Page 121 of Stone
“Isn’t he handsome?”
“You know what? He looks just like his father.”
I nodded. “Just like Stone did when I fell in love with him all those years ago.”
She gave me one of her hard looks. “Then you know what you need to do.”
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re not happy. This isn’t home any longer. No amount of success means anything when you’re miserable. You have every right to be happy.”
“I am…” I laughed. “You’re right. I just don’t know if it’s the right thing to do.”
“Ask yourself this as a test,” she pushed. “Do you think about Stone all the time?”
“Yes.”
“Do you dream about him at night?”
My laugh was more nervous than before. “Yes, I do.”
“Do you miss your son?”
“Of course I do, but he has a life. I’m not going to interfere.”
“And he’s standing beside his father and the man you love at a surfing competition while you’re in a gallery in Paris wishing you were there.”
Groaning, I finally allowed the screen to go to black. “All true.”
“Then hear me. You know what you need to do. Tell Francois how much you appreciated the opportunity, but you have the rest of your life to live.”
“I need to think about it. That’s drastic. Maybe reckless.”
Colette winked. “Some of the best things in life are.”
She had a point. “I need to make a phone call before I decide.”
“Okay. Whatever you say.” She rolled her eyes and I took a sip of champagne.
More decisions.
I’d told my father I never wanted to see him again and I meant it. Yet I had a solid ache for family. My family. The one that had been stolen from me. My father was trying to make amends. His resignation had been a welcome surprise much like Stone saving his life had been.
Although I shouldn’t think that way since Stone was a true hero through and through. Maybe a reluctant one, but a hero nonetheless.
That meant everything to me.
I stared at my phone and smiled. Then I dialed the number.
EPILOGUE
Stone
“You are going out tonight. Period.” Kekoa had a look on his face that I couldn’t recognize.
“No. I’m staying right here with Tyler.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t mind going out for a night.” Ty had become quite the character in the last few days. His true personality had started to emerge and we were even more alike than I’d originally thought.
