He supposed he could understand. “Because it meant something.”

  “It did. I pushed through it when I found out about Colleen’s accident. But the minute she passed I sank into the chair. I thought I was going to throw up. The room was spinning, I was light-headed. I couldn’t focus. I put my head between my legs and kept breathing. I remember after the doctor gave me the news, he was the one that got me through it. Once this was done with Mike, once I said what I had to, it just hit me again.”

  He reached his hand over. “You did well,” he said.

  “I did,” she said. “And I would have never said what I had if I didn’t believe beyond a doubt that things would be fine. That you and your family would be there to back me and help me.”

  He let out a breath. He’d been waiting for the hammer to fall on him since yesterday and it seemed as if that wouldn’t happen now.

  “We will,” he said. “Even I didn’t know Eli would do what he had.”

  “Do what?” she asked.

  “Come over and say he was my cousin.”

  “It’s the truth though,” she said.

  “Yes, but he’s a distant cousin. Not even of the same cloth, let alone branch.”

  “That’s your problem!” She turned and yelled at him. “You can’t get out of your own head at times even when no one else is looking at you the way you think they are.”

  Guess he was wrong about not getting grief over this. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Yes, you do,” she said, standing up. “You are so insecure about where you came from that you can’t see that most don’t know it’s there other than the wall you put up.”

  “That’s not true,” he said.

  “Maybe it wasn’t when you were younger, but it sure the hell is now. I’m an outsider on this island and I know what I see.”

  “What’s that?” he asked. “The grease monkey that turned into a man? The one women like to have a night with here and there but don’t want to settle down with because it’s not their type? I’ve heard that before, you know.”

  Avery stopped her pacing. “You might have heard those words in your youth, but they aren’t there now. Every single person who brings your name up on this island has nothing but great things to say about you. What a good guy you are. How you put everyone first. You go out of your way to help them. Your damn ex even said what a mistake she’d made and felt bad about the way you were treated in high school.”

  “So?” he said. “It doesn’t change anything.”

  “It should change everything in your mind, but it’s not. Carter, I was going to give you a hard time about this whole thing with Mike. The going behind my back to Griffin and not telling me. If you’d told me what you wanted to do, I’d probably tell you not to do it.”

  “Because you can’t take help from anyone,” he snapped back at her. “What’s so funny?”

  She started to laugh. “Are you being serious? I’ll admit I never wanted help from anyone and when I came here it was hard, but from the minute I stepped foot on this island you and so many other people have done nothing but help me. Make me feel welcome. I’ve never asked and have always felt guilty over it, but I accept it.”

  He thought back to what she was saying and she wasn’t wrong.

  “It took you a long time to accept help or ask me for anything,” he said.

  “But I did it. I changed. Proving to you it can be done. You know why I’m the way I am. Not only me and my mother but Colleen too. But then I told myself I didn’t want Josie to be that way. She had to learn the balance that I never had in life. She’s learning it from having you and your family in her life.”

  It felt like his flatbed truck had run over him with those words.

  Everything she was saying was the truth.

  In the six months they’d been dating, Avery had come along a lot further than he had in terms of changing.

  “I’m glad you feel that way,” he said. “That you see it. We all love you and Josie.”

  “Then why can’t you believe what I’m telling you? That I love you and love who you are. You can’t be someone you’re not. You’re never going to be anyone other than Carter Bond. You’re quiet and keep to yourself. You love your dogs more than you love some other people.”

  “Dogs are more loyal,” he said.

  “And you cracked a joke even though you didn’t smile. Listen, Carter. I love what we’ve got. I want more of it. But we can’t have a healthy relationship if we aren’t honest with each other. If we aren’t honest with ourselves.”

  “We can’t,” he agreed.

  “I want Josie to have things in life I didn’t get. That she wouldn’t have gotten if Colleen were alive either. Colleen was as jaded as me when it came to someone helping her. That meant a man. I’d like to think that I learned to see and do what is best for Josie even if that was hard for me to do it.”

  She was right again. “What do you need from me?”

  “I want you to be true to who you are. Josie is a kid. Kids don’t see the things we do. She sees you and your dogs and how you are with me and how you treat her. She loves you for you. Why would you want to be anyone else?”

  “I don’t know,” he said. “It’s hard to break habits. For years I’ve always said I know who I am and if no one else likes it, too damn bad.”

