Free to Love

Chapter 65

Joanna

By the time Shawn finished reading Mallory's letter, we were both crying silent tears as we held hands.

"Shawn, are you alright?" I asked him when he stopped reading. I couldn't imagine how hard it was to read a message from his wife after all these years.

He carefully folded the letter and put it back in the envelope. After setting it down on the coffee table, he turned to me.

"That was really hard to read, but at the same time, it was cathartic. It's almost like she was answering me from my talk with her earlier. I know that's not logical, and I'm not even spiritual enough to believe it, but it felt that way just the same," he said.

I gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. "She was an incredible woman. Is it strange that I wish I'd met her?"

"No. It's not strange at all. She would have loved you. I know she'd be happy that you're the one."

The one. His words resonated deep inside me. I wasn't a substitute or a second choice. He said I was the one. I wanted him to show me, too. Maybe that was strange after we'd just finished Mallory's letter, but I really needed the intimacy of lovemaking to reinforce what he'd just said.

"I love you, Shawn," I whispered throatily before climbing onto his lap and attacking his mouth with kisses.

He placed his hands under my ass and stood up, never breaking the kiss. Then he carried me to my bedroom where he tossed me onto the bed. It was apparent he was on the same page about showing me how much he loved me. I watched as he slowly removed his clothes. He was unbuckling his belt when he swore.

"Fuck. My phone is ringing."

He took it out of his pocket and looked at it. "It's my mom."

"Hey, mom," he said after answering it.

There was a pause while Karen talked.

"Yep, things are great, actually. Really great," he said as he smiled at me.

Another pause.

"Okay, yeah. We'll be headed there in a bit. Eat dinner without us."

Karen said something else that made him chuckle.

"I know. I love you, too. Bye."

He turned to me after tossing his phone in his pile of clothes. "Where were we?"

Several hours later, we pulled up to the country house.

"I was hoping Aaliyah would still be here," he said as he turned off the Jeep. "I wanted to thank her."

"You should call her later, after the kids go to bed," I suggested.

We went inside. Gracie and Nolan ran into my arms and I gave them each hugs and kisses. They pulled me into the family room to show me their Easter baskets.

"You can have a bite of my chocolate bunny," Nolan told me. "I've only eaten the ears so far."

"That's very generous of you, Nolan. I think I need some real food before I start nibbling on bunnies, though."

Karen came into the room and brought me into a huge embrace. "I'm so happy you're here," she whispered in my ear. "There's a plate for each of you on the counter," she said after letting go of me.

Shawn and I reheated our dinners and sat at the table with Manny and Karen as we ate.

"That was delicious. I'm sorry I bailed on most of the day and that you had to cook Easter dinner by yourself," he said when we finished eating.