It had been five months since Jim and I had reunited on Jake’s yacht. One might have expected that reconnecting so quickly would have brought about some significant issues after so much time apart. Hell, if I were a betting woman, I would’ve put money on it. However, this was Jim, and he was different. Everything was different. He’d fallen out of my dreams, and after I’d worked out my issues, I was able to fully appreciate the gift that God had given Addy and me.
Jim had guided me in fulfilling my new passion for helping people who’d gone through similar life experiences as me, and he helped me to revamp and expand a women’s shelter and support center in Los Angeles. My heart was burdened to share my story and to help encourage others and give hope to those who’d been suffering silently with trauma. I was living proof that there was always hope. We all had a choice to change our lives and live it on our own terms. I needed others to know how necessary it is to forgive yourself, even when it’s the hardest thing in the world to do. Nothing brought me greater happiness than helping others come to those realizations.
On top of coming home every day to the most handsome and loving man in existence, and the wildest, sweetest daughter, I was living such a fulfilled life. I could never ask for anything more.
Addy was back in preschool at Mitchell and Associates, which made it easy for me to pick her up after work, but my favorite was when Jim would surprise me by showing up with Addy at the women’s center for our McDonald’s date night. The man’s generosity and love had me constantly on the verge of bursting with pride for the beautiful family we had become. It was meant to be—we were meant to be this family.
“You realize you two have to pack some time today, right?” Jim said while he sat on the lounge chair next to where Addy and I played in the pool.
“We get to fly high!” Addy squealed, floating over to the steps of the pool and climbing out.
Jim tossed his laptop into the cushions next to him as Addy darted in his direction, soaking wet.
“Hey!” He snatched her by the waist and threw her over his shoulder. “You are going to injure yourself greatly and spend your entire vacation in a hospital, little missy.”
“Addy,” I said, my heart racing while I stepped out of the pool, “you’re about to lose your pool privileges for a week if you don’t stop running while you’re wet. You know the rules.”
“Sorry, momma,” she said as Jim pulled my wet daughter to his side, and she clung to him like a little monkey. “Sorry, Jim.”
“Apology accepted,” he grinned.
I pulled Addy from his arms and set her feet on the ground. “Listen up, kiddo,” I said, eying her and Jim, “you’re way too spoiled, you know? Jim forgives you too easily when you’re in trouble.” I smirked at him when he bit his bottom lip, “You’re going to go into your room and start picking out some warm clothes for our trip. Got it?”
“Yes, momma,” she sulked and turned back to Jim for some support.
Jim quickly brought his attention to the sky, ignoring my daughter as she tried to tempt him to help her out of being scolded.
Addy went into the house with her new pal, Frances, Jim’s housemaid. I swear, if it weren’t for Frances, I’d lose half these battles of wills with Jim and Addy. The big, bad CEO was the world’s greatest softy when it came to Addison.
Jim and I laughed when Frances started in on Addison, and Addy took the older woman’s hand, listening quietly as she imparted her words of wisdom to back me up on Addy being safe at the pool.
That night after Addy was sound asleep in her room, Jim and I wound down our evening on the top deck of our home. I sat up from where I leaned against his shoulder and placed my wine glass on the table.
“Okay,” I said, seeing Jim close his laptop and slouch against the sofa, “all of the work stuff finalized?”
“I’m sorry I’ve been neglecting you today.” He ran his hands through his hair, “Since having you and Addy back in my life, bringing work home like this is the worst feeling ever.”
I ran my hand over his leg, “You’re lucky that I can enjoy the breathtaking views from up here when you’re working on your laptop at ten at night.” I smiled while he pinched the bridge of his nose and shook his head.
“Trust me, this will end. September can be a nightmare for me at times.”
“I’m not worried about it,” I said, scooting closer to him and running my fingertips through his hair.
Jim leaned closer to me, and I kissed his forehead. “Thank God for that.”
“There’s something you and I should talk about,” I said. My tone made Jim sit up straight, and his eyes met mine with concern. “This spoiling stuff with Addy, we have to tone it down a little. It’s starting to concern me.”
