Cant let go river bend 5, p.21
Can't Let Go: River Bend, #5, page 21
Tears poured down her face as she nodded. “You know how much I love you. Of course.”
“I know you love this view and I’m not going to deny that having our kids grow up so close to Josh and Carissa’s has its appeal. Maybe a couple of them will even end up like us someday.”
She smiled brightly.
“So, if you want to keep it, we can. Only because I don’t know anyone else who can turn a shitty situation around like you can. I mean, look what you did to me.”
At that, she winked. “It helps that you’re hot.”
He threw his head back and laughed.
“But in all seriousness...” She curled a hand around the back of his neck and pulled his face back to hers again. “You want a family with me?”
He swallowed hard and dipped his chin. “You really are it for me, M. I want everything with you.”
“Even when I’m nine and half months pregnant and craving weird shit at three in the morning?”
“Especially then.”
“How about when I’m old and gray?”
“I’ll be old and gray, too. Just another thing we get to do together.”
She smoothed her fingers along his cheek and spoke quietly. “And when you’re scared? Maybe even unsure if my love is enough?”
He gulped hard and “I’ll remember that we’re in this together. Always.”
“You won’t let go?”
“I can’t let go.” He smiled with his forehead pressed against her. “Wouldn’t want to if I could.”
“Good, because I won’t let you. I love you too much and if you’re game for building our life out here, I am too.”
“I am. And I love you more.”
“I don’t know about that.”
“No? Well, I guess I’ll just have to prove it.”
With that, he scooped her up off the ground and carried her toward the house. Toward their future and their family and their eventual gray hair.
To their life.
Epilogue
3 1/2 months later...
“Relax, babe.” Mia slipped her arms around his neck and gave him a quick peck on the lips. “She’s going to love it.”
He sure as hell hoped so, because if she didn’t...
“Stop overthinking it!” Poking him in the ribs, his wife giggled. “You’re going to give yourself gray hair if you keep worrying like that..”
“You got a problem with my going gray?” he growled, pulling her snug against him. She gasped and her glossy lips puckered up into a perfect little O that gave him all sorts of ideas for relieving stress.
“You’re going to be the sexiest silver fox around, Coach Fletcher. Bring on the gray.” Flashing a curled lip, she clawed at his chest and purred. Fucking purred.
“Okay, kids, that’s enough pawing at each other.” Stella’s laugh sounded from the diner kitchen. “Come and help me carry out this food.”
Narrowing her eyes, she pointed a taunting finger at him before she spun away and headed for the back. She had on a short pink sweater and a pair of black leggings that hugged her ass like his hands had last night when she’d rode him for their four month anniversary.
Or at least that was her excuse for the sex-abration. Seemed she was always coming up with different reasons they needed to fuck like rabbits. Like he needed a damn reason.
He entered the kitchen as Stella leaned down and kissed Jose on the top of the head. Despite his time in rehab, he still had a hard time walking without some kind of support. He refused to let that little bump in the road keep him away from the diner, however. He couldn’t stand at the grill or over the fryer and cook all day, but he could help with prep work and it turned out he was really good at bullshitting with the morning coffee crowd, too.
“Babe, can you help me with the meat tray?” Mia crooked her finger at him, then bent in front of the open fridge her hands on a wide, awkwardly shaped silver tray.
Her peachy little ass bounced as she tried to maneuver the thing out and he barely bit back a groan, reaching down to adjust his already half-hard cock.
Whack!
The end of Jose’s cane cracked against the back of his head so hard, Reed saw stars.
“What the hell?” Rubbing at the goose egg already forming, he scowled at the old man.
“Y-you might be her h-h-husband, but I’m still her f-father.”
Mia slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes wide with laughter. “You didn’t,” she gasped, and his face went as hot as the habaneros and chilies on the relish tray on the center table.
Lucky for him, Bobbie Jo chose that moment to sing-song her way into the kitchen, with an armload of her own trays. “Where do you want this stuff, Mia?”
Still biting back her amusement, she nodded toward the front of the diner. “On the counter. We’re just about ready to bring this food out, too, and the guests should start arriving any second now.”
Stella clapped her hands together eagerly. “Pam is going to be so surprised.”
She sure was, but whether it would be a good surprise or a bad surprise remained to be seen.
“It’s about time, Mr. Fletcher.” Winking playfully, Mia swatted his ass. “Go get your mama.”
Whack!
“Ow! What gives, Jose?”
“Mi hija,” he said simply and Mia giggled.
Some family.
* * *
“What did you do?” His mother’s grin stretched from ear to ear when she stepped outside and saw his new truck. A red, extended cab Chevy that handled the back roads to his new place a lot easier than the Camaro had.
“Figured it was time to grow up a little,” he said, tucking his hands into his pockets. “Now that I’m married and all.”
She laughed over her shoulder as she climbed into the driver’s seat like a pro. Even Mia had had a hard time getting in, but not his mom. She just hopped up like she’d done it a hundred times.
“Looks like there’s room for car seats back there.” She nodded toward the back seat with a mischievous wink.
“Between you and Stella,” he muttered, shaking his head. What he didn’t say was that Mia had already stopped her birth control, so those car seats might come sooner than either grandmother expected. “You want to take it for a ride?”
“Well, yeah!”
Chuckling, he closed the door and jumped into the passenger seat. “She handles pretty smoothly, but go easy on her. She’s got more power than you’re probably used to.”
Never taking her eyes of him, she turned over the engine, put the truck in gear, and pulled away from the curb with ease. “You act like I’ve never driven a truck before. Jeez.”
He rolled his eyes and sat back while she headed toward the interstate with her favorite 38 Special song blasting on the radio.
A half hour later, with more color in her cheeks than he’d seen in months, she drove back into town. “God, I miss driving. I really need to get my car fixed.”
