Page 121 of Protect My Heart
‘Whatare you boys doing drinking?’ Dad asks. ‘It’s not even noon.’
‘Sawyer wanted us to try his new stout.’ Brody offers Dad one. ‘Try it. It’s not bad.’
‘I’ll have one later.’
‘I’ll take one,’ Walter says. ‘I don’t have any rules about drinking before noon.’
Sawyer laughs and hands him a bottle. ‘Drink up. Let me know if you like it.’
We remain in the kitchen, talking, drinking, and joking around. If Mia and I had moved to Boston, we would’ve had a completely different life, in a place I didn’t want to be. But I’ve realized it’s not about the place. It’s about the people you’re with, and as long as I was with Mia and our baby, I’d be happy.
I really didn’t think we’d end up here, but I’m thrilled that we did. And so is Mia. She loves it here, and loves that her parents are with us. Little Milo will love it too when he’s older and can run around the orchard.
I’ll tell him how I met his mom here one beautiful fall day and how I asked her out and we started dating. He doesn’t need to know the real story. Walter doesn’t either.
It doesn’t really matter how I met Mia. What matters is where we are now. Happy and together, surrounded by the people we love.
