from us.”

“Oh my God, Brax. Do you know how big it is that she-”

He cut me off just like my mom had moments ago. “I know. She made damn sure I knew and that her love for her daughter was the only thing that could get her out of the county she’d been in her whole life.” He leaned in and whispered, “She would have gone if you’d asked her to move to be with that asshole. She would have done it for you.”

“It’s a good thing that was something I never would have asked of her.”

“Smartest move you ever made was showing how loyal you were to your family. Makes me love you even more.” He let go of me and reached back down to pick up our bags before it really registered what he’d just said.

“What did you just say?”

“You heard me, sweetheart.”

“I feel like maybe I hit my head at work or something. My only friend at work left today and ultimately it was my drama that sent her away. I’m on vacation at Juniper Lake with my ex’s wife and children, my mother – who has never left her county before – and the man of every woman’s dreams – who just told me he loved me.”

“Sounds like reality to me, sweetheart. All except that part where you blame yourself for Bridgette leaving. That shit isn’t on you. That’s on the idiot she was with who decided that lying to her was the best course of action.”

“Aviva, didn’t I tell you to stop giving that man a hard time? Now, we want to enjoy this nice dinner Amelia helped prepare and then I want to watch the sun setting from the gorgeous deck that overlooks this lake. I never knew anything this beautiful existed so close to home.”

“Thank you,” I whispered to Brax as he helped guide me up the path to the front porch of the cabin where my mom was sitting in her wheelchair, thanks to Amelia having brought her all the way out to spy on us.

“Mom!” Her name was on my lips as I ascended the steps. “I can’t believe you’re here. This is going to be the best vacation ever.”

“It already is, my beautiful girl. That smile,” she pointed to my face, “was worth the trip.”

“Dad would be so proud of you,” I whispered in her ear as we met in an awkward hug that was hindered by her immobility and my belly.

Her hands cradled my belly for a minute before she dropped them and then blew a kiss up at me. There was no way to miss the tell-tale glimmer in her eyes. She needed to run from her emotions, and I would let her. Amelia helped to wheel my mom back into the house. “Thank you for coming to help out during the holiday, Amelia.”

“It was no problem at all. I’ll be spoiled when I get back after all this fresh air out here.”

I glanced around the interior of the cabin as we entered and had to agree with her. “I may never leave.”

Amelia and my mom both giggled as Braxton came up from behind and kissed the side of my head, “Noted.” That one word whispered in my ear sent a wave of pleasure dancing over my skin.

Everything was already laid out on warmers out on the back balcony that overlooked the lake below. “Wow!”

“That’s exactly what I said,” Mom agreed.

“Me too,” Amelia sighed as she took in the sights right along with us.

“Ladies?” Braxton called. We all turned to look over our shoulders in time for him to snap a picture of us standing there and I could have wept for joy at the thoughtfulness. This was everything that had been missing from my romance with Rich. What I’d thought had been a beautiful romance had really been two people hiding away in a bubble and pretending. I fell for a dream of what we might have if we ever stepped foot outside that bubble. Braxton was showing me what it was like to have the real thing and I loved him for it.

I didn’t waste a single second longer in telling him either. He met me halfway across the deck and the minute my arms went around him, my heart poured out in words.

“Thank you. Thank you for loving me enough to include my mother, to bring our family together, and for making me see what real love should look like. I love you, too. I hope you know that. I wanted to tell you but, the words kept getting stuck. I do, though.”

“Aw, sweetheart, I knew. You show me just as much as I show you. The words weren’t stuck, Avi. They just weren’t necessary because your actions spoke volumes.”

“Aw, shit! Now you have her blubbering,” my mom announced. “I’m eating without you. Come on Amelia, wheel me to the good stuff!” Amelia chuckled but did as my mom asked.

“She’s going to drive us nuts this week,” I admitted quietly.

“We’ll love every minute of having her sassy mouth with us.” He kissed me once more and then spun me toward the table and pulled my chair out for me to take a seat. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll make you a plate, sweetheart. You need to prop those feet up and drink some water.”

My mom turned to smile at me and gave a knowing little nod of approval. It was obvious that she already loved Brax, but that was something she used to always brag about whenever she’d speak of my father. He took care of her in every way. That man cherished the ground she walked on and didn’t hesitate to show her, no matter who was around to see it. Mom always told me that I would know I found the right one when the man I loved made sure to love me right back in the ways that mattered.

Chapter 17

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