“What exactly has you concerned?” he questioned. “Me giving in to her so easily?”
“Well, you’re a pushover with her, that’s for sure,” I laughed. “I know there’s gotta be one in the parental role who has to be the mean one—the grown-up.” I arched an eyebrow at his lightened expression. “We both know that’s me, but you’re good with rules and mandating she follows them too.”
He pulled me onto his lap, and I straddled him. “Then what has my beautiful lady so concerned? She’s still the same child I adored from the first moment I met her.”
“I just don’t want her to live in a complete fantasy. I need her to learn that everything she has now, living here and in all this luxury, it doesn’t come free. She needs to start to understand that you worked hard for it. I don’t want too much to come so freely to her. Does that make sense?”
He licked his lips, “I will always work to make you and Addy both the happiest women on the planet, yes. I will have you know that I let her in on how I run the business that provides for us, and so, she’s getting a good look at how to run a business like a true executive.”
“Oh, really?” I smoothed my hands over his shoulders. “How exactly did you do that?”
“I had her help me in my office the other day.”
“What the hell?” I laughed, imagining that. “What happened? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“It was nothing. They were concerned about Addy’s sneezing and running nose at the preschool. Didn’t want to pass around a potential cold.”
“Shit. Her allergies were bad last month, and I forgot to give her allergy meds. Was this when you texted me, asking which ones to buy for her?”
“Correct,” he answered. “I knew it was allergies when they called me about her runny nose, so I walked down and asked if she’d like to work with me for the day while I sent for her allergy relief.”
“That’s the day you left work early and took her to go get ice cream, right?”
“It was easy enough to have Alex handle the meeting I had scheduled, and I could just work from the house.”
“You took her to get ice cream.” I arched an eyebrow at him.
“Of course, I did.” He smiled. “My sweet gal’s allergy meds hadn’t kicked in yet.” He chewed on his bottom lip.
“You’re doing a fine job of derailing my initial concern about her becoming too spoiled and not understanding how hard you worked for the beautiful home she has, amongst everything else. I want her to appreciate it all.”
“Very well, then.” He cleared his throat and feigned being serious. “Before we left to get ice cream, I had about an hour’s worth of work to finalize. So, I put her to work as the CEO’s best assistant.”
“Right, and I’m sure your secretary and Alex both enjoyed having a kid up there, bossing everyone around.”
“Addy was an excellent help to us. I had her walking out a few portfolios to Summer. We played a few pranks on Alex too.” He gave me that funny, handsome look whenever he was defending him and Addy. “We pranked him only because it’s Alex, and, hell, it was fun.” He shrugged and smiled.
“Pranks?” I sighed and laughed at his innocent expression.
“It kept her busy. The best was the paper airplane we made together,” he laughed. “It was actually important numbers on a term sheet I had printed out for him. I would have naturally walked that down to him in a portfolio, but watching Addy go through the perfect movements of gliding that sucker into his office was priceless. I’ll have to have Summer text you the video she took of it.”
I started laughing, “You two are trouble.”
“Only when mom’s not there to bust us,” he ran his hands up my thighs while bringing his lips to meet mine. “Other than that, Mitchell and Associates’ vice president delighted in the paper airplane idea—until he unfolded the plane and saw the request for changes on the term sheet. I knew that would piss him off. He hates it when companies send shit back to us, requesting more addendums before signing.”
“Even though I’m glad you found a fun way to deliver shitty news to Alex,” I framed Jim’s face with my hands, “you and Addy can’t be trusted sometimes. This story helps the point I’m trying to make.”
“What’s your point, Av?” he looked at me in confusion.
“So, I’ve been thinking about this since we started planning this trip. Please don’t get pissed off, but I’m a bit concerned about us taking your company’s jet to England,” I said.
