Total pages in book: 26
Estimated words: 24821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 24821 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 124(@200wpm)___ 99(@250wpm)___ 83(@300wpm)
“Yeah,” I sigh, feeling ashamed than I’ve ever felt before. “I’m sorry, baby. I love you so much, and I would never want to hurt you.”
I reach out and take her hand. She doesn’t pull away.
This has been one hell of a journey. In the blink of an eye, I fell for this girl and put my entire life as I know it on the line for her. All I want is to be with her. But because of who her father is, because of where she comes from, things could never be that easy.
Life can feel like a cruel joke sometimes, that’s for sure.
“I know it’s easy to look at me and my wealth and think I’ve had it easy, Casey,” Michelle says softly. “But I’ve always lived under the…rule of my father! Always doing what he wants, what he says. My mom used to be a friend to me, but she died two years ago. Since then it’s been just me. Alone.”
My heart nearly leaps from my chest as I watch Michelle wipe a tear from her eyes.
“Your mom died, Michelle?” She nods, clearly doing her best not to cry. “Well, you know what? We may come from opposite ends of life, but we’ve got more in common than we think.”
“What do you mean?”
It’s been fourteen years since my dad’s death. And I thought I had pretty much come to terms with it. But for some reason, standing here now with Michelle, I feel a surge of memories and emotions coming back to me that I haven’t felt since I was just a fifteen-year-old boy.
“I lost my dad too. Heart attack. He was only forty-four.”
Michelle bursts into tears and throws herself into my arms. I grip her tightly and inhale deeply. This moment between us has become so sacred and so special that I feel as though I am holding the very incarnation of my love itself. And at that moment, I realize I am a changed man.
“I’m sorry, Michelle. I never meant to hurt you. I only want you to be free and happy.”
“I know, Casey.” I feel her tears wetting the fabric of my shirt and warming my chest. “I forgive you. And I’m sorry for the things I said too.”
I raise her face to mine and stare down into her beautiful eyes, the little crystal-like amber shards glistening out from her pupil.
“I love you, Michelle.”
She smiles, tears flooding her cheeks. “I love you too, Casey.”
We kiss, and although I know we still have a long road ahead of us, I’m confident we will make it work.
Because with Michelle by my side, I can do anything.
And I will do anything for her.
EPILOGUE
CASEY
Five years later…
Doyle Construction. Even now, as I watch the last of the trucks pull off the site, I realize I may never get used to seeing my company name and logo out there.
“That’s it. It’s finally finished.” I turn and smile at my wife, who’s looking absolutely stunning in a loose white dress and a pair of white sandals. “Our dream house is completely done.”
Michelle looks like a blossomed flower in the midday sun as she comes over to me and casts herself into my arms.
“Hasn’t it been done for a while now? I mean, we have been living in it for nearly a year.”
“True.” I smile, rocking back and forth as I slip my hand down the front of her dress and take a full handful of her breast. “But the driveway slab needed repairing, and the back retaining wall wasn’t finished, and the patio hadn’t been poured…”
“But the house wasn’t finished.” She smiles, turning around and removing my hand from her dress. “And would you stop that? You’re going to get me all excited when we’re about to have company.”
“Well would you stop looking like that all the time, then? Because all you do is get me excited whenever I look at you.”
Michelle smiles like I’m teasing, but we both know it’s the truth. Five years together now and I’m just as hot-blooded for her as I was the day we met. But so much time has passed since then. So much has happened.
Most importantly, our daughter was born. Charlotte, named after Michelle’s mom. She is my little angel and has her mother’s eyes and is already tall for her age, which my mom says she gets from me. She’s the light in both our lives.
Michelle’s father was convicted of fraud and embezzlement and was sentenced to eight years in prison along with some pretty hefty fines. He’ll be eligible for parole in three years, and although I despise the prick, I’m kind of hoping he gets out.
After all, he lost his status as a reverend, and he will have to basically start a new life. Maybe time in jail and losing everything he had, or thought he had, will be a wakeup call for him. Maybe he can turn his life around and become a better man. At least I hope he can. For Michelle.