Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 106346 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106346 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 532(@200wpm)___ 425(@250wpm)___ 354(@300wpm)
“I know that this is your home,” I tell them. “I know that you love this city, and you have lots of friends here. But I was hoping …” I start. “I was hoping you guys would come with me.”
“You want to take us with you?” Dylan asks.
“Of course, I want to take you with me,” I say, kissing his forehead. “Obviously, I want you guys with me always,” I say, looking at Caroline who blinks away tears. “Would you be willing to move with me?”
“Yes,” she whispers at the same time Dylan nods his head.
“Just like that?” I say, my heart finally beating. “Without even knowing where I’m going?”
“Doesn’t matter,” Caroline says, coming to me. My hand goes around her shoulders, and she puts her head on my shoulder. “Doesn’t matter where it is, we’ll follow you always.”
I turn to look at her and kiss her lips softly. “I love you,” I whisper.
“So where are we going?” Dylan asks.
“There was only one place I would accept,” I tell them. “Home.”
“What?” Caroline says, sitting up.
“Next stop,” I tell them. “New York.”
Epilogue One
Caroline
Six Months Later
“What time are you going to be home?” I ask Justin, turning in the bed. He’s on another road trip, and I’m not liking anything about him being gone right now. I mean, I thought it would be okay, a couple of games here and there, but the past two weeks have been brutal. He’s been on the road, and the past two games have been crazy to watch, especially with him being in Edmonton and facing his old team.
“Does someone miss me?” he says, his voice low, and I roll my eyes.
“Yup, Dylan,” I say, ignoring his laugh. “The bed is cold.”
“I’ll be home tomorrow night,” he says. “I have to go.”
“Love you,” I say, and he disconnects, and I toss my phone on the empty side of the bed. I throw the white cover off me and walk to Dylan’s bedroom. One thing that Justin did when he signed the contract with New York was get Zoe to get us a house. I was thinking maybe a nice two-story house, but when he brought me to see it, and we drove through the front gates, my mouth dropped to the ground.
Then he opened the front door, and the sweeping staircase made me fall in love. I didn’t even know what to say. There was no way that I could help pay for this house. When he showed us the backyard, I cried. He held me in his arms while Dylan jumped into the pool fully dressed. I’m not even going to go into how much everything in the house cost. He sent me with Zara and Zoe and his credit card, and when I saw the price of the furniture, I felt sick and went back home with no furniture. But of course Zara and Zoe told him everything that I did like, and just like that, it was delivered without me even having a say.
I walk down the long-carpeted hallway to Dylan’s room and peek my head in. He sleeps like a starfish in his king-size bed. His room is decked out in New York colors. I walk in and turn off the television and then go back downstairs to the kitchen. I make sure all the doors are locked and set the alarm. Walking back upstairs, I pass all the framed pictures on the wall. A picture of the three of us in the middle and then small pictures all around from everyone in the family. Turning off the lights I slide into our custom-made king-size bed, then put my phone on the bedside table next to a picture of us and then Dylan’s school picture.
I close my eyes and think about how far Dylan’s come. He’s in a private school now, he’s excelling at hockey to the level that his coaches are over the moon. Plus, he’s started to grow like a weed, and he’s going to be able to go up two levels, which people are saying is unheard of. He laughs all the time and eats more food than he’s ever eaten. He’s also just blended into the Stone family as if he was born a Stone. It takes me a couple of minutes to fall asleep.
“Sweetheart.” I hear him whisper, and at first, I think I’m dreaming, but then he buries his face in my neck.
“You’re home,” I say, opening my eyes and seeing him. My hand comes out to touch his face. “I missed you.”
He smiles. “I missed you more.” He pulls me to him, and my leg hitches over his hip like it always does. His hand roams up my back, his fingertips giving me goose bumps, and he rips the shirt over my head and throws it over my head to the floor. “You were wearing my shirt.”