I wanted him.
I wasn’t going to give up and let him walk away without a fight. That wasn’t me.
Alec was a lot more complicated. He lived on the opposite side of the world. Unless we were all prepared to change our lives in a drastic way, actually spending any time together would be nearly impossible.
But he was worth it.
The way he’d looked at me when we’d woken up—like I’d hung the moon and the stars—meant everything. He’d wrapped his arms around me, and even though we hadn’t said those three little words, I’d known exactly how he felt. We didn’t need to say anything.
He’d touched me softly, caressing my cheek and chin, pressing his lips to mine reverently. Then he’d looked for Monroe.
Alec had searched for him, and I’d seen his smile dim. I’d watched as his happiness slipped and he withdrew into himself.
“Or,” Mum said, startling me back into the present. “Hear me out—you could fight for them. Start with Monroe. Tell him how you feel about him, make sure he feels the same about both you and Alec, then work out together how to get Alec back.”
I blinked, her words slowly sinking in. Was she actually encouraging me to do this? “Um, Mum…,” I choked out, surprised beyond anything I could express.
“What, Cara?” she asked, teasingly. “If you mean why am I encouraging you to be happy or pursue the people you love, then it seems pretty obvious to me.”
I could see her raised brow even through the phone. I couldn’t help my smile. Her words and the unending love she showed me cut through the frustration and heartbreak of losing them.
“You’re my daughter, and I want you to be happy.”
Mum went quiet for a moment, and I sucked in a shuddery breath, blinking back the sting in my eyes. I wanted to be happy with them too.
“I lived a lot of good years with your dad. When we married I thought that he was my forever person. I was wrong, but I haven’t lost faith in love. I still believe in happily ever afters.”
“So do I,” I whispered, tears welling in my eyes.
“So, if my daughter—the person I love most in the world—has her chance at a happily ever after, I’ll tell her to go for it. I don’t care whether it’s with one man or more than that. If they look at you like I’ve seen them do, the number doesn’t matter.”
My breath caught, but Mum didn’t slow down. I knew that she wanted me to hear this. It was in her serious tone. Her words were quiet, but she didn’t need to yell for her message to hit home. They lifted me like I was a bird soaring on an updraft. She gave me confidence. She gave me hope.
“What people think doesn’t matter,” she continued. “Chase your happiness, honey. Be brave and reach for it because sitting back and watching it pass you by will be your biggest regret.”
“Thanks, Mum. You have no idea…. It means the world to hear you say that.” I closed my eyes and smiled. My tears became happy ones. Determined ones. I was going to do this. I was goingto get Monroe back and as soon as I’d done that, we were both going to get Alec.
“I want you happy too, Mum.”
“I will be.” I could hear the absolute certainty in her voice. She was calm. She’d found a peace within herself that hadn’t been there when I’d last spoken to her barely a week ago. “I sat down with your dad, and we talked. We’re over, and I feel good about it. It was the right decision to make.”
“I think so too,” I admitted. As much as I loved my parents together, this last couple of months had given me a wake-up call. They were human. They messed up just like everyone else did. But there were some mistakes that couldn’t be worked through.
There was rustling in the background, and I heard the waves crashing through the phone. Mum had walked outside. “Jacques suggested I head over to the US for a few months to stay with Sofia. She’s been asking me over there for years, but I’ve always said no. I’m… thinking about it.”
“Sophia is your best friend, and you haven’t seen her in forever. I think it’s a great idea.”
“Yeah, I think so too.” She paused for a moment and then said, “Go get Monroe, Cara. Go and get him and be happy, then fly to the States and get Alec back. There’s nothing stopping you except you.”
“He lives on the opposite side of the world.”
“Yes, you live here. But you can live there just as easily.”
It was like riding a rollercoaster, the highs and lows so fast that I could barely keep up. But the overwhelming feeling was hope. I could do this.Wecould do this.
“I love you too, Mum,” I whispered, blinking back tears. She’d given me the confidence to make this happen, and I was not going to waste another moment.
twenty-eight
