Lost and Found Family by Jennifer Ryan

Sarah said goodbye to Trish with a promise that she’d be in touch soon to set up an introduction and playdate for the kids when she returned to her home in Silicon Valley. She couldn’t believe this had become her life. Cleaning up Sean’s messes, reconciling with his family, now inviting his mistress to her home.

Add in work and she had way too much on her plate. All of it took an emotional toll.

She wanted to keep on hating Trish, but it was hard to hold on to anger for a woman who had made the same mistake she had by falling for Sean.

Yes, she still blamed Trish for going into the affair knowing Sean was married, but Sean was the one who’d made Sarah and Trish promises and didn’t keep them. In order to reconcile Trish’s role in the affair with finding a way to have a relationship with her, Sarah had to find the strength to forgive Trish, or at least set aside what she did so they could be what their kids needed them to be: a good person. A role model for finding solutions to tough problems.

But sometimes it sucked to have to be the bigger person and do the right thing.

Sometimes, she just wanted to be mad.

She picked up a rock and threw it as hard as she could. She bent to pick up another when Luke’s boots crunched on the gravel behind her.

“You’ve got a good arm, sweetheart. I see why the boys are such good ballplayers. I definitely want you on my team next time we play.” He was giving her a minute to collect herself.

The tension drained away and she found a smile for the lovely image his words evoked and the feelings running through her that he’d always pick her to be by his side.

She turned to him and sighed, so happy to see his handsome face and the patience in his eyes. “I did the right thing.”

“I knew you would.”

Yeah, well, it sucked to swallow her feelings. “Is Jack okay?”

“Yes. Just a little upset that the lady who made his mom cry called. I made sure he was distracted kicking my dad’s ass at video games and happy again before I came out to see you.”

“Okay. Good.” When Luke didn’t say anything else, she stared at him. “No twenty questions?”

Luke held her gaze. “You can say anything to me. I promise you, Sarah, you can lean on me and count on me for love and support whenever you need it. You don’t have to put on a front when you’re hurting and angry and feel like you have to do all the hard stuff while others hurt you. Talking to your husband’s mistress, opening your life to her and Jamie, that can’t be easy.”

“It’s not. I feel like I can’t escape him.”

“It certainly feels like he’s been here the last few weeks. But you’ve also put him behind you in business, with Margaret and Bridget, and now Trish. You rose above all the turmoil he brought into your life. And I know it sucked that you had to fix it all, but you did it. And while you’ll have to introduce Jack and Nick to their sister, I’ll be there to help you and them through that. I’m here for you right now. I’ll always be here with you, Sarah.”

She ran to him and threw herself into his arms. “I’m so lucky to have you.” She pressed her cheek to his chest and held on tighter.

Luke held her close, offering every bit of comfort she needed. “You’ve done a really good job keeping it all together and not giving in to what has to be a huge urge to lash out at everyone because of what Sean did. You’d be well within your rights to rage, but you’ve found a way to rise above it for your boys. That’s what makes you so amazing.”

“I don’t feel amazing. That wasn’t easy.”

“You make handling the hard stuff look easy. But tell me. Are you okay? How did it go?”

“It went better than I thought, and I hate her a little less.”

“Well, that’s something.”

“She really loved him. I understand her having those feelings and wanting the life Sean promised her. I suspect Trish got pregnant hoping Sean would finally leave me for her and their child.” She shrugged one shoulder, not exactly sad for Trish, but understanding her desire to get Sean’s full attention. Early on, Sarah had tried, but when it became clear the only thing he appreciated about her was her work output, she gave up on their relationship and focused on the boys. “Trish miscalculated. Sean had no interest in the boys. I doubt that would have changed with Jamie, but who knows.”

“But he didn’t want to leave you because he needed you. Sean led her on. He didn’t want the divorce. He needed you to keep working, so he could keep taking the money. And as his wife, you couldn’t testify against him if he got caught.”

“Now you’re thinking like Sean. Manipulations. Lies. Anything to get what he wanted.”

“He threatened to take the boys away from you to force you to keep working for him.”

“Jack told you that,” she guessed, and Luke confirmed it with a nod. “He remembers a lot more than I thought he did.” Her heart ached for her sweet boy. “Sean had nothing but empty threats. He didn’t really want the kids. They took away from his traveling and partying. As for Trish, she wanted our divorce and fought hard for it right up until the seconds before the crash.”

“They were arguing in the car?”

