The Fall (Colorado Coyotes #6)

Chapter 20

CHAPTER TWENTY

Cam

Four weeks later

“It’s light outside! Mom, it’s light outside!”

Tate is jumping on my very firm, extremely comfortable new bed, yelling louder than any alarm clock could blare.

Sam is standing next to the bed, his face six inches from mine. “Mom, you said when it’s light outside, and it is.”

“Okay, I’m getting up.”

It’s Christmas morning. I told my sons we couldn’t wake up and open presents until the sun was up. I get out of bed, extra tired after staying up late with Rowan to finish wrapping the boys’ presents and stuff their stockings, and then receive two goodnight kisses from him.

The nights with two leave me feeling wrung out in the best possible way. He’s still not been willing to do anything more. Kisses, hugs and getting mind-blowing oral sex are it for now. Not that I’m complaining.

Since Rowan had a security system with cameras installed, I’m even able to sleep on the nights he travels for hockey. I miss him, though.

“You have to stay in here for fifteen minutes,” Sam says as I walk toward my closet to get dressed. “We’ll tell you when you can come out.”

They’re probably planning to make breakfast with Rowan. That’s sweet, and I don’t want to ruin the surprise by reminding them I prepared a breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls to bake after we finish opening gifts.

“Okay, I’m going to lie back down then.”

“Don’t fall asleep!” Tate turns to look at me from the doorway. “And don’t come out until we say you can.”

“I promise not to come out.”

I didn’t promise not to fall asleep. I’m lightly dozing when I hear a knock on my bedroom door sometime later.

“You can come out now, Mom!”

“Okay, I’ll be there in five minutes.”

I brush my teeth, run a brush through my hair and put on some sweats and a T-shirt. On my way past, I stop and smile at my reflection in the mirror.

It’s our first Christmas in our new home. A home that I paid for. The boys are both doing really well, and I’ve stopped worrying constantly about Jake coming back. Dom has a private eye doing a once-a-day check-in on him, and so far, he’s been in the state of California since the day after he was released from prison.

I also got a five-figure holiday bonus from the firm, which blew my mind. I cried in my office for fifteen minutes, wishing I could go back and tell the struggling waitress I had been that it would all be worth it. All the late nights studying, Door Dashing to pay for Christmas gifts and clipping coupons for groceries got me here.

And then there’s Rowan. My smile widens because, yeah , life is good.

I only linger a second, knowing I have two very eager little boys downstairs. Rowan offered to get up early and leave this morning so the boys and I could have Christmas morning alone. But having him here felt right.

“I’m hungry!” I jog down the stairs, expecting Rowan and the boys to be waiting for me in the kitchen.

Instead, I find the three of them standing in front of the Christmas tree, all dressed in tuxedos. Duke is lying on the floor by Rowan, even he has a bow tie around his neck. Rowan’s tux fits his athletic body perfectly; he’s breathtaking. And seeing my boys so proud and handsome in the dress clothes makes me tear up.

“What’s this?”

Sam steps forward. “Mom, you’re the best mom ever. I love you.”

All three of them are standing with their hands behind their backs. Sam whips a package out from behind his back and grins at me.

“Merry Christmas!”

“That’s for me?” I beam at him as he hands it to me.

I can tell he wrapped it himself. There’s too much tape and the paper doesn’t fit perfectly. I kiss him on top of the head. “Thank you, honey.”

“Open it!”

He’s more excited than he was about Christmas gifts when he went to bed last night. I meet Rowan’s eyes and give him a grateful smile.

I tear into the package and find a pair of purple gloves with a soft fur lining.

“Oh, they’re beautiful. I love them. Thank you, Sam.”

He pushes his glasses up on his nose. “It’s your favorite color.”

“Yes, it is. It was so thoughtful of you to remember that.” I hug him.

“Open mine!” Tate is just as excited as Sam when he hands his gift over.

I’m surprised to see he did a good job wrapping it. It’s not perfect, but it’s good. I tear into it and find bubble bath and lotion.

“Oh, this is great! You know how much I love bubble baths. Thank you, Tate.”

He looks at Rowan. I give Rowan a puzzled look, because we agreed the beautiful houseful of furniture was my gift from him.

He clears his throat and walks over to me, taking my hand. Sam and Tate stand on either side of me, looking up at me with excited smiles.

“Cam, you’re the most amazing woman I’ve ever known. There aren’t even words to convey how much you and the boys mean to me. You gave me a second chance and now I want to ask if you’ll officially be my girlfriend.”

“Yes, I will.”

It was perfect. I was afraid for a second that he was about to propose. And we aren’t there yet. I hope we will be eventually. But since we’re both coming into this relationship wounded, I want to take things slow, so we’re both completely sure it’s right.

“She said yes!” Tate high-fives Sam, and then they both high-five Rowan.

