Page 106

When I finally let them go, Remy said, “I can’t wait to start playing the field. There’s a whole world of people out there.”

I grimaced. “What have I done?”

Both girls laughed.

“Was Mom upset you left early?” I asked.

“No,” Hannah said. “She understood. She also said she was sorry about Grandpa.”

She’d sent me a text, saying the same thing. “She’s a good mom,” I said, meaning it.

“Except she and Gareth were being gross,” Remy said.

I laughed, but then quickly shook my head. “I’m glad your mom’s happy. She deserves it.”

Michelle’s girls had been hanging out with her, waiting, and once Hannah and Remy stepped aside, Macy came flying at me. I bent down so she could give me a giant hug. Emma gave me a soft handshake. “I’m sorry about your Daddy,” she said. “I hope he gets better and you get to spend a long time with him. But if he doesn’t, you can be okay, too.”

My heart twisted at her profound words. “Thank you, Emma. You’re really smart.”

“I know,” she said.

I bit my cheek so I wouldn’t laugh. Or to stop the damn tears, I couldn’t tell which.

Macy ran to the older girls, taking their hands and tugging them along with her. She yelled over her shoulder at her sister. “Come on, Emma! Let’s play!”

Emma turned on her heel, and the four of them ran off.

I scanned the park, searching for Michelle. I spotted her, walking a line through the snow to the giant maple in the center of the park.

The same tree she’d been standing under when I first saw her again. Now the tree was bare, its limbs waving against the crisp blue sky, leaves long dead. But Michelle was here. She was alive and vibrant, as beautiful as the day.

I followed her footsteps, tracing the path she’d made, until I ended up in front of her, looking down on her perfect face, my hand brushing her curls from her cheek.

“Thank you,” I said.

“It was nice,” she said. “Easy. The girls were ready to come back as soon as they heard.”

“What about you?” I said. “Would you come back to me if I needed you? Even if I pushed you away?”

“I wouldn’t have to,” she said, “because I’d already be here at your side. I’m not leaving Will. I’m here to stay.”

“I love you,” I managed to croak.

Then I kissed her, long and deep, her face in my hands and our hearts entwined.

After, I pulled her close and we turned around to look for our girls, finding them on the swings together, flying high.

Epilogue

Michelle

The moment Will and I stepped through the heavy wood door of Gastronomique’s main entrance, I was hit with the warm, rich scent of French cooking, along with soft classical music streaming from small black speakers tucked subtly in the corners of each room.

“This isperfect,” I said, reaching up and kissing him on the cheek. We both had news to share with each other and had decided to make a date out of it, with Remy watching the girls at my place.

We’d talked so much I was pretty sure we each knew what our respective news was, but it was nice to have the atmosphere and ceremony to do it in anyway.

Will gave me his dazzling grin. A shockwave of desire ran through me. It was like a magic button. God, I couldn’t even look at the man without wanting to jump him. Luckily, we got the chance most nights, so long as the little ones were in bed.