Page 91 of Mountain Target

“You think … you think I wouldn’t help you care for Ren?”

“I think … I think loving me is a complicated proposal at the moment, Beau, and I need you to know what you’re getting into.”

She shifted as if to move her hand away, but he gripped it tighter, pulling it against his heart.

And, suddenly, he found the words he needed.

“Let me be very clear about my intentions, Val. I understand Ren is your priority. She’s an amazing kid. I’ve never been a father before, and I’m not presumptuous enough to think I know the first thing about it, but if you let me, I promise I’ll learn. I swear I’ll do my best to help you raise her, and that I will never come between the two of you. If you … if you give us a chance,” he finished.

Valentina’s expressive face flitted between hope and fear.

“I need to think about it,” she finally said.

Beau nodded, releasing her hand.

“That’s all I can ask,” he said, as the door to his living room opened, and Ren strolled in, still in her pink cloud pajamas and purple North Face slippers.

They must have left the door open when Valentina came in.

“Aunt Val?”

“Ren. Are you okay?”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Please, just say yes. Put the poor man out of his misery.”

“What? How long were you listening behind the door?”

“Long enough,” Ren said. “But I didn’t need to listen. I knew long before the two of you, apparently. You really should say yes.”

“I should?” Valentina asked. “Are you sure?”

Ren nodded decisively. “Of course I’m sure. If you’re not sure, maybe you’re the one who’s not thinking clearly. Maybe Beau should carry you upstairs and put you to bed.”

Beau felt his neck redden.

Ren rolled her eyes again. “To sleep! I mean, take her to bed so she can sleep.”

“Is that what you meant?” Beau asked, laughing. “How about I make us all some breakfast?”

He realized he was going to have to buy some breakfast items. He had no idea what teenagers ate for breakfast.

“I’ll have a glass of milk,” Ren said helpfully.

Valentina sat on one of the kitchen stools, still looking a bit shocked, even after Beau had placed a cup of steaming coffee in her hand.

“You really mean it, Ren? It’s okay with you if Beau and I are … together?”

“Okay, for you to be happy? You have a right to be happy, Aunt Val. You’re the one who told me yesterday that we’re going to be okay, remember? It’s just … it’s just the three of us now, instead of just you and I.”

And this time Beau wasn’t fast enough to turn around before the tears rolled down his cheeks. He wiped at them briskly as both woman and girl stared at him.

He was going to have to blame that one on lack of sleep.

“Oh, and Beau? Aunt Val?” Ren said innocently, putting her glass of milk down on the counter. “You don’t need to keep hiding from me. I know how babies are made, and I always play my music very loud when I’m in my room.”

And then Beau was laughing, as well as crying, and he let himself be pulled forward easily as Valentina brought all three of them together in a hug.

EPILOGUE