Page 113 of Gideon's Gratitude

He nodded. “Would that affect your decision about Melodie and Trevor?”

“Absolutely not. And I don’t think he’d want me to choose him over the kids. I mean, if he does, then he’s not the man I know.”

“The man you love.”

I met Leo’s gaze. I swallowed the lump in my throat. “The man I love.”

He smiled. “I want to see you happy, Gid. I want to remember the good times, and I want us to co-parent these amazing kids. Kids who should come down and open their presents.”

“Yay!” Melodie clomped down the stairs, Trevor in tow.

Lucky leapt up and ran circles around the kids.

“Were you eavesdropping?”

“No, Papa, I was listening to you.” Her blue eyes went wide. “I didn’t want you to fight.”

Leo patted the sofa between the two of us.

Melodie hopped up and, after a moment, Trevor joined her.

“We’ll always be a family, and we’ll always love each other. We’re just not all going to live at the same house.” Leo looked at each of them.

“Presents,” Trevor declared.

“Can I play Santa?” Melodie’s ability to read made her perfect for the role.

Trevor had been working on letters before my life imploded.

I hoped he’d kept that up, and I planned to read to the kids again as soon as they came to visit. Their rooms were full of books.

Three hours later, the kids were fading.

With great reluctance, I helped load them into Leo’s car.

Leo rounded the hood and pulled me in for a gentle hug. “I’ll bring them on Friday.”

“For New Year’s Eve?”

“Did you have other plans?”

I shook my head. “I’m elated. I can’t even find the words.”

Leo pressed a finger to my lips. “Don’t search for the words. Search for the love. They’ve missed you terribly, and that’s on me.”

“No recriminations. I needed time to heal.” Maybe not physically, but I’d needed to learn to forgive myself for endangering our precious children. Time to deal with the addiction. Time to acclimate to living on the mountain.

Time to fall in love with a beautiful man.

Leo gave me one final squeeze before sauntering over and getting into the driver’s seat. More like a platonic-friend hug.

Huh. I didn’t feel the pang of loss. The yearning. Only a warmth deep in my gut. I’d made the right decision for our family. Now I just had to make sure things were right with Archer.

Lucky and I waved at the departing car.

Trevor’s head already lolled. The kid ran like the wind, then would drop like a stone from exhaustion.

“You want to see Archer?”

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