  “Words, Carter. Actions that you try to show, but you don’t believe them, do you?”

  “I do,” he said. “I always did. But when it came to women is when I didn’t. Then I met you and I wondered what you could see in me.”

  “I’ve told you what I see and what I love. Things I don’t want you to change.”

  He smiled. “That seems easy enough.”

  “But I do want you to talk things over with me. Don’t make decisions without me. I can handle a lot on my own, but I’m coming to realize that maybe I don’t need to.”

  “I can do that,” he said, reaching for her. She went into his arms for a hug.

  “Good. Relationships are a work in progress. I don’t want to get complacent.”

  “I don’t know that you could ever be complacent,” he said, laughing. “And I should have never doubted that you could handle things on your own. I should know better. What you did back there was great.”

  “I did it and was able to pull it off because I knew you had my back. You and your family. Just remember that.” She leaned up and kissed him on the lips.

  “I don’t think you’re going to let me forget it. You’re kind of scary when you’re mad or worked up.”

  She laughed and squeezed him tighter. “Don’t forget that either.”

  “Never,” he said.

  Epilogue

  Six Months Later

  “This is so much fun,” Avery said to her mother the first week of August. “I’m so glad you made the trip out.”

  “Me too,” her mother said. “I’ve been dying to see the island and you shouldn’t have to always be the one to come to me. Though I’m thrilled that Carter has made the time for the last few visits.”

  She and Carter had taken a long weekend twice, once was Memorial Day weekend and the other was at the end of June to go visit her mother.

  Or in Carter’s case to meet her mother who loved him already and had no problem texting him for things or asking questions when Avery wasn’t around.

  “I’m glad you are all here,” Laine said. “We are only waiting for everyone else.”

  They were at Laine’s studio having a wine sip and paint night. Ava and Adele were on the way. The two girls were going to paint too, but they’d get juice. Carter’s mother and his sister, Natalie, were also coming.

  Laine had said that she could host a private event when her mother visited. Actually, Avery almost pushed her to do it as a girls’ day.

  She found it odd that Laine had brought it up so much but then said it’d be a great idea. Maybe her friend wanted to meet more of the people in Avery’s life.

  In the past six months, life had been wonderful.

  Mike had left the island and she hadn’t heard another word. Carter had told her that Griffin would keep an eye on things and she said that was fine. She got the feeling if she protested it wouldn’t make a difference anyway.

  She and Carter were going stronger than ever. They were splitting time between both houses. Though they didn’t stay with each other every night, half the time they did.

  Josie had rooms at both places and she seemed content to come and go as long as the dogs and Carter were with her.

  The door opened and Vanessa and Natalie came in. “Mom, this is Carter’s mother, Vanessa, and his sister, Natalie.”

  Her mother moved quickly to Vanessa. “You’ve got a lovely son. You raised him well.”

  “Thank you,” Vanessa said. “He’s always been my easy child.”

  “Hey,” Natalie said. “I wasn’t that bad.”

  “No,” Vanessa said. “But Carter was the quiet content one.”

  “I love him that way,” Avery said.

  “Josie,” Adele yelled, running into the room. “I can’t wait to paint. Daddy has Braydon. He said it’s men’s night. I asked if they were having beef.”

  She rolled her eyes when Ava laughed. “I don’t understand that.”

  “Kids,” Ava said. “But we get wine and then I can try to put something on the canvas that might resemble a flower.”

  Everyone took their seats after Laine passed out the wine and arranged the flowers just right. Avery turned when the door opened, thinking that someone was coming in that Laine had to wait on.

  “Carter,” she said. “What are you doing here?”

  “Thank God,” Josie said. “It’s hard to wait.”

  Avery’s head started to swivel around the room. She had no idea what was going on, but everyone had huge smiles on their faces. Vanessa looked as if she was going to cry. Her mother did too.

  “What’s going on?” she asked.

  Carter opened the door wider and Doc came trotting in. “I heard it was girls’ night so Dopey decided to hide in the truck until I was done.”

  “Done with what?” she asked. Doc had come trotting over to her like she always did. There was a bow on the big dog’s neck. “What’s this?”

  “It’s a gift,” he said. “One year ago today I met you when you came into the clinic. I wanted Dopey to do this as he met you that night too, but again, girls’ day. He’s keeping his distance.”

