Page 137 of Keep This Promise
“Yes?” Good, at least his voice has a hint of wariness.
“Can you take me to get something?”
Holden moves to her. “What do you need, bug?”
“Nothing. Uncle Emmett can get it for me.”
He purses his lips. “If you want Uncle Emmett to get it, you probably aren’t allowed to have it.”
“No, Daddy, I’m allowed.”
“Okay, then what is it?” he asks.
“Cake . . .”
I pull my phone out, checking her sugar levels, which are in normal range. Holden looks up at me and extends his hand. We’ve been working on teaching her to read her numbers. I know she can’t possibly understand it at this point, and we don’t expect her to regulate it on her own, but if she can start to build the habit of watching it, that’s all we can hope for.
He shows her the phone, and they talk about what it shows.
“So, I can have it?” Her little voice lifts with joy.
“You can have a small piece,” I say, and she wraps her arms around her father’s neck. I see where I rank.
She adores Holden. It’s as though he’s always been a part of her life, and they’ve never known any different. When he comes home, she runs to the door, tells him all about her day, and he loves on her. It’s sweet and more than I ever would’ve dreamt of. Our lives have taken paths I never expected, but I’m forever grateful that they led me to Holden.
Addison moves beside me as we watch the two of them walk away. “He is a good man.”
“Yes, I’m very lucky.”
“I had the great love of my life, and even though our story was cut short, I don’t regret any moment of it. Having Isaac was the greatest gift I ever had.” She looks at her daughter as she’s passed around by her uncles as well.
“May I ask you something that’s a bit out of turn?”
“Of course.”
“Do you believe that, after everything you went through, you’ll be happy again or ever love another?”
She shrugs. “Be happy, yes. I am happy. I have Elodie, and we have a great life in Sugarloaf. I miss my friends here, but that’s truly where I belong. It’s different and not filled with memories of a life I no longer get to live. As for loving again . . . I don’t know. I don’t know that I could ever find someone like Isaac. I know you were married before, did you think of it?”
I fill her in on my previous marriage and the circumstances—the abridged version.
“Oh! Wow.”
“However, I didn’t look for love. I came here without even really knowing why I came here, which is ironic as I was sent to the place I should’ve run from.”
“But then you wouldn’t have found Holden.”
I nod, finding him at the table with Eden. “Yes, and that would’ve been the biggest misfortune I’d ever had.”
“See, things work out. That’s what I tell myself, at least.”
Holden turns, finds me watching him, and winks. I really love that man. He starts to walk back to me, and I turn to Addison. “I think they do, if not, I wouldn’t be married, expecting our second baby, and filled with so much love I feel I could burst.”
“Mommy!” Elodie yells. “I hungry!”
She squeezes my arm. “That’s my cue.”
Addison dashes off, and then arms wrap around me from behind, hands resting on my belly, and I rest my head back on Holden’s shoulder. “Everyone is having fun and seems happy.”
