I laughed. “When did the Bank of Weston open up?”
“The day I rebuilt this porch,” he said.
“I can’t take your money. Teachers don’t make a lot.”
This time Weston howled with laughter. “You still haven’t looked me up, have you?”
I shrugged. “A little. Nothing in depth. I think I stopped when it said you were married, but I only looked then after my dad mentioned it. I was preoccupied.” I gave him a little poke in his stomach.
“I was very smart with my money during my career, Antonia. I don’t need to work but do so because I enjoy coaching. I don’t have a problem fronting the money for the house.”
“With interest?”
He shook his head, and I raised an eyebrow at him. Weston sighed. “I was thinking more like I move in if all goes well with us living together at my house.”
“You? Move in here? With us?”
He nodded the entire time I asked my three-part question.
“That’s if you’re ready. I know I am.” He took my hand. “After being with you and the kids all day, going home to an empty house really sucks, Antonia. I lie awake at night, staring at the ceiling, wondering how long I’ll have to wait to ask the three of you to move in with me. Living here, in the home Miriam loved so much, makes sense, but I also know you may not be ready, so I could be putting my cart before the horse, so to speak.
“Antonia, I’m not asking you to move in with me because Scout prefers to be here. I’m asking because I love you. I love Cutter and Nova. You’re my family.”
As if on cue, Nova squealed in delight as she ran around the yard with Scout. She jumped and moved her net in the air. He’d brought her this little bit of happiness, but it wasn’t just this gift. He’d brought Scout into our lives, and he put the kids first every time we planned a night out. Weston never had an issue spending our time with the kids. He wasn’t going to be the one to tell me they had to go to boarding school, or that I had to choose between him and them.
Weston knew we were a package deal, and he was the bow to make us complete.
“I know it’s fast, and I know you’re scared—”
“It’s not that, Weston. I worry about the impact something like this would have on the kids. What if this doesn’t work out?”
“What if it does and we live happily ever after, raising these two amazing kids?”
I looked at Nova and Scout, best friends already, and then I glanced around the yard and house Miri loved so much ...love. My eyes shot to Weston’s.
“Did you say that you loved me?”
He nodded emphatically. “I believe my words were, ‘I love you.’”
I smiled, having heard him the first time, but wanting him to say it again so I could absorb the words in this moment. I shook my head, pretending to be confused. “What?”
“Oh, was I not clear?” He paused. “I. Love. You.” He enunciated each word.
“That’s perfect because I love you too,” I said, repeating his words back to him. “Let me talk to them, but I’m definitely a yes on the whole cohabiting thing.”
Weston stood and pulled me into his arms. He pressed his lips to mine, and before the kiss could go any deeper, we heard, “Ooh, someone is kissing!”
Thanks, Nova.
Chapter 35
Cutter
Not a day went by when I didn’t think about my mom. I missed everything about her, but mostly her presence. Knowing she would always be where she said she would, and now wasn’t, was a hard notion to swallow. The ache in my chest was uncomfortable most days, and I’d found that when I didn’t think about her, the pain grew.
But thinking about her hurt as well. I was grateful for the text messages and voicemails I’d saved, and for the years of photos and videos Toni had of my mom. She never hesitated to hand her phone to Nova whenever she asked. As much as it broke my heart each time I pressed play—hearing my mom’s voice, seeing her happy and healthy instead of sick—knowing that I could hear her tell me she loved me or simply say my name ... was everything.
My mom was missing milestones in my life, or, as Toni called them, “rites of passage.” There was the state championship and now prom. There would be more, like my upcoming college visit. A coach had invited us to campus for a tour and lunch and to see their baseball facility.