  It wasn’t like Carter to joke like this. Or even talk as much.

  “What am I supposed to do?” she asked, laughing. “Just pull the bow off of her?”

  Doc barked. “That means yes,” Josie said. Josie was hopping all around her where she still sat on her chair.

  Avery pulled at the bow on the dog’s neck and it came off. A little ring box had been tucked under Doc’s chin.

  She almost dropped it on the floor. The only piece of jewelry Carter had gotten her was a necklace at Christmas with the letter J on it. She was so touched he’d done that and she’d worn it daily since.

  But this, this was a ring box. Not a necklace box.

  He took it out of her hand before she could do anything else. There were some gasps and giggles from the women here. It seemed to her everyone was in on this.

  Never did she think Carter would do something like this, least of all in this setting and in front of so many people.

  “Back to what I started to say,” he said. “A year ago you came to this island with the help of Laine and me. It seemed only right to do this here. And also to do it in front of the people that are the most important in your life and mine. Josie’s too. Because family is more than what comes from our ancestors or our blood.”

  “That’s so sweet,” Natalie whispered. “I didn’t know you had it in you.”

  No one replied to that comment. Avery was too stunned herself.

  “You’re my family,” she said to Carter.

  “And it’s time to make it official.” He flipped the lid and got down on one knee. “Avery, will you marry me? Be my wife and the mother to Dopey and Doc.”

  “Good lord, those dogs,” Vanessa whispered loudly.

  “Yes!” she said, hugging him.

  She sat back as he slid the diamond solitaire on her finger.

  “This island,” Vanessa said. “Never thought it’d hit my kids, but it did.”

  Avery laughed over that statement and shook her head when she could see Carter wasn’t going to argue. No way, because maybe she believed it too.

  Josie ran over and hugged her. “I’m so happy,” Josie said. “Can Carter live with us now full time? I don’t care where we live, I want to be under the same roof every night together.”

  “Me too,” Avery said, her eyes a little glossy. She was giving Josie the family she never had growing up and she knew Colleen would be as proud as she was to be able to do it.

  “Come here,” Carter said. “I’ve got something for you too.”

  “You do?” Josie asked. “Is it a diamond ring like Avery’s? It’s really pretty.”

  There was a lot of laughter there. “No,” Carter said. “You’re way too young to get a diamond ring. Maybe when you’re thirty. At least thirty,” he said.

  “My daddy told me forty,” Adele said. “That’s not fair.”

  Avery looked at Ava and winked.

  Carter pulled out another box. It looked to be a necklace. He handed it to Josie.

  Josie opened it. “It’s a locket.”

  “Open it up,” he said.

  Josie was struggling, so Avery took it out of her hand and opened it and burst into tears. She wasn’t sure how Carter pulled this off.

  “It’s my mothers,” Josie said, clutching the locket. There was a picture of Colleen on one side and Avery on the other.

  That might have been the only other thing that could have made this day any better. Was Josie calling her her mother.

  The End!

  Check out the next in the series…Family Bonds- Egan & Blake

  When Blake Baldwin realizes her entire life is one of a pawn between her parents, she decides to honor the deathbed promise she made to her mother. But that means relocating across the country and working for the man she felt she was never good enough for. The one who didn’t give her the time of day when she needed it the most. Who she blames for her mother’s death.

  Egan Bond is the carefree son. He has a thriving business and is making his successes his way...which means not conforming to what people think of him or who he should be. He’s happy, and shouldn’t everyone just do what makes them feel that way? When he meets a woman trying to figure her life out on Amore Island, he realizes that sometimes you shouldn’t just do things for yourself but for those you are losing your heart to. Too bad she’s making it hard for him to knock down the walls she’s built over the years.

  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

  Mick McNamara and Lindsey White- Mick

  Cody McMillian and Raina Davenport – Cody

  Liam O’Malley and Margo West- Liam

  Walker Olson and Stella White – Walker

  Flynn Slater and Julia McNamara – Flynn

  Ivan Andrews & Kendra Key- Ivan

  Jonah Davenport & Megan Harrington- Jonah

  Royce Kennedy & Chloe Grey- Royce

  Sawyer Brennan & Faith O’Malley- Sawyer

  Trent Davenport & Roni Hollister- Trent

  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