“Do you believe it will crash?” he looked at me with more confusion. “That thing is a 787 Boeing. It’s designed as nicely as Jake’s yacht. Beds, rooms, everything is on that aircraft. More food than you and Addy could ask for as well.” He laughed. “Addison wouldn’t even know how long she was on the nonstop flight to—”
I silenced him by pressing my lips against his. “There,” I ran my thumb across his bottom lip. “Now, let me finish. This is what I’m talking about—a private airplane. I’ve flown on your helicopters and one of the company jets already. They’re beyond luxurious. I’m wondering if, for this trip, maybe we can book a regular flight for the three of us. Like, you know, one I would’ve normally taken if I were bringing her out there myself.” I hoped I was making sense.
I knew Addy was only four, but I wanted her to appreciate the life we’d been blessed with. I wanted her to know that real life didn’t come so easily, and most people would never know the luxury we had access to. Jim was a brilliant businessman who’d worked his ass off to get where he was. Addy needed to have her feet planted on the ground so she didn’t lose herself in having things that most kids her age could only dream of. If it weren’t for Jim, she wouldn’t have anything close to what she had now. I needed to make sure she appreciated all of it and never took it for granted.
Jim studied me while I was silent. “Do you believe our lifestyle will turn her into a spoiled and unruly child?”
“It’s not the lifestyle—I mean,” I stopped myself and ran my hand over my forehead. “I don’t know how to put this. I just want a hint of normalcy for her.”
“That’s perfectly understandable. Let’s go for it with a commercial flight, then.” Jim pulled out his phone and looked at me, “I’ll see if we can get a last-minute flight out. First-class tickets will be more difficult to…” he paused and eyed me, chewing on my lip. “You want us in coach, don’t you? The way we would fly if we were not wealthy, correct?”
“Would it be okay? You said work is finalized except for a few things at your London headquarters when we first get in, and so you won’t need the company plane for business stuff.”
I couldn’t discern the look on his face. Was I being ridiculous?
“It’ll work fine.” He smiled and then started typing on his phone.
Close to five minutes later, he chuckled and smiled at me. “We’re booked out on the first flight in the morning.”
My phone rang, and I looked and saw Ash was calling.
“Hey,” I said, answering the call.
“You ready for the big trip tomorrow? I thought I’d throw in a quick goodbye. Sorry that it’s so late.”
“I’m excited. We’re leaving first thing tomorrow morning now.”
“First thing?” she said. “Hang on, here’s Jake. You’re on speakerphone. My kid’s out of bed again.”
“How are the lovebirds faring?” Jake asked.
“Jim’s excited to be flying commercial tomorrow,” I said, smiling at Jim, who was sitting patiently while I put his brother on speakerphone. “He’s right here.”
“You’re flying her out commercial?” he laughed. “And here I thought you were the charming prince.”
“In fact, I am. Instead of the luxury jet—or first class, for that matter—I’m riding with my ladies at the back of the plane.”
“You’re joking, right? You understand your long-ass legs won’t fit in coach, correct?”
“Hey, we’re on a mission to show Addy that not everything is luxurious,” Jim insisted.
Jake’s laughter was making Jim laugh and making me feel like shit. “Fuck,” I said, “I didn’t think about you being cramped up on the plane.”
“Damn, I hope you got a layover or three before flying out of the states.” Jake said with another laugh.
“Nonstop,” Jim said. “I’ll survive it. It’s a small sacrifice to make sure my girls are well taken care of.”
“You’d better hope you got an aisle seat, brother. Avery?” Jake called out.
“Right here.”
“Video this shit for me, please?”
After the long trip, and seeing Jim do his best to seek comfort at the back of the plane, it was evident to me that I should’ve thought about the man’s height before I started throwing around ideas. We were definitely going to fly back to the States in the company jet since Alex was flying to London in it the next day.
Now, we were at the castle where Jim and I shared a lot of firsts. Addy loved the place more than I believed a child her age would. We explored the halls, played silly haunted castle games—Jim being the ghost and hiding all over to scare us. It was four days of picnics, walks, and us three being a family.
The day had finally come when Jim had the stablemen arrive at the house, and his horses were brought up to his massive barn—a mansion for horses. I noted seven horses were saddled, and I laughed when I looked at Jim, carrying Addy down in the adorable riding outfit we bought for her in London.