“I was starting to think you just like having me chauffeur you around.”
She laughed as she slowed for a stop sign a block before the diner. “I don’t mind that part of it, but you’re a married man now. I can’t keep pulling you away from your wife.”
“Mia understands.”
“I know, honey, but I don’t want to be one of those mothers.”
He just smiled, knowing that today would blow her mind. He and Mia had decided not to tell her the full extent of his inheritance, so she only knew about the mansion and the Bright Futures scholarship fund, since he’d already given Donnie a heads up that he’d be the first recipient. She had no idea what waited for her just down the street.
“Wait a second,” she muttered when she saw all the cars a moment after he did. “The diner is supposed to be closed today so the floors can be refinished.”
“Really? Mia went in hours ago.”
Frowning, Pam stopped the truck next to the only open parking spot. “What the heck?”
“Well, let’s go in and see what’s up.”
She shot him a narrow-eyed glare. “What’s going on?”
“How I am supposed to know?”
“Reed Joseph, you are a horrible liar.”
He laughed. “I know nothing. Let’s go see.”
“Ugh!” She parked the truck and got out on a mission. “I am going to kill every one of you if this is what I think it is.”
“What would that be?” He chuckled again, following after her as she stomped to the front door.
Instead of answering, she jerked the door open to the raucous sound of nearly fifty people yelling, “Happy birthday!”
For nearly twenty minutes, Reed watched as she hugged some, scolded others, and even cried when she spotted friends she hadn’t seen in years.
“I can’t believe you closed the diner for this!” She threw her arms around Jose’s neck. “I feel so bad!”
“C-celebrating life is m-m-more important than w-work,” he replied and Reed had a hard time not getting choked up watching the two of them cry as they shared that private moment. “I a-appreciate your l-loyalty, P-Pam.”
“And I love yours.” She gave him a big kiss on the cheek before she pulled Stella in for an equally emotional embrace.
Mia slid her arm around his waist and smiled. “I think she’s happy.”
“Yeah, I’d say so.” He kissed the top of his wife’s head.
“Should we take her out back for the other part of her surprise?”
He nodded. “Hey, Mom. You almost done with the cryfest? There’s something else I want to show you.”
Wiping her tears, she tipped her head to the side. “There’s more?”
“Way more.” He nodded toward the kitchen. “Let’s head out back.”
Eyeing him skeptically, she led the way and he and Mia followed behind. Knowing his mother, not every part of this surprise was something she’d want the guests to witness, so Stella and Jose kept the others entertained while they slipped out.
“No,” she said as soon as she saw the shiny silver car with the big red bow. “No, you did not! Reed Joseph!” Covering her face with her hands, she sobbed and he laughed through watery eyes of his own.
“I really don’t mind driving you around, but I know not having wheels of your own really screws with your independent woman thing, especially now that you’re starting over.” It had taken her almost a month to talk to him about the night he was conceived, but once she’d open up, years’ worth of confessions came with it. Her desire to go to college, her longing to do something more with her life than serving coffee and green chili, her dreams of traveling...
“Get in. Check things out,” Mia urged, and his mother did.
“It’s beautiful!” she cried as Reed leaned into the door and Mia climbed into the passenger seat. “I’ve never had a new car before.”
“You’ve never had a lot of things,” Mia replied softly, handing his mom an envelope. “Which is why we wanted you to have this, too.”
No way in hell could he hold back the tears as the woman who’d given up her life for him read what he offered in return. He knew it wouldn’t change what she’d been through, but it would mean more than a new car ever could.
“Reed,” she gasped and her hands began to shake so badly, she could hardly hold onto the paper. “I don’t understand. How?”
He dropped to a squat beside her open door. “He was a rich man, but I didn’t want his money. With Mia’s help, we started the foundation to help survivors like you reclaim their lives.”
“But this...this is millions of dollars,” she protested, and he nodded.
“Yep. Almost every cent of what he left me.”
“Oh, baby.” She threw her arms around his neck and sobbed.
“The rest of the money is for you to go to school, see the world...do all the things you’ve wanted but never had a chance to do.”
“You didn’t have to do this!”
“You didn’t have to give me the life you did either.”
“Oh, baby, I love you.” She trembled in his arms while he and Mia shared a private smile over her shoulder.
“I love you, too, Mom.”
~THE END~
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Thank you so much for reading CAN’T LET GO! If you enjoyed Reed & Mia’s story, sign up for my mailing list by clicking here.
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And check out the other River Bend books, too!
CAN’T SHAKE YOU (Josh & Carissa)
CAN’T HOLD BACK (Dan & Maddie)
CAN’T GET ENOUGH (Tony & Nicole)
CAN’T WALK AWAY (Mark & Ally)
CAN’T RESIST HIM (Jenny & Brody)
ALWAYS ENOUGH (AN EPILOGUE) (Tony & Nicole)
A RIVER BEND WEDDING (Josh & Carissa)
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Try the Velocity Series!
Fly
Fight
Drive (Coming in 2017)
***
And Vegas Heat, too!
BEND
About the Author
Molly McLain lives in a tiny Wisconsin town with her husband, three kids, and a sassy dog. She loves fountain soda, jellybeans, Luke Bryan and Avenged Sevenfold, thunderstorms, and camping at quiet lakes. She's been scribbling down love stories since she was old enough to dream about happily ever afters, and now she writes sexy, small town romance for real.
Also by Molly McLain
RIVER BEND SERIES
Can’t Shake You
A River Bend Wedding
Can’t Get Enough
Always Enough - An Epilogue
Can’t Walk Away
Can’t Resist Him
VELOCITY SERIES
Fly
Fight
Drive (Coming in 2017)
VEGAS HEAT SERIES
BEND
Molly McLain, Can't Let Go: River Bend, #5
