Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 90290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90290 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 451(@200wpm)___ 361(@250wpm)___ 301(@300wpm)
While everyone is talking and drinking fruity cocktails, I excuse myself and head toward the beach. There’s a nice breeze and the tide is out. I walk until the sand becomes hard and then sit down. The sun will set soon. It’s one of my favorite times of the day, especially when we are here. Watching it disappear, only to be replaced by the moon is one of the most magical sights to behold. The promise of a new day to come.
I don’t know how long I’m out there for when my grandpa sits down next to me. I lean my head on his shoulder as he wraps his arm around me. He’s another reason I think about moving back to Beaumont. Aside from Elle, he’s all I have left of my father. When I look at him, I like to pretend I’m seeing my father in him.
“It’s beautiful here,” he says. “I’m surprised Elle wanted to move back to Beaumont.”
“Beaumont’s family,” I tell him. “There’s a sense of peace and calm there. And you.”
He chuckles lightly.
“A cruise, huh?”
“Yep. Bianca’s idea,” he says. “I never thought I’d go on a cruise, let alone with Bianca Westbury. She’s changed though and apologized for all those times when she wasn’t a good mother to Liam.”
“That was kind of her.”
“She loves you and Noah, that’s for sure. Ever since Harrison picked us up at the airport, she’s yammered on and on about how today was so important for you and how we need to shower you with love so the egg or whatever it’s called knows how loved they’ll be when they get here.”
“Thanks, Grandpa. I really appreciate it.”
He clears his throat. “The reason I came out here, other than to sit with my beautiful granddaughter, is to talk to you about your father.”
“Oh?”
“I know you don’t remember much of Mason. You and Elle were so young when he passed away, but I know your mom has made sure you girls have always known him. Even Harrison. He’s a good guy and I’m happy your mom found him. He’s raised you girls as his own and that’s all a man like me can ask for. Now, I plan to say this to your sister when I get back from this vacation those ladies are taking me on, but since I may be who knows where, in the middle of the ocean when you find out if you’re pregnant or not, I want you to know that you don’t have to name your son Mason. I think a lot of people expect you or Elle to do this. When you and Noah sit down to think about names, remember he or she is their own person, and they need their own name.”
I absorb his words. Truth is, I hadn’t thought about names other than Noah Jr. which my husband has vetoed. “Thank you,” I say to my grandpa knowing it took him a lot of courage to say those words to him. I wrap my arms around him, feeling his bones. He’s lost weight, which I know happens with age, but I don’t like it.
“Promise me.”
“I promise to consider the name wisely,” I tell him. “Mason’s a great name, regardless. Noah might want to honor my father that way. He lost him too and I think sometimes people forget that. Sure, I was his daughter, but Noah had him for ten years. They were close. I think if Noah and I were to have a boy, Mason’s probably on the list of names.”
Grandpa nods. “Well promise me this—” He takes my hand and holds it. “Never let him think he has someone else's shoes to fill.”
“We won’t, Grandpa. But he will know what a great man he was. Just like you.”
We turn at the sound of cackling coming our way.
“Lord help me,” he says when his travel companions come into view.
I can’t help but laugh as my grandma and Bianca maneuver through the sand with cocktails in their hands.
“You’re going to have the time of your life, Grandpa. I can’t wait to hear all about it.”
“When you read about the man who went overboard, just know I loved you with all my heart,” he says laughing.
12
NOAH
This has been the longest week of my life. I don’t know if I’m coming or going or if I’m supposed to sit still. If it’s not waiting for the week to pass so Peyton can take her pregnancy test, it’s me spending hours on the phone with Alan trying to figure out the next steps in my career.
“I think, regardless, this is my last year in Portland.”
“You don’t want to wait and see what they come back with?”
I shake my head and then mutter, “No. They’ve had their time. If I’m their guy, their future, they'd have made an offer by now. Clearly, I’m not. With the draft coming up . . .” I trail off. It’s never a bad thing for a team to draft multiple players for the same spot. But when they’re not communicating with their captain, who happens to lead the offense, that becomes a problem. “I don’t want to be caught off guard.”