I posed with her to cut the ribbon. Wes and Mara stood off to the side with Lynne, and Chris the co-owner of Arcadia even found a replacement to come support our cause. He joked about being the third wheel at the store now that I had Tilly and Wes had Mara. Maybe this store will bring drop a love life in my lap as it did with Mara and Tilly. I held out hope for him. I was too stinking happy not to, and Chris was on to something. Arcadia brought me and Tilly together just like it did with Wes and Mara.
I glanced back at the little group of my friends and family. Mara cradled her little son. I would never forget when the call came from Wes, the exuberant first-time dad.
“It’s a boy. Samuel Clark.”
Wes’s dad had been named Sam, but I couldn’t remember a Clark in his family tree. “As in Clark Kent? Why not Kal-El?”
“Fuck you. When you have a kid named Harley or Quinn, I’m going to remember this moment.”
I had laughed, but I could envision it happening whether I and Tilly had a boy or a girl. The thought of having kids no longer gave me palpitations. I might be a dad someday. I was basically an uncle now. I’d gone back to being a brother. My mom had said she’d start therapy, but I wasn’t holding out hope. Ultimately, I wanted her to get help, but I couldn’t have her toxicity around my family until she did.
Lynne had more health troubles than I’d anticipated, but on days like today, she could hang out with us. And I made sure she did regularly. Tilly had named one wing of the center after her.
I took it all in. My new life. The new center that had brought Tilly back to me.
There’d be no clients today, just celebrating. The rest of the week would be staff orientation, then sessions would start. Many parents had called asking for in-home tutoring, but Tilly couldn’t bring herself to tackle that just yet. I had made sure the building was wired with cameras so no session went unmonitored. If she started an outreach program, I’d do nothing short of equipping her staff with body cams.
But that venture could wait. Coming off our wedding and a month-long honeymoon at Lake Webber in our cabin, she was diving into running a business, and I was dedicated to making her blissfully happy.
Shortly after I’d pretty much begged her to take me back, she’d quit both of her jobs and moved in with me. Our house had one room just for her Wacky Monday wear. Items my size was now in the collection because I’d been informed that if I wanted to drop by on Mondays, I had to look the part. Anything the missus wanted, she got.
When she was busy at work, and Matthew had all the bases covered at the office, I’d found myself a new hobby. I’d bought the rental house from Mrs. Blumenthal and made it my winter project. Then I’d found another rental house in sore need of updating, and I had my eye on a third. The musty smell of dilapidated places and the memories it elicited no longer bothered me like they used to.
After the ribbon-cutting and pictures, Tilly towed me inside. I pulled her into my side and draped an arm across her shoulders.
She grinned up at me. “I can’t believe this is done. That we’re already at this point. Are you going to take on another project at work?”
“Nope.” I was split in a lot of directions, but I also staffed accordingly now instead of doing nothing but work. My job was no longer an excuse to hide from life. I was surrounded by reasons to get out of the office and loosen my tie—or not wear one at all. “I have the perfect woman and I need to be her Puddin’.”
_____________________________
Chris dedicates his life to Arcadia, but when he meets a mysterious woman at comic con, he learns how off limits she is. First to Fail
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About the Author
Marie Johnston writes paranormal and contemporary romance and has collected several awards in both genres. Before she was a writer, she was a microbiologist. Depending on the situation, she can be oddly unconcerned about germs or weirdly phobic. She’s also a licensed medical technician and has worked as a public health microbiologist and as a lab tech in hospital and clinic labs. Marie’s been a volunteer EMT, a college instructor, a security guard, a phlebotomist, a hotel clerk, and a coffee pourer in a bingo hall. All fodder for a writer!! She has four kids and even more cats.
mariejohnstonwriter.com
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Also by Marie Johnston
First To Lie
First to Bid
First to Fail
