I HAD REASSEMBLED SOME version of my life in the wake of total disaster. It wasn’t perfect, but it was the best I could do considering what I had to work with. I started working on my resume the instant I got home and scoured the Internet for somewhere that we could start over. I did want to be close to Charlotte, but I was willing to put some extra miles on my car if I could drive there. I heard her car outside and I opened the door the second that she reached the top of my steps.
“There you are.” I pulled her into an embrace. “How did things go at the school board?”
“It was fairly simple. They already had a statement prepared so I just signed it.” She shrugged and sank into my hug. “I guess you’re in the clear.”
“Yeah. How about your mom? Are things okay on that front?” I took her by the hand and led her into the living room.
“I think so. She’s probably going to move, but I can’t blame her. Veronica finally built a reputation of her own, but I don’t think she wants to sleep in the bed she made.” Charlotte took a seat on the couch. “How did things go with Amy?”
“I think we found a compromise.” I turned my laptop screen towards her. “I’m working on my resume right now. She agreed to try and find something close to my new job.”
“Where does that leave me?” I saw her face get a little solemn. “Am I the three-day fling that gets left behind when you move?”
“No.” I shook my head quickly and took her hand. “I’m trying to find something that’s close to where you’re going to school. I know this is brand new and we’re still figuring things out, but I’m not willing to lose you. You belong to me, remember?”
“I haven’t forgotten.” She slowly smiled. “I’m ready for the guy that claimed me to teach me another lesson. Do you think he’ll come out to play tonight?”
“He never left.” I squeezed her hand.
“Good.” Her smile widened. “I shared once of those lessons with my mother today.”
“Oh?” I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
“Yeah, I think I convinced her that Veronica needs to spend some time over her knee.” She chuckled and swung her hand like she was delivering a smack. “My grandmother’s hairbrush hasn’t had a workout since my mother was a little girl—that needs to change.”
“I might have to see this hairbrush some day.” I grinned and moved closer to her on the couch.
“No, you do just fine without it.” She shook her head rapidly.
Epilogue: Charlotte
Six months later
School started back up again and I got absorbed into my classes. Gavin was able to get a job that was still two hours away, but it was in the opposite direction of where he used to teach. We talked on the phone every night, even if I only had a few minutes because of my assignments. The weekends belonged to us for the most part when my mother didn’t visit. Either I drove to see him or he came to see me. It was better if I went to him, because he had to rent a hotel room when he visited me. If Benjamin was visiting, I definitely had to go to him. His ex-wife settled into a new job less than an hour from where he lived, so things seemed to be returning to whatever normal we could make out of the situation we were forced into.
“Charlotte! Charlotte, come see what Daddy bought!” Benjamin yelled at me from the other room.
“Just a moment.” I saved the project I was working on for school and stood up.
I fell in love with Benjamin the moment I met him. He stole my heart even faster than his father did. He was the spitting image of Gavin with the same stone colored eyes. Amy and I had a rocky-but-peaceful relationship. It was never going to be perfect, but I promised her that Benjamin would never refer to me as anything but Charlotte, regardless of the role I had in Gavin’s life. She was his mother and that would never change. I walked into the living room and saw Benjamin playing with a box.
“What do you have there?” I sat on the floor next to him and looked at what he was holding.
“It’s for you!” He held out the box and his face spread to the widest grin I had ever seen.
“Gavin—what is this?” I tilted my head and took the box.
“You have to marry my Daddy!” Benjamin bounced and smiled as I slowly opened the box.
“Oh my god!” My eyes got wide when the light hit the diamond ring.
“I was going to propose properly, but Benjamin heard me telling Amy that I was going to do it, and he thought he should be the one to ask you.” Gavin chuckled and tickled his son.
“You have to marry my Daddy!” Benjamin giggled as he repeated his previous statement.
“Well, he’s got that part down.” I took out the ring and stared at it. “He doesn’t ask, he just tells me what to do.”
“I guess he gets that from me.” Gavin sat up and helped me slide the ring on my finger. “Charlotte Baker—will you marry me?”