Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 67537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67537 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 338(@200wpm)___ 270(@250wpm)___ 225(@300wpm)
August shrugs. “I don’t care where we go. You pick the place. I have a lot of contacts. I can make it happen.”
He just uttered a lot of words, but I laser in on just one.
We.
He said he didn’t care where we go.
But I surely heard that wrong. “What?”
He shrugs again, completely blasé. “I don’t care where we go. Mexico. Middle of a cornfield in Nebraska. As long as I’m with you and Sam, that’s all that matters.”
It’s like all the air is sucked from the room. I can’t breathe. Glancing around wildly, I try to see if everyone heard what I think I just did. His parents and my father regard August with mild interest, but they’re clearly not as rocked by this revelation as I am.
Suddenly, I don’t feel like having an audience. I stomp across the living room, latch onto August’s wrist, and pull him toward the door. After I open it, I haul him onto the porch and shut it behind us.
I whirl on him, hands going to my hips, as I demand, “What do you mean by we? Are you coming with us?”
He shrugs again, as if it’s no big deal. “If you run, so do I.”
Sighing, I pinch the bridge of my nose and briefly close my eyes. This is insane. When I manage to open them again, I say, “August… I know Sam is important to you—”
“He is,” he assures me with a pointed look. “Very. But I’m making the decision to run with you this time. To be with you. It’s a total bonus that Sam comes along for the ride, but I’m not going to let you get away again.”
“Just like that?” I ask incredulously. “You’ve suddenly decided you want to be with me?”
August rolls his eyes, stepping into me and putting his hands on my shoulders. “No, not just like that, Leighton. It’s been evolving since we’ve reconnected, but yeah… I want to be with you. I’m running with you because I love you. Can’t imagine life without you. I want to raise our son together. Whether we decide to do it in a big city or on a sandy beach in South America, I can make it happen. I mean, we obviously need to go to a place where Sam can be treated, but after he’s in remission and doing well, we can go wherever we want. As long as I’m with you, I don’t care where we are. You’re ‘home’ to me.”
I blink, not daring to believe what he’s saying. “But what about your career?”
Another shrug. “It’s just a job. You and Sam are my family.”
“And what will we do?”
“Whatever we want,” he replies, making it sound so easy. “I have a lot of money saved as my career has been pretty lucrative so far. I can easily get us new identities.”
“You’d do that?” I ask incredulously, heart swelling up to capacity as I’m on the verge of believing him. “Give up your life? Your career?”
He bends closer to me, giving me a gentle kiss. Then he presses his forehead to mine, eyes closed. “I’d do anything for you. Give up anything to be with you.”
“Oh, wow,” I murmur, heart swimming happily inside my chest. “This is seriously happening.”
August pulls away so he can look me directly in the eye. “We’d have to get married first. With our current names. Then we can get new identities.”
“Oh, wow,” I say again, the enormity of changes starting to make my knees go weak. August’s arms go around my waist, helping to support me.
“It’s only logical,” he says with a grin. “I love you, you love me, and we share a son. We should get married.”
“You’re such a romantic,” I quip dryly, even as my arms curl over his shoulders so I can clasp my fingers behind his neck. “And who says I love you, anyway?”
“You did,” he points out with surety. “You said you never moved on from me. I know you used to love me, ergo, that means you still love me now.”
I glance off to the side as if having a great internal debate before smiling. “It’s true. I do love you, and I accept your marriage proposal.”
His mouth claims mine, sealing a lifelong pact between us. I melt into him, merging with this man who is now a permanent part of my life. Who will stay by mine and Sam’s side throughout our next great adventure as we once again run from the bad guys.
And, inherently, I know everything is going to be fine.
EPILOGUE
August
It’s nice to have contacts, and I’m specifically talking about the type that come from working for a man like Kynan McGrath.
He’d suggested I consider moving to the East Coast, specifically to the Pittsburgh headquarters of Jameson. He pointed out it enabled me to continue with a lucrative career surrounded by the best security professionals in the world. Plus, the mountains surrounding the city had some of the best places where we could hide in plain sight.