“Yes. She feels guilty for distracting him. He was drunk and in a rage. The roads were slick from the rain we’d had earlier in the evening. It was dark, the lights from oncoming traffic may have distorted visibility. Was it one thing? Two? All of it? None of it? Who knows? Sean died.”

Sarah pressed her hand to her forehead, then dropped it. “Trish confessed that during the argument in the car right before the accident, Sean said some terrible things, including that he needed me more than a good fuck.” Sarah sighed. “I’m paraphrasing, but you can see why Trish took the money I offered her and disappeared to grieve and reconcile having Sean’s baby with knowing she wasn’t the priority she deserved to be with Sean.”

“You know a lot about how that feels.” Luke sympathized.

She put her hand on his chest. “I also know what it feels like to really be loved.”

Luke stared into her eyes and cupped her face. “You are everything I ever wanted. I hope you never doubt that.”

“How could I? You show me how much you love me every time we’re together.”

He kissed her softly. “How did you two leave things?”

“She’s willing to bring Jamie to meet the boys. I asked her if we could do the first one without her being there, so I could focus on the kids, not her.”

“Did she agree?”

“Yes. But she hopes we’ll all be able to hang out and everything will be fine. I told her we would.” She met his gaze. “Because we’re sort of family.”

Luke’s eyes went wide. “Sarah, that’s really, really generous of you.”

“All I ever wanted was a family. I can’t deny my boys their sister. And if that sister comes with the woman I really wanted to hate forever but can’t seem to manage to do that with time and perspective, then . . . Yeah. That’s how it’s going to be. It won’t be easy, but just like I know Margaret, Bridget, and I will find a new normal, Trish and I will establish a relationship that works for us and the kids.”

Luke shook his head, his eyes filled with admiration. “You amaze me. I know this is a heavy burden. And I want to be the one who shares the load with you, because you’re the one I want to do the same for me. And I know you will because you love me.” He brushed his fingers through her hair. “And though I haven’t asked you to marry me yet, it’s coming. I want you to be surprised and make it special for both of us because it’s the one and only time I plan on doing it.”

“We can take our time,” she assured him, because she knew no matter what they’d always be together.

“But there is still one thing I’d like you to do for me.”

She’d do anything for him. “What?”

“I meant it when I said I want to have a baby of our own. Whether it’s one or five more, I’ll leave up to you.” His grin said he was teasing about five, but she understood his deep desire for a child of his own.

More than anything she loved being a mother. And it seemed Luke couldn’t wait to be a dad. “Baby number three, definitely.”

He gave her one of his amazing smiles. “So if I’m in, and you’re in, I don’t see why we have to wait to make it happen.”

She couldn’t come up with a single reason. “I’ve got nothing, Counselor.”

He smiled. “Then say yes.”

She didn’t hesitate, not when she wanted him and a life together more than anything. “Yes.”

He slipped his hand under her hair at the back of her neck and drew her in for a kiss that sealed their pledge to each other and quickly set off the passion that always burned hot between them. In his arms, she let go of all her worries, the frustration Trish evoked, the uncertainty of what came next, and fell into the promise of a life filled with love and happiness with a man she believed in and trusted, who made her feel safe and special.

Locked in the kiss and in Luke’s arms, where she always wanted to be, she didn’t hear someone walk up on them.

“Dinner’s ready. If you two plan on hiding out here the rest of the night, I’m eating Luke’s dessert.” The amusement in Jason’s voice broke the sultry spell around them.

Luke gave Sarah one last lingering kiss, raised his head an inch away from her, and growled, “Go away, Jason. We need another minute.”

“I hope for Sarah’s sake you can do better than that, bro.” The door closed on Jason’s chuckle before Luke could respond to the taunt.

Luke rolled his eyes, but a grin tugged at his lips.

She smiled up at him. “I like your brother.”

“He’s an ass sometimes. And has terrible timing.” Luke rubbed his hands up her sides and back down to her hips. “Margaret is going to ask why Trish called.”

She and Bridget had agreed not to tell Margaret about Jamie until one of them spoke to Trish and found out if she would agree to a meeting.

“I think we’re on good enough terms now that I can tell her and she’ll listen and understand.”

“I hope so. She’s had a lot thrown at her, too.”

“At least this time I have good news. Well . . . I hope she sees it that way.”

“Another grandchild, another piece of Sean. I think she’ll be happy once she has a chance to process it.”

So much had changed for all of them over the last several weeks. They’d been through a lot of tension and turmoil. But in the end, she’d found joy with Luke and seeing him with her sons. It was time to leave all the bad in the past and start looking toward a brighter future.