Jenna Valentino thought she had found her forever after.
Life was good. A husband she loved, a daughter she adored, a dream job and a beautiful home. But nothing could prepare her for the bittersweet taste of betrayal, shattering the illusion.
Dev...
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I know, it's been a long time coming... Enjoy xoxo
~ ~ Ava ~ ~
16 YEARS LATER...
I tugged out my earphones. "Mom!" I hollered from the foot of the stairs. Even from down here I could her giggling and I let out a small humph and shook my head. "Mommmm," I yelled even louder.
Yep—that did it and I heard some shuffling around and then her dark head of mussed-up hair appeared over the bannister.
"Yes Angel?" she said still fastening the buttons of my dad's shirt she was wearing and blowing out of her eyes some wayward strands of hair.
"I just wanted to let you know I'm heading out now."
"Okay," she said a little breathlessly and there was no missing the flush to her cheeks either. "Are you sure you don't want your dad to drive you?"
"Pfft. I didn't pass my test so you could still drive me everywhere!" I pointed out.
"I know, it's just..." she hesitated.
My mom always worried about me, about all of us. "I'm good, Mom. I got this."
"Ava, it's not the nicest of places..."
Tell me about it.
And then my dad, Gabe saddled up beside her, flashing a peek of his abs as he pulled his T-shirt down. His hair was just as messy and you didn't need me to draw you a picture of what they'd just been doing upstairs... in their bedroom.
You would think after all these years, they'd have better things to do, like gardening or I don't know, golf?
But no. Instead they were taking full advantage of the terror triplets (I liked to call them) my brothers, Elijah, Matty and Seb being away at football camp. They adopted Matty and Seb who are twins when they were just two years old. Mom and Dad fostered them and then when their mom, who was their only living relative died from an overdose there was no way either of them would let them go back into the system.
"You're moms right, I can come with you," offered Gabe. "It—" He frowned when my hand shot up and I cut him off.
"Dad, quit worrying. I'm good."
His frown deepened. "I don't like you going on your own, sweetheart."
I sighed. "I won't be on my own!" That, and I was nineteen, I could handle it.
My mom wrapped her arms around Gabe's waist and snuggled into his side. "She's fine honey. We gotta let her do this."
He muttered something but kissed the top of her head.
Now that was settled. I smiled and wiggled my eyebrows. "And look at this way, now you two can go back to whatever you were doing!"
My mom's cheeks flushed and Gabe cracked a grin wide open, obviously liking that idea.