“You get to pick the one you want to ride,” Jim said.
“Wait,” I gripped his arm. “You promised you were riding with her, and she was sitting in front of you.”
“I did, Mom,” he answered. “I’m just letting her pick her favorite.”
“We’ll be lucky if I can remember how to ride from my teenage years,” I said, feeling a bit nervous.
“Lose that attitude,” Jim laughed. “Those horses are the most well-trained, best-behaved animals around; however, they’ll feed off any fear you have, and you’ll regret it later.”
“You’re right.”
It took us a while, but we were now on our way. We rode at a slow pace through the massive amount of acreage at this place, and I basked in the contentment I felt, enjoying this peaceful ride through such beautiful terrain. I felt like we were the only three people in all of England. Once Jim saw that I was comfortable on my horse, we picked up our pace. As we trotted through the lush fields, I glanced over at Jim and Addy, and the sight alone made my heart smile with joy at the way they rode his horse together. Jim rode like a true equestrian, all while Addy beamed with pride as she sat safely in front of him.
We rode for about an hour when I noticed that we’d circled back to where Jim and I had sat under a walnut tree, overlooking the hills that rolled on forever, the first time we were here together. He dismounted, helped Addy down, and then I felt his hands on my hips as he guided me off my horse.
“You see,” Jim started, taking Addy’s hand while I held onto his arm, “your mom once wished she had time-traveling binoculars.” He smirked at me and pointed toward the vast hills of England’s stunning countryside.
“But why?” Addy asked him. “That’s silly.”
“Some might think so, but I thought it was a fantastic idea,” Jim said while he led us to the tree, and I smiled at the memory. “You see, your mother wished she could see back in time so she would witness the history of this beautiful land.”
“The history?” Addy’s face scrunched up in question. “Why, though?”
“Because mommy loves the history of England,” I said in an excited voice. “There are so many things that could have happened out there. With my time traveling glasses, I could’ve seen when kings and queens rode horses like we did today. Wouldn’t something like that be pretty cool?”
“That would be,” she said with a look that made it clear she was humoring me.
“But that’s not all,” Jim added. “If you could put on those glasses, you could see your mom sitting next to me at this tree. It’s where I realized she was the most delightful woman I’d ever met,” Jim said with a smile. “I wished I could marry her then and there.”
I looked at Jim in confusion. This was a beautiful side of the story I never got.
Jim looked at me, “We were both chasing ghosts back then, in our own ways, of course. So, asking you to marry me then—well, that just wasn’t the right time.” He walked over to me and took my hand in his, “But being here now is different. I had to sort out so many things to be able to appreciate the woman who had stolen my heart in a way no other woman could,” he said. “Perhaps we had to go through the fire in order to purify our love for each other?”
I grinned, “That’s one way of putting it.”
Jim’s solemn expression didn’t waver, “Avery Gilbert, you have fascinated me from the first moment I laid eyes on you, and you have changed my life in ways I didn’t know possible. I love you so deeply, and even more so than the first moment that I knew I wanted you in my life forever.”
I reached for my throat, almost about to choke on the lump that was suddenly there. Was he really doing this?
“You bring me peace that I can’t explain. You breathed life into me from the moment you sat next to me on that plane. You’ve given me everything and asked for nothing except for my love,” he said. “Before you, I was on autopilot, going through the motions of life but never truly living it. I can’t go on another day without you understanding that you and Addy are the best part of my life, the part of my life that was missing. I humbly ask you to trust me and know that I will always love and protect you, and I promise to devote my life wholly to you and Addy above all things. Will you please bestow upon me the highest honor I’ll ever achieve by becoming my wife?”
“Oh, God,” I said, tears pooling in my eyes. “Oh, my God.”
He pulled out a blue box and opened it. “If you’ll have me, then I hope you’ll enjoy this ring, one that I believe a king from long ago would’ve given the queen he loved so dearly.”
“Without sending her to that tower, of course?” I laughed, cried, and then hugged him so tightly that I couldn’t speak.
“I think we both served our time in that tower when we were apart for far too long,” he said as I felt him laugh, and then I pulled back to lose myself in his shimmering eyes.