“So I have something for you.”

Rowan reaches into his pocket and takes out a tiny pale-blue box. My heart pounds with excitement. I’ve never gotten jewelry as a gift.

He flips open the box and reveals a beautiful platinum band with three sparking round stones set in a row: an emerald, a dark brown diamond and an intense yellow diamond.

My eyes fly to his; I’m in shock. I may not own any expensive jewelry, but I still know a lot about it. That ring cost an absolute fortune. Far more than the furniture.

“Rowan...”

He gives me a nervous look. “These are the colors in your eyes. There are three stones to represent the two most important men in your life, Sam and Tate, and one for me because I hope to become an important man in your life, too.”

I can’t hold back my tears as I say, “Stop it, you already are.”

He smiles and takes the ring from the box, sliding it onto my left hand.

“This isn’t an engagement ring, but it’s to hold the place of one until the time comes.”

I look down at it, floored. I’ve never worn anything so beautiful.

“It’s stunning. I don’t even know what else to say, just...wow. Thank you.”

He leans forward to kiss me and I cup his cheek, loving the feel of the ring on my finger.

“Ew,” Tate says. “Can we open the other presents now?”

“Yes.”

I hold my hand out and admire the ring, Rowan sliding an arm around my waist.

The boys tear through their stockings and gifts, both of them going crazy over the new iPads I bought them. Rowan got Tate new hockey skates and he got Sam some camping gear for their trip. I appreciated that he didn’t try to outshine me; being able to give my kids a nice Christmas was a big first for me.

When Rowan opens the scarf and photography books I got him, he grins happily.

“You remembered I like Ansel Adams.” He sounds genuinely touched. “Thank you, I can’t wait to look at these again and again.”

He helps the boys assemble toys and put batteries in them while Duke chews his Christmas bone in a corner of the kitchen. I put the casserole and cinnamon rolls in the oven, glad we don’t have to be over at Dom and Tess’s house until this afternoon.

This time with just the four of us feels sacred. I’m sure memories of Christmases past are hard for Rowan; I hope we can make new memories that will help ease that pain.

I can’t stop looking at my ring. He couldn’t have chosen anything better than he did. Including my boys made it incredibly special. My heart is overflowing with happiness.

When the boys are busy playing with new toys, he comes into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around my waist from behind.

“Merry Christmas,” he says softly in my ear.

I lean back against him and close my eyes. “Merry Christmas. Thank you for everything.”

“We’re official,” he murmurs. “That’s the best gift I could have asked for.”

“Well, you’re impossible to say no to.” I laugh lightly. “I hope you weren’t sweating whether I’d say yes or no.”

He’s quiet for a second. “I just wanted it to be right. I didn’t want to forget what I planned to say.”

I turn around and put my arms around his neck, looking up into his eyes. “It was perfect. Every day with you is like a dream come true.”

He wraps his arms around my waist. “I wasn’t sure I could be enough for you. You deserve everything.”

“You are so much more than enough. I don’t want you to think you can never be in a bad mood or have a shitty day. We all do. Let me be enough for you, too, okay?”

He nods. “Yeah. I want to do this all the way. You, me and the boys.”

I start to ask a question, stop, and then decide to be brave and go for it. “What would you think about having more kids someday?”

He grins. “Yeah, I want that with you. You’re an amazing mom.”

I kiss him. “Thank you.”

“Do you need any help with breakfast?”

“Nope, all the work is already done.” I let go of him and walk over to the coffeepot. “Let’s get some coffee going, though. It’s crazy early.”

I sneak a photo of my ring and shoot a text of it to my sister.

Cam: NOT AN ENGAGEMENT RING. But we are official!

Tess: Holy shit Cam! Please tell me you’re going to give that poor man a blow job now.

Cam: At the soonest opportunity. He was the one who didn’t want it before.

Tess: Oh he wanted it. Prepare to have a hole blown through the back of your head when he comes. That guy’s having a blue BALL Christmas fo sho

Cam: Have to go, see you later

I put my phone face down on the counter, trying not to laugh over her texts.

“Does Tess approve of the ring?” Rowan asks wryly.

I give him a guilty look. “I had to show her. I’m excited.”

“I’m not mad. I know you two talk about everything.”

I do a little dance. “Finally I can talk about my hot boyfriend instead of just hearing about hers all the time.”

He laughs so hard he snorts. “Dom, hot? He takes pictures of his shits and sends them to me.”

“Well, he’s not supposed to be hot to you.”

“True.”

“Rowan, it goes up the stairs!” Sam calls from the living room. “Come see!”

“His remote control thing,” Rowan explains, kissing me again before going into the living room.

“I’ll bring you some coffee,” I call after him.

I admire my ring some more as I wait for the coffee to brew. The morning was everything I could have hoped for. And so much more.