“I wasn’t about to let us repeat the same mistakes either,” he said. “I’m not giving up on us. I’m not losing you a second time. Not just because of Tommy but because you were the best thing that happened in my life before and you are again. We have to talk better. We have to communicate better. You have to move past what you did. If I can, why can’t you?”

  “I know,” she said, leaning back. “I realized that. That your family has accepted me. No one can forget what I did but maybe you can forgive me. But that can’t happen or I can’t feel like I’m forgiven if I can’t even forgive myself.”

  “You’re right,” he said, kissing her on the forehead. “And I’m sorry I reacted that way. But he called my son a bastard. Nobody gets to call my son names.”

  “Kevin is a jerk who is not worth reacting to.”

  “Yeah, I thought of you being with that guy and it pissed me off.”

  “It was years ago. And it wasn’t anything any more serious than you with all your exes.”

  “And we are going to run into them a lot. You need to know that now. I’ve got regrets with my behavior and I can’t change that, but I can work on it in the future. I can work hard to be the man I always wanted to be. To be the person I thought I’d be at this point in my life and then wondered if it’d ever happen.”

  “I want to be that person too. Not just for me but for you and Tommy too.”

  He framed her face in his hands. “I love you, Marissa. I don’t think I ever stopped and I know I never will. If you remember that the next time we fight, we’ll get through it better.”

  She laughed. “I can do that. As long as you remember the same thing!”

  Epilogue

  Ryder had spent the night last Saturday, surprising Tommy when he woke up the next morning. Tommy might have been confused, but they tried to explain that two people shouldn’t go to bed mad at each other and proof of that was Ryder driving the four hours to talk.

  He wanted Tommy to know that he was always going to be in his life and he was going to drive through the night to just say he was sorry. When Tommy asked, “Why didn’t you just call Mom?” Ryder had replied with, “Because when you love someone you not only spoil them, you make sure they know they are your world.”

  And she’d been remembering those words for days and finally realized what she needed to do and where she needed to do it.

  She was going to have all eyes on her again, but this time at the Fierce party in Charlotte.

  Thankfully family got together first before the rest of the guests came and today, when the last of the family arrived, she knew it was time for her to make her move.

  “Tommy,” she said. “I think you should tell everyone your news.”

  “Finally!” Tommy said. “Do you know how hard it’s been to not say a word?”

  She laughed at Tommy’s expression and was thrilled that he’d managed to stay quiet as long as he had. But she’d been smart enough to not say anything until the drive down last night from Greenville. The drive she was getting sick and tired of doing.

  “Dad!” Tommy yelled. “Come here. I’ve got to tell you something important.”

  Well, that was one way to get everyone’s attention. She felt all eyes on her and Tommy but knew she had to get used to this. It was the only way.

  “What’s that, bud?”

  “Mom said my name is changing.”

  “What?” Ryder asked.

  She looked around and saw Diane almost jumping out of her chair, but they weren’t done yet.

  “Mom said it’s time the whole world knew who my father was so she started the paperwork to change my last name to yours.”

  “Really?” Ryder asked, his eyes starting to fill as he looked at her.

  “Yes. It’s time. But I figured why stop there? I always wanted my last name to be the same as my son’s.”

  This time she heard some laughing and wasn’t sure where it came from but was pretty sure it was over by Ryder’s parents and aunts and uncles. “Are you asking me to marry you?” he asked.

  “Might as well go all in, right? I know it’s fast. But yes, I am. Will you marry me, Ryder?”

  “Fast? It’s been nine years.” There was more laughter there. Ryder pulled his key out of his pocket. “Tommy, go get the bag out of my glove box.”

  Tommy took the key and ran. “What are you doing?” she asked.