“Yes, of course, yes,” I said as Jim brushed the tears from my cheeks. “But are you sure? Marriage might make—”
“What? Might make me the happiest and most complete man on the planet?” Jim said and then silenced me with a small kiss. “I love you, Avery. There’s no doubt in my mind.”
I watched as Jim turned and knelt as he had the first time he’d met Addy, bringing himself to her level. Addy was smiling, but I could tell she was confused. “You are my best girl and the one I have the most fun with,” he brushed his finger over her nose. “I can’t marry your mom unless I ask something pretty big of you as well.”
“How big?” Addy said.
“Huge.” His eyes widened as he dramatized his answer. “Remember that one morning when you and I made green eggs and ham?”
“Yes,” she crinkled up her nose and laughed.
He took her hands into his, “Do you remember what you told me you wished for me to be for you that morning?”
Her lips twisted in thought, and my ugly cry was in full effect. Was Jim asking Addy for her approval too?
“For you to be my real daddy,” she said. “When I say my prayers at night, I always ask for it to come true one day. Do you think it can?”
“I think it can.” Jim smiled. “In fact, that was the huge question I was going to ask. I wanted to know if you would still like me to be your daddy.”
Addy’s reaction was priceless as she hugged Jim, and then I heard her crying. I walked over to where Jim had her swallowed her up in his arms.
“Addison,” I said, rubbing her back.
She looked at me through teary eyes and smiled, my own tears streaming down my face as I wiped hers away. “These are happy tears, yes?” I asked her.
“Jim loves us both so much,” she informed me, hugging me tightly. “We can finally be a real family now. He asked, and we have to say yes, mommy. He’s the best daddy ever.”
“He certainly is,” I said to her, then looked at Jim as he smiled brilliantly.
“I have something special for you too, Addy,” he said, pulling out another blue box. “It’s a charm on a necklace. Its symbol means that I’ll be your daddy forever. I’ll always protect you, care for you, and love you more than you can ever know.”
“Oh, my goodness,” she smiled at Jim. “Can I wear it forever too?”
Jim grinned. “I truly hope you do,” he said, putting the necklace on her and smiling. “Forever.”
I watched as Addy held the charm out that Jim had clasped around her neck.
“That’s the infinity symbol,” I said, still kneeling next to Jim. “It means that Jim will love you longer than forever. That his love will never end.”
“Yes, and now you’ll always know that I’ll love you as my very own daughter for all of our forevers together. I’m just not sure if you said yes or not?”
I watched Jim’s forehead crinkle in humor.
“Yes! Forever you, me, and mommy.” She hugged him again.
“Thank God, they all said yes!” I heard Collin’s voice and then turned to see the entire gang was here—the reason for the other saddled horses. “Sorry, but I figured I’d be fighting that damn horse for the rest of the night if Jim didn’t get his words out.”
Ash was running toward me, and we collided in a tight embrace. “That was the most precious thing I’ve ever witnessed.” She sniffed and stepped back, “I videoed the entire thing, but started crying after you said yes, then Jake rescued the video, so forgive my sobbing sounds.”
“She handed me the phone, so it’s probably really going to suck for Jim to watch after mine and Collin’s commentary.” Jake laughed. “I think it’ll add to the moment nicely for you, though. Ash had no other option than to hand me the phone after she lost it completely once Jimmy proposed to Addy next.” Jake smiled and hugged me. “Welcome to the family, kid,” he said, then went toward where Ash was embracing Addy.
“You sure you want in on a binding contract with this guy?” Alex smirked at me as Jim approached, and Addy was already showing her beautiful necklace to Ash, Jake, and Collin, proudly telling them that Jim was her dad now.
“The binding contract will be signed.” I laughed, hugging Jim’s best friend, then leaned into Jim as he brought his arm around me. “The real question is, can all of you take us?”
“We accepted you both a long time ago,” Jake said as he rejoined us with a wink. “Hey Addy,” he said, reaching for her, “let’s get out of here and let mom and dad look through their time-traveling glasses together. My horse is faster than Jim’s, anyway.”
