Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 69775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69775 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 349(@200wpm)___ 279(@250wpm)___ 233(@300wpm)
She’d had to work her ass off to get that starting position.
And I was glad to see that she’d accomplished her goal.
“Worked her ass off for that,” I found myself saying.
“Oh, I know it,” Weaver murmured. “Eddy’s proud as fuck of her.”
A few minutes in, Magnolia lobbed a ball from the back of the field, over everyone’s head, and landed it right at Nettie’s sprinting feet.
I sat forward, waiting and ready.
Nettie attacked, but never once lost sight of the two wingers on either side of her.
As the defensive middle back challenged Nettie directly, Nettie passed to her left winger who crossed the ball beautifully.
The right winger was there in perfect position and shot.
The goalie blocked the ball by hitting it out with her fists, but Nettie was ready for that and launched herself into the air. The ball hit her head and sailed into the goal opposite of where the goalie was standing.
“That’s why you always catch the ball,” I murmured, excited.
The crowd went wild.
Margie screamed loudest of all, though she had no idea why she was screaming.
In the end, the team came up with only a one-to-zero win, but a win nonetheless.
My girl was in my arms as we waited at the bottom of the stairs for Nettie to notice us.
When she turned and saw us, her entire face went soft.
She jogged over to us and climbed onto the bench again, reaching for our girl.
I offered her a kiss first, leaning over the railing like earlier, and Margie giggled at the weird position.
When Nettie’s lips left mine, she reached for Margie again and pulled her into her arms.
“Mamamama!”
“Oh, Margie girl.” Nettie showered her with kisses. “I love you.”
Nettie had Margie all of two seconds before Magnolia arrived and stole her out of Nettie’s arms.
She walked away with her, heading toward her own daughter who was on the field.
“Well then.” Nettie laughed.
I crouched down so we were eye to eye. “You did great, baby.”
Nettie’s cheeks heated. “Thanks, Boone.”
I winked. “Go celebrate. I’ll be here when you’re done.”
“Meet us at the car?” she asked.
“I’ll be there.”
Always.
I was her biggest fan.
Where else would I be?
Thirty
I was never ready for you to leave.
—Nettie’s secret thoughts
Nettie
I was on a high.
We’d won my first game back.
The team was becoming a unit.
I was married to the love of my life.
I had a baby girl who lit up my world.
A job that I loved.
My parents were out of my life.
Gail was dead.
Felicia had moved to California with her mother.
Literally, I couldn’t ask for anything more.
So it only made sense that life knocked me on my ass later that night when I went to check on Margery.
She’d become a staple in our home.
She’d spent the last half a year with us, offering her wisdom and insight. Telling us her life stories and letting Margie get to know her great-grandmother.
So, as I walked into her room with our regular nightcap of hot chocolate and cookies, I was on cloud nine.
But as I got there, Margery’s laser hearing didn’t have her turning her head my way.
I set everything down on the table that separated the two chairs and said, “Margery?”
Margery didn’t look up, and I knew.
I knew that she’d passed without going any closer.
“Boone,” I called shakily.
He entered with Margie asleep on his shoulder, his frown already in place at the sound of my voice.
“What is…” He trailed off as he looked at his grandmother.
His face fell.
We both knew.
“Shit,” he said. “Let me go put her down.”
As he did, I took a seat on the bed and gazed at the woman who’d given me everything in life.
If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have Boone.
I wouldn’t have Margie.
I wouldn’t have Sawyer, Sorcha, and Denver.
Denver’s kids.
I wouldn’t have any of them, and Eddy and I would’ve definitely been in different places in our lives.
Without the support of the Windsor matriarch, where would we be?
Boone came back into the room, dropped down to one knee, and cupped his gram’s face.
There was a soft smile there, as if she was peaceful and happy when she’d gone.
“Fuck.”
I wrapped my arms around Boone’s shoulders from behind and kissed his neck.
“I’m sorry, Boone.”
He made a soft, broken sound in his throat. “She went a hell of a lot longer than I could’ve without you.”
Margery told us once that her Sol was the love of her life, and she dreamed about being with him again one day.
But Boone was right.
How long could I live without him here?
Just the thought of a world without him in it was debilitating.
“She’s back in his arms, Boone,” I whispered. “Right where she’s wanted to be since he left her here.”
He squeezed my arm. “Fuckin’ sucks, though.”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “It does.”
Six days later, we buried Gram beneath the weeping willow behind her old cottage next to her husband.
It was the most beautiful, sunny day we’d had in a while.