Authors: S.E. Brown

For You (The Shore Book 2) (34 page)

BOOK: For You (The Shore Book 2)

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Then she moved to stand next to Issy, who had just come down the stairs with Ty. “And … this is Issy."

Ryan walked over to Issy and instead of shaking her hand, she wrapped her arms around her and squeezed her tight. “I’m so excited to finally meet you!”

“Ry, take it easy.” Madison laughed as she tapped Ryan on the shoulder. “Let the poor girl breathe.”

“It’s nice to meet you, too.” Issy smiled at Ryan as she finally released her hold. “Madison has told me a lot about you.”

“Breakfast.” Ryan pointed her finger at Madison and Issy. “We need to go to breakfast and get to know each other.”

“Okay,” Madison smiled then looked past Ryan to Jessa.

There were tears in her eyes as she approached Issy. Jessa had known Jeremy, and looking at Issy, she was the perfect combination of him and Madison.

“You have the same color eyes as your dad.” Her smile was soft as she felt a tear escape.

“That’s what Madison said.” She felt a bit of that remaining hole in her heart fill. She knew she would never have the chance to meet her biological dad, but she’d have a chance to get to know him through his friends.

“It’s really nice to finally meet you, Issy.” Jessa tenderly wrapped her arms around Issy, almost as though she was afraid if she squeezed too hard, she would disintegrate in her hands.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

As the afternoon wore on, the kids had taken off for the beach, which left the adults on the deck.

“I’m gonna get a refill. Anyone want anything?” Madison asked as she stood from the chair.

When everyone let her know they were fine, she turned and walked into the house. Behind her, Ryan passed a look to Cody and together they followed Madison to the kitchen.

“Hey Madison, can we talk to you for a minute?” Cody took a seat at the bar.

“Sure, what’s up?”

“We’re both really excited you’re moving in with Declan. We couldn’t be happier for you guys.”

“Aww, thanks, Cody.”

“We wondered, though, if you’ve thought about work and what you were going to do.”

“Not much, no. He just asked me to move in a few hours ago,” she kidded as she turned to open the refrigerator door.

“How would you like to work with us?”

Madison’s head popped out of the fridge and looked to Ryan. “What did you say?”

“How would you like to work with us?” Ryan repeated.

“What do you mean?”

“Well …” Cody took over the conversation. “Things with the company have been getting increasingly more busy, and we could use a designer on staff.”

“You’re serious?”

“We are,” Cody nodded.

“So it would be the three of us?”

“The three of us. Equal partners.”

Madison stood and looked at her friends. The idea of them all working together had never occurred to her, although she wasn’t sure why. Cody was an awesome coder, and she knew Ryan wasn’t too shabby herself. Having the three of them together in one company would be a killer combination. She just wasn’t sure she wanted to jeopardize their friendships.

“Are you sure? We’re friends, I wouldn’t want -“

“I know what you’re saying, but we won’t let that happen,” Ryan interrupted. “Business will be business. Everything else is our friendship.”

“I … I don’t know what to say.”

Before Ryan could say anything, Cody put his hand out to his wife and addressed Madison. “Just think about it. Talk it over with Declan if you want.”

“Okay.”

Cody got up from the bar stool and started walking back toward the deck. Ryan, on the other hand, went to Madison so they could talk quietly.

“I think this would be awesome, Mad. Think of what the three of us could do!”

“It sounds great, I’m just wondering about the risk versus reward. The last thing I’d want is to lose either of you as friends.”

“I get that. We’ll talk things through before we get the paperwork sorted out, okay? Just … think about it.”

Ryan gave Madison a quick hug and then followed her husband back to the deck.

A matter of weeks ago, her life had been so different. She was taking random guys home with her, working for a company she didn’t necessarily love but tolerated, had no knowledge of the baby she had given away and was continuing to ask questions about Ellie.

Still standing in the kitchen, Madison puts her hands on the bar to steady herself. Taking note of how things had changed, even as of that morning, had her head swirling. She knew who her daughter was, that she was okay, and they had a relationship forming. She had reconnected with Declan and they continued to get closer and closer, and finally even said “I love you” to each other. She hated the idea of going back to Charlotte without him, but knew they were in a good place and would continue to grow as a couple.

And now. Now she would be moving in with the man she loved and her daughter had been given a space to call her own in his home. And to top it off, she could potentially be working side-by-side with her best friends.

It’s like everything she thought she loved about her life had changed, and she couldn’t have been happier about it.

“What’cha doin’ babe?” Declan’s voice startled her from her thoughts.

“Just thinking.”

He walked up and put his arms around her waist. “About what?”

“How everything has changed.”

“Good changes, I hope.”

Madison’s eyes lit up as she smiled. “Very good changes.”

“Good.” He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her.

“You’ll never guess what Cody and Ryan just asked me.”

“What?”

“They want me to work with them. Join their company.”

“Really?”

Madison nodded with a grin. “I think I’m going to say yes.”

It had been such a long time since she had let someone in. Losing Jeremy and her baby at such a young age had not only hurt her heart, it had built walls so high she never let come down. Meeting Declan, getting to know him the night of Cody and Ryan’s wedding, and then seeing him at the gym months later, had changed everything. While Madison realized Declan didn’t have anything to do with Issy, she wasn’t sure how she would have reacted to her daughter coming back into her life without him there. He became her sounding board when she needed to talk, and he was there when she wanted to share her excitement. In a very short time, he had become one of the most important people in her life, and the owner of her heart.

