Page 112 of Untroubled Heart

Beth growls at the nickname. Even on the other side of the country in a five-star resort, these two can’t escape the tension. She reluctantly opens the door halfway, forcing Tristan to slide in with a scowl on his face, a brief flash of something heated in his eyes, before it returns to annoyance, and then Mason’s face appears.

“Turn around!” Beth cries.

Mason rolls his eyes, shuffling through the door with his back facing us.

“Hey, Callie baby.” I’m a puddle whenever he uses that tone on me. Not the cheeky one he uses at work when he calls me Trouble, the playful one when we’re around his family, or the sweet one he saves for Navie. This softer one, drenched in love and loyalty, is all mine.

“Heartthrob.” I smile, only to be cut off by my daughter.

“Dada.” Mum crosses the room, handing Navie to Mason before she practically jumps out of Mum’s arms.

“Look at my beautiful girl.” Mason holds Navie to his chest, pressing kisses to her cheek. “I just wanted to give you something,” Mason says, turning his head so he can peek over his shoulder. He hands a small stack of papers to Tristan, who then passes them over to me.

They’re letters. Tied together with a blue ribbon and a gold band looped through the bow.

“Are these Greyson’s?” I ask.

Mason shakes his head. “They’re mine.”

“Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Don’t cry,” Beth mutters to herself as she fans her face.

“You wrote me love letters?” My voice is thick with restrained emotion as I take a seat at the dressing table. “When did you do this?”

“While I was falling in love with you.”

“Goddammit, Mason Luke.” Beth fans her face harder, demanding composure.

I pull at the ribbon, letting the ring fall free first. The gold is crafted with a filigree pattern, but with closer inspection, I realise it’s a key.

“I recycled the gold of Florence’s ring and the designer copied the original key.” He holds up his right hand, a thick gold band on his middle finger. “Mine’s got the matching lock.”

I set the letters on the table behind me, slipping the ring on my right hand as I come to stand behind Mason’s back, careful not to drop the blanket as I wrap one hand around his middle.

“You trying to make me fall for you?”

He smiles over his shoulder, leaning down until his mouth hovers over mine. “Since the moment I saw you.”

Five Years Later

“Like this, Grey!” Navie yells at her brother, demonstrating a cartwheel that has definitely improved over the last few weeks since she started gymnastics.

Greyson, in all his two-year-old strength, drops to the grass and rolls over, his little feet waving in the air as he attempts to right himself again.

Callie buries a laugh in my chest, where she’s cuddled into my side, and we watch them play in the front yard from the couch on the deck.

“Good try, Grey.” Navie nods encouragingly at her brother before glancing up at us, blue eyes wide as if to say that was actually terrible.

This has become our Sunday morning ritual every summer since we moved in. When Callie and I were building our house, building our future, these were the exact kind of days I was imagining. Ones full of a love that held me in safety, loyalty, and joy. Something that I could dedicate myself to without a shred of doubt. Every day is one where we grow together, and this house has seen it all.

Where Navie took her first steps on this very porch. The moment Anna called to confirm my adoption of Navie had been granted. Sitting in front of the fireplace when Navie called me Dad for the first time. Callie finding out she was pregnant with Greyson.

“What are you thinking so hard about?” Callie’s eyes are waiting when I look down at her.

Tucking a strand of her soft, brown hair behind her ear, I press a kiss to her forehead. “How lucky I am.”

Callie grins, turning her head to kiss my palm where it cups her cheek. “And still the sweetest guy I know.”

“Daddy. Daddy,” Navie calls, taking the stairs one at a time to join us on the porch.