Total pages in book: 20
Estimated words: 18480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 18480 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 92(@200wpm)___ 74(@250wpm)___ 62(@300wpm)
“I might have given things a small nudge.” She smirks.
The server arrives with our food. I try to get up to go back to my own seat, but Valen isn’t having it. His hand rests possessively on my stomach.
“Stay, pet,” Valen whispers into my ear before kissing my neck.
“You do know she’s not staying with you tonight.” Judith pokes at her son, whose hold only tightens on me. “It’s the night before the wedding.”
“I don’t care what night it is.” Judith and Valen have a stare-off.
“You’re such a caveman.” Judith breaks but does so with a smile. “Wonder where he got that from.” She gives her husband of thirty years a pointed look.
I don’t care where he got it from. It’s one of the many things I love about him. All that matters to me is Valen is mine.
Come tomorrow I’ll be a Valentinus.
Epilogue
Valen
Many years later
“So?” my father asks the second I step out of the car. He’s sitting outside smoking a cigar. I know he’s been waiting for me.
“It’s done.” My dad only smiles at my response. I wasn’t sure how to feel after I signed on the dotted line. Petal had easily done it three days ago without a thought when the contract was brought to her. My pet is always so clear on all of her decisions. When her mind is set on something, there is nothing that can change it. She leads with her heart. My wife is my perfect match.
Today I gave my signature to make everything final. ValenScott is no more. We sold the company off for more money than generations to come could burn through even if they tried. Not with the investments and other things. Still, it felt strange letting the company go. All I’ve ever known is ValenScott. My father and James built it before I was born. In my mind, it was what brought the two families together.
“It’s not our legacy,” my father says. “ValenScott was simply something James and I created. Our family is our legacy. ValenScott was dropped on to you. It’s a company. Nothing more. It’s time for you to do what you want with your life.”
“I always knew I’d work for ValenScott.” Even before the accident, it had been my direction. My father shakes his head.
“No, you thought it was what you should do. It went along the path of what you thought Petal’s parents would want. You wanted to prove yourself to them. If Petal and the Prescotts have taught us anything, it’s that life is too short to do anything other than what we want to. James and Ava in their death made sure that their daughter was free to do whatever she chose.”
“They did.” My throat grows tight. They made sure that she wasn’t locked down to the company. She would get profits from revenue, but she never had to participate in its everyday functions unless one day she chose to.
Ava and James were family to me. I know their loss hit my wife harder, but I loved them too. How could I not? They had not only been beyond good people; they gave me Petal. Even in death, they made it clear that they blessed our lives together. That was never more evident than when Petal and I got married.
A day after we wed, a lawyer delivered a letter that had been written by them. Actually there had been two. One was to be given after we married; the other was to be given when Petal turned 21 if Petal and I hadn’t made steps to be together.
The letters both stated they thought we were destined for each other, and whether we chose to be together or not they’d bless our decisions. They wanted us both to be happy in whatever we chose. But they were also protecting Petal, giving her an out in the rare chance she didn’t love me as they suspected. They worried that I would push back in fear of trying to do what I thought was best for Petal. Yes, the Prescotts knew me well.
“How do you feel?” he asks.
“Good, great actually.” Without ValenScott, our children would never think it was something that they had to live up to. They could each choose what they wanted. I too got to let go.
Over the years, I’ve stepped further away from the company. Petal and I have two kids, and now a third on the way. I wasn’t willing to spend all my days in an office even if I could work from home.
“That’s all that matters.” My father stands, giving me a hug before I follow him into my home. The second I do, I spot my wife, mom, and two little ones at the dining room table doing Valentine decorations. My heart fills with warmth. There is nothing better than this in life. We may have experienced significant loss, especially Petal, but all of it led to this moment.