  “I’m doing it right,” he said. When Tommy came back with the bag, he pulled a ring box out. “Years ago things didn’t turn out the way I thought they would. The way either of us did. And whatever the reason that brought us back together or the time apart doesn’t matter. What matters is I realized that if I want something, I need to make you know it. And since you asked me the question, I’m just sealing the deal.” He got down on one knee and flipped the lid on the ring that was all but blinding her. Then he said, “My answer is yes.”

  There was a lot of laughter and applause, Tommy running back over and hugging them both while Ryder put the ring on her finger.

  “So we are a real family now?” Tommy asked.

  “Yes, we are!” she and Ryder said at the same time.

  “I never thought it’d end quite like that,” Diane said. “But damn it all, I’m proud of my baby.”

  “And your grandson,” Jolene said.

  “Him too. What a wild ride it’s been these past several months,” Grant said. “I never in a million years saw this coming when we all put our heads together to set the kids up.”

  She and Grant were sitting with Carolyn and Garrett, Jolene and Gavin. The party was still going on in the backyard, but the six of them had retired into the house for the peace and quiet. Most of their kids that had kids of their own were long gone and in bed. Those without were hanging and talking.

  “I don’t think anyone saw this one,” Garrett said. “Ryder has always been the wild card and the one we joked about having a kid but nothing like this.”

  “I’m so glad that they worked it out,” Gavin said. “And it’s even better that Marissa felt comfortable enough to do it the way she did today.”

  “She fits right in,” Jolene said. “I have to coming, I’m a little disappointed everyone is set up now.”

  “But we all did our part with Ryder,” Diane said. “Not just us pushing them to see past their mistakes and work it out, but all our kids did too. It just shows the Fierces can come together when it matters.”

  “They can,” Jolene said. “Which is why I’m seriously considering an offer I got.”

  “No, Jolene,” Gavin said.

  “Yes,” Jolene said back. “Look at the good work we did here today. Admit it, it was fun.”

  “You’re not talking about some kind of business, are you?” Carolyn asked.

  “Heavens no. It’s no fun if it’s a job. But as I said before, a few of the boys’ friends’ mothers have reached out to me after hearing the story. Not only that, but there are plenty of single people that work for us. Why can’t we spread the love around? We’ve got a great track record. But my sister Shay’s two boys are single and my brother Connor’s son and daughter are too... Shay is getting frustrated with her boys.”

  “I’m game for it,” Diane said. “I’m retired now and my boys have some single friends. It will be fun.”

  “You’ll have your hands full with babies,” Carolyn said. “And you too, Jolene.”

  “Oh come on, Carolyn. You loved it and you know you miss it. You were even bummed you didn’t have a hand in Jade’s setup,” Jolene said.

  “She’s pulling all your legs,” Garrett said. “She is still rubbing my face in the fact that she got two to one on me.”

  “So we are in agreement,” Jolene said. “We’re still going to work our magic?”

  “I’m in,” Diane said.

  “Count me in too,” Carolyn said.

  Diane watched as the three Fierce brothers looked at each other with Gavin finally saying, “Happy wife, happy life. Guess we are in too.”

  Want to know what happened after engagement at the July Fourth party? I did too, so I wrote a BONUS SCENE! Get a copy of it HERE by signing up for my newsletter.

  Also…To be continued for...Fierce Matchmaking- Devin (Jolene’s nephew!)

  The Fierce woman are at it again! Jolene, Carolyn, and Diane have gotten their children settled and it’s time to move onto their nieces, nephews, and friends of their kids. Secretly...of course.

  Devin Andrews loves his job at Fierce-The Brewery and working for his cousin Mason. What he doesn’t love is that his Aunt Jolene has set her sights on making him the next target of her matchmaking scheme. But he’s onto her and has no plans on falling prey like her unsuspecting children did. Besides, he’s not sure he has what it takes to fall in love since he never has before, even being the oldest of the family.

  Hope Hall picked up her life and moved to Charlotte for a man. She should have listened to her family when they cautioned her against it, reminding her that she was too spontaneous with everything in life...even men. She was blind, stupid, and naive once again and doesn’t want to go home and listen to them say they were right. Instead she was trying to make a life for herself...one without a man in it and prove she could do it on her own.