“Yeah, he’s sorta my dad now, Jake.”
Jake chuckled. “Well, then, that makes me your uncle, and I expect to hear Uncle Jake come out of that mouth next time.”
They all rode off together, leaving Jim and me alone to soak up this treasured moment. We sat down next to the tree. “God, I love you,” I said, tearing up again. “I’m at a loss for words.”
Jim brought his arm around me as we reclined against the tree. “So, I planned that we’d take off for that little hotel we stayed at before. Then, after a night alone, perhaps you and Ash will start in with the wedding arrangements.”
“It doesn’t need to be anything fancy.” I laughed.
“Fantastic,” he kissed my temple. “Then, when we’re back in the States, we’ll head to the first courthouse we see. The next monumental question I want you to consider heavily is solely up to you and what you believe is best for Addy.”
“What is it? My mind is still stuck on your amazing proposal.”
“Well, I was thinking,” he said, “you know how you got full custody of Addy after Derek got locked up again?”
“Kind of hard to forget when your kid’s dad flunks out of rehab for the third time and then goes on a crime spree before getting sent to prison for the foreseeable future, don’t you think?” I said with a half-laugh. I wished I could say things were going differently for Derek, and he was now the father he should’ve been, but the truth was that he was better off in prison, and that was precisely where he’d landed himself.
“I think we all saw it coming from day one with that guy,” he said. “That’s sort of what has me thinking. With me being surrounded by lawyers daily, I tend to overthink things sometimes, and I worry about things. What happens to Addy if something were to happen to you?”
“Jesus,” I thought, almost in a panic. “I’d never thought of anything like that before.”
“Well, I say all of this because I want you to know that I would gladly adopt Addison after we’re married.”
I shot up and looked at Jim as if he were high or something. “That is asking a lot of you. I mean a lot.”
“Truthfully, I’d want it no other way. It doesn’t change the way I love her or plan to care for her for the rest of her life, though, but it’s asking you to trust me as her legal parent. Maybe it’s a heavy thing to consider. I just want you to know that I’m all in, one-thousand percent.”
“You’re the best thing to ever happen to both of us,” I answered, turning to face him. “I trust that we will be together forever.”
He pulled me into his arms. “Then it’s all settled.” He kissed my nose, “You will soon be Mrs. Avery Mitchell, and our little wild child will be known to all as Addison Mitchell. Has a damn good ring to it, doesn’t it?”
I straddled him. “What do you say we get these horses back to the house, say goodbye for the night, get in that car, and blast up to that castle?”
Jim arched his eyebrow at me, “I think I should drive this time.”
“That’s the thing about marriage, darling,” I used the term we used when we were fake-married on our last trip, “what’s yours is mine now.”
Jim chuckled and nipped at my lips. “Are you sure you want that pain-in-the-ass company? That’s the downside of this marriage, you know. I get a sweet little girl as my daughter, and my gift to you is that damn company.” He laughed. “Still want everything that’s mine?”
“I want the good times, the hard times, and the until death do we part times. I want you, and that’s all that matters.”
“God, I love you more than words, gorgeous,” he said. “I’m inclined to fulfill a wedding night wish out here and right now.”
“Anybody around?”
“If they were,” he smirked as we lay back on the grass, “I think we’d scare them off.”
“Then hurry up and kiss me.” I laughed, and that’s when Jim and I took advantage of the gang taking off so we could celebrate this event alone.
I would never allow myself to forget this moment—this day, that would change our lives forever. The way Jim’s face was lit up with happiness the entire time. Dreams couldn’t get better than what I had with this man. My life was fulfilled before this unexpected proposal to my daughter and me. Who would have imagined that, after everything I’d been through in my crazy life, I’d be so utterly blessed to have this man as my husband, and more importantly, the new, real father to my daughter?
My life was abundantly full. Did I deserve it? Before I got help, I would have said no, but now that I was healthy in my heart and mind, my answer was yes. I deserved this happiness, my daughter deserved this family, and we were just getting started.
