Page 152 of Mistaken Intention

That was two weeks ago now, and they’ve just returned from their honeymoon in the Turks and Caicos, in time for the celebration dinner Hunter has organized for this evening. Pat and Mick are both going to be there, and Pat’s preparing a feast for all of us in honor of the publication of Ella’s cookery book and Mac’s second novel, both of which are coming out next week. At least, that’s the reason he’s given everyone else for gathering us all together. I know differently. He spoke to me last week and gave me the real reason. He needed my advice, and I gave it, hoping I was doing the right thing. After that, he set the wheels in motion, making sure everyone could attend, including Livia’s mom and dad.

We met Julianne and Connor a couple of days after Drew was re-introduced to his daughter. It was clear to me from my nursing background, that Connor’s struggles are a lot worse than Drew’s, so we didn’t stay for long, and on the way back to the cottage, Hunter explained that Julianne and Pat have become good friends, the two of them often sharing a coffee together in the mornings while Connor’s resting.

We’re all really close, and I have to admit, I’ve missed Ella while she’s been away. Livia and Hunter split their time between here and the city, and although I’ve shared in a couple of Julianne and Pat’s coffee mornings, I’ve discovered that I enjoy having female company of my own age. I’m learning what it’s like to have sisters at last, and to be part of a family… and I’m enjoying every moment.

As for myself and Drew, we’ve never been closer, or happier.

Maisie is eight months old now. She’s thinking about crawling, but hasn’t quite got the hang of coordinating her arms and legs, so she usually just flops onto her tummy, which seems to make her giggle and has everyone laughing.

Moving Maisie’s nursery furniture back into the cottage was slightly chaotic, but Drew was adamant he wanted her with us, so we managed it between us. Everyone helped, including Livia, although Hunter wouldn’t let her lift anything heavy, and kept checking she was okay.

“Ella’s gonna guess Livia’s pregnant if you keep doing that,” Drew whispered to him as they maneuvered Maisie’s crib into place at the cottage.

“I know. But what’s a guy to do?”

Later, we all sat in the kitchen at the main house and ate the fabulous meal Pat had prepared. She presented Drew with his ice cream cake, and he looked up at her, a smile forming on his lips.

“It’s just how I remember.”

Pat’s eyes glistened with unshed tears, and she helped him dish it up and hand it around to everyone. When I tasted it, I could understand why it was such a prominent memory for him. It was the best ice cream cake I’ve ever eaten.

Later, when Drew and I were alone, and Maisie was sound asleep in her crib, we lay in bed and he held me in his arms.

“You’re sure you’re okay with this?” he asked, turning toward me.

“Positive.”

“You don’t mind becoming an instant family?”

“No. You have a beautiful daughter.”

“We have a beautiful daughter. She’s ours, Josie.”

I struggled to speak for a moment, but when I knew I could trust my voice, I told him about my conversation with Hunter on the day of his mother’s visit.

“So you knew they were trying for a baby?” he said, tilting his head.

“Yeah, but I couldn’t tell you.”

“I know. It’s okay. Why did he tell you? Do you know?”

“Because he wanted me to give him an idea of how long it would take for you to get better. Livia was finding it hard looking after Maisie when she wanted a baby of her own.”

He nodded. “Oh, I see.” He leaned in, kissing me tenderly. “I can understand that.”

The look in his eyes told me he wasn’t talking about Livia, but about me, and I rested my head on his chest and whispered, “Thank you.”

It felt inadequate. He’d given me my dream come true… the family I never thought I’d have. But it seemed that ‘thank you’ was more than enough.

Maisie adjusted really well to living with us, and that was a good thing, because it was only a few days later that Drew’s long-term memory started to come back, including recollectionsof the accident. I’d hoped he might never recall it, but that wasn’t to be, and it was just as traumatic as I’d feared. I had to be there for him, to help him through it, and as his memory slowly returned, it came with more questions, both for me and for Hunter, especially as he tried to piece together moments from his past. That was when I learned about his father, and the business he’d founded, the role of a man called Ken Bevan, and his connection to Livia and her parents. I found it very confusing, but fortunately, Drew’s recollections and Hunter’s explanations helped make sense of it all.

Drew slowly rebuilt his past, adding layer upon layer, from things like the foods he liked and didn’t, to the password for his laptop… until the day he recalled a conversation he’d had with Lexi, in her car, just minutes before the accident. I think that was why he’d blocked it for so long, just out of fear of having to recall the moment of impact again. When he finally explained it to me, he revealed Lexi had admitted to him that she’d been seeing someone else, and that she wanted to move to Boston.

“It was just like you said.”

I nodded my head, handing Maisie to him, so I could get on with making the lunch.

“How did it make you feel?” I asked him.

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