  Also by Natalie Ann

  The Road Series-See where it all started!!

  Lucas and Brooke’s Story- Road to Recovery

  Jack and Cori’s Story – Road to Redemption

  Mac and Beth’s Story- Road to Reality

  Ryan and Kaitlin’s Story- Road to Reason

  The All Series

  William and Isabel’s Story — All for Love

  Ben and Presley’s Story – All or Nothing

  Phil and Sophia’s Story – All of Me

  Alec and Brynn’s Story – All the Way

  Sean and Carly’s Story — All I Want

  Drew and Jordyn’s Story— All My Love

  Finn and Olivia’s Story—All About You

  Landon Barber and Kristen Reid- All Of Us

  The Lake Placid Series

  Nick Buchanan and Mallory Denning – Second Chance

  Max Hamilton and Quinn Baker – Give Me A Chance

  Caleb Ryder and Celeste McGuire – Our Chance

  Cole McGuire and Rene Buchanan – Take A Chance

  Zach Monroe and Amber Deacon- Deserve A Chance

  Trevor Miles and Riley Hamilton – Last Chance

  Matt Winters and Dena Hall- Another Chance

  Logan Taylor and Kennedy Miles- It’s My Chance

  Justin Cambridge and Taryn Miles – One More Chance

  The Fierce Five Series

  Gavin Fierce and Jolene O’Malley- How Gavin Stole Christmas

  Brody Fierce and Aimee Reed - Brody

  Aiden Fierce and Nic Moretti- Aiden

  Mason Fierce and Jessica Corning- Mason

  Cade Fierce and Alex Marshall - Cade

  Ella Fierce and Travis McKinley- Ella

  Fierce Family

  Sam Fierce and Dani Rhodes- Sam

  Bryce Fierce and Payton Davies - Bryce

  Drake Fierce and Kara Winslow – Drake

  Noah Fierce and Paige Parker - Noah

  Wyatt Fierce and Adriana Lopez – Wyatt

  Jade Fierce and Brock James – Jade

  Ryder Fierce and Marissa McMillan – Ryder

  Fierce Matchmaking

  Devin Andrews and Hope Hall- Devin

  Love Collection

  Vin Steele and Piper Fielding – Secret Love

  Jared Hawk and Shelby McDonald – True Love

  Erik McMann and Sheldon Case – Finding Love

  Connor Landers and Melissa Mahoney- Beach Love

  Ian Price and Cam Mason- Intense Love

  Liam Sullivan and Ali Rogers - Autumn Love

  Owen Taylor and Jill Duncan - Holiday Love

  Chase Martin and Noelle Bennett - Christmas Love

  Zeke Collins and Kendall Hendricks - Winter Love

  Troy Walker and Meena Dawson – Chasing Love

  Jace Stratton and Lauren Towne - First Love

  Gabe Richards and Leah Morrison - Forever Love

  Blake Wilson and Gemma Anderson – Simply Love

  Brendan St. Nicholas and Holly Lane – Gifts of Love

  Paradise Place

  Josh Turner and Ruby Gentile – Cupid’s Quest

  Harris Walker and Kaelyn Butler – Change Up

  Philip Aire and Blair McKay- Starting Over

  Nathan Randal and Brina Shepard – Eternal

  Ryan Butler and Shannon Wilder – Falling Into Love

  Brian Dawson and Robin Masters – Mistletoe Magic

  Caden Finley and Sarah Walker- Believe In Me

  Amore Island

  Family Bonds- Hunter and Kayla

  Family Bonds- Drew and Amanda

  Family Bonds – Mac and Sidney

  Family Bonds- Emily & Crew

  About the Author

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  Natalie Ann, Fierce-Ryder (Fierce Family Series Book 7)

 

 

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