Things with Issy couldn’t have been better if she had written the script herself. They talked every few days and spent time together on the weekends. Issy shared what was happening with her friends and family, and even filled her in on the details regarding her ex-boyfriend, Ben. She hadn’t been able to watch her grow up, but she would be there to see what kind of woman she’d become. Madison looked forward to making up for a lot of lost time.

Everything was perfect except for one thing: she wished with all her heart that Ellie was there. She wanted her to see she had met and fallen in love with Declan, that she would soon be an owner of a company, and most importantly, that she and Issy had found each other. While she didn’t care for how Ellie handled things at the end of her life, not telling Madison she was sick, it had been Ellie’s choice. Who’s to say Madison wouldn’t have done the same thing if the roles were reversed? There wasn’t a thing she could do about it now, and it didn’t make sense to hold onto that anger. She had been able to be there to say goodbye and tell her she loved her one last time. That would have to be enough. There was one thing she would always be most grateful for though: Ellie’s love. For taking in a fifteen-year-old pregnant girl who had nothing … and giving her everything.

The end.

What’s Coming Next

Abby pulled into her driveway and killed the engine. She missed Jake like crazy but would give anything to live the past week over again.

The tranquility. The beauty. The laughter. The long conversations. The comfort. The soft touches. The taste of his lips. The warmth of his arms. The feel of his skin against hers.

She smiled as she got out of the car, thinking of what the future could hold. There were a multitude of possibilities now, and she was excited to explore each and every one.

Her smile didn’t last long as she spotted a car across the street. It didn’t belong there, that was clear. It was sleek with perfect lines. It was

flashy … and looked like it cost more than all the houses on her side of the street - combined. There was only one person she knew who would drive that kind of car.

Abby had been waiting for this moment. Dreading it, really, for ten years. Since the day he walked out of their lives, she’d been watching over her shoulder. She knew the power he could wield, the information he could find, the kinds of strings he could pull.

As she looked at the car, images of the day she gave birth to Jake flashing through her mind, the impossibly dark tinted window started to lower. A wave of cold washed over her body as steel eyes looked back at her, a smug grin on the lips of the owner.

“‘Ello, Abigail.” His thick British accent cut through her skin.

“Trey,” she sighed.

Acknowledgements

To say 2016 has been unquestionably the most difficult year in my life thus far would be entirely accurate. I had a great deal of help getting “For You” written and published, but it was the love and patience I received that got me through everything else.

Peg
- I’m not sure I ever said it, so I’m saying it here: Thank you. Thank you for being there. Thank you for my two nieces. Thank you for being my big sis.

Janet
- You are my rock. That’s it. I don’t know what else to say.

Jen
- When they talk about friends who live miles apart and don’t talk often but can get together and it’s like no time has passed, that’s you for me. I asked you to be there, and without hesitation, you said yes. Thank you.

The Sorority Sisters
- It wasn’t my sorority, but it was Mom’s. You ladies gave her so many laughs and love and smiles, and you made her princess for a day. (I have the picture to prove it!) And since she’s been gone, you’ve done the same for Dad (well, minus the princess part). Thank you for taking such great care of my family.

Marina and Jana
- I love you, I miss you, and you’re pretty.

Dawn
- Thank you for being there. You made that night so much easier. *mhugs*

Brooke
- All I can say is, thank goodness we don’t have to pay for video conferencing! Thank you for all your wonderful ideas and brainstorming and wordsmithing. I’m excited to work on
our

project!

Kim
- I can’t tell you how glad I am you dropped the F-bomb. I’m not sure I would’ve made it through the last couple years without you.

Linds
- Your involvement in this book was a lot different from the first - but just as impactful. You are definitely my go-to person for tattoos, but “The Story of Ferdinand” was all you. It played such a big part of this story. I hope when you read it to Fi, you give her a big hug from Auntie Susie. I can’t wait to meet her!

Todd
- I told you there’d be a little something for you, because there’s a lot of you in Declan. You
are
a good guy. Thank you for that.

Ian
- There’s also a bit of you in Declan. I know, you “didn’t do anything,” but you did. Thanks for checking in on me.

Laura, Brooke, Lori, Jen and Janet
- Thank you for taking my crazy ideas and making sure they all made sense. And hey, he didn’t die. He was resurrected all because of you guys!

Dad
- You are the best dad and man I know. Thank you for all you’ve done. Thank you for all our talks. Thank you for always being there. Thank you for encouraging me and being one of my biggest cheerleaders. I love you, Fuddy Duddy.

Mom
- By the time this story is published, you’ll have been gone for just shy of six months. It hasn’t been the same without you. I miss you calling me, loving me, nagging me … even telling me what to do. I’m sorry I never let you read this story. You were a part of it in so many ways. Thank you for your encouragement and time and love. I hope wherever you are, you’re happy and free of pain. I love you, and I miss you. Give Siany a snuggle for me.

And last, but definitely not least…

Melissa, Brooke and Kristen
– I gotta go! I just shit my pants!

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