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30. Ryder

"What do you mean she is in California?"

"She checked herself out of the hospital and left."

"Her stuff is still at the cottage. Is she coming back for it?"

"I'm assuming. I don't know. She told me that it's too dangerous."I blow out a breath and scrub my face with my palm.

"This is my fault. I reacted like a douchebag."

"No one can blame you, bro," he chuckles.

"But then I didn't apologize or make any effort to see her or check on her. I didn't give her the understanding she needed. I'm an asshole."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm going to find her and tell her I love her."

"Are you sure that you love her?"

"What kind of question is that?"

"I don't want you to hurt my sister again. I want you to be sure that you're in love with her."

"Being away from her is killing me. Not knowing if she was okay when Chloe was missing. Not… the thought of losing her sent me over the edge. I've never been more certain of anything in my life. I am in love with her."

"Then I'm on board. I know I was an asshole before about it for clear reasons, but… I don't know, everything that's happened lately has made me see that I was wrong about a lot of things."

"I would have gone after her without your approval, but thank you."

"Now I ask again, what are you going to do about it?"

"Do you have an address for her? Chloe and I are going to California."

"Rosa has it from mailing her a Christmas card. I'll have her text it to you."

"I'll get a plane and tell Chloe we're going on a trip."

"You can leave Chloe with us, if you want."

"Thanks but she's been asking about Gia nonstop. I think we both need to do this."

"Okay."

"I can leave with you the llama, the alpaca, the squirrel…"

"Stop. Go away already."

We hang up the phone and I start making the necessary plans so that I can fly Chloe and I to California to win Gia back.

***

The flight to California is a blur of anticipation and nervous energy, the hum of the plane"s engines drowning out the thoughts racing through my mind. Chloe sits beside me, her excitement palpable as she eagerly peers out the window, her face pressed against the glass in anticipation of our destination.

As we land and make our way to the car rental desk, I can feel my heart pounding in my chest with each passing moment. This is it, the moment I"ve been waiting for. With a sense of determination, I drive us to the address Rosa sent me, my grip tight on the steering wheel as we navigate the unfamiliar streets.

When we arrive at Gia"s home, I can feel the tension building in the pit of my stomach as we get out of the car and make our way to the front door. With a deep breath, I knock.

"What if she doesn't answer?" Chloe asks.

"Then we'll come back until she does."

"What if she says no."

"Then I'll keep asking until she says yes."

There's no answer, and it sounds as if there's no movement in the house either. I let out a sigh and look down at Chloe.

"Maybe she's asleep."

I look at my watch. It's almost ten at night, so that's a possibility, I guess. Maybe I should have thought this through a little better.

"Maybe. How about we find a place to sleep and come back tomorrow."

Chloe nods and the two of us turn around and go back to the car. Just as I'm opening the door for my little girl, I hear a noise.

"Ryder?" Gia asks.

Chloe"s eyes light up with joy as she races forward, throwing her arms around Gia in a tight embrace. Gia drops to her knees, tears streaming down her face as she wraps her arms around Chloe, holding her close.

"Chloe," she whispers, her voice choked with emotion. "I"ve missed you so much."

Chloe sobs against her shoulder, her tears mingling with Gia"s as she whispers back, "I missed you too. I love you so much."

Gia pulls back slightly, her hands cupping Chloe"s tear-streaked face as she gazes into her eyes. "I love you too, sweetie," she says softly, her voice filled with tenderness.

As they continue to hug and cry, I feel a lump form in my throat as I realize that this is the moment I"ve been waiting for. With a sudden surge of courage, I drop to one knee, reaching into my pocket to produce a small velvet box.

"Gia," I say, my voice trembling with emotion. "I love you more than anything in this world. I don"t want to spend another minute of my life without you as my wife."

I open the box to reveal a stunning diamond ring from Tiffany"s, the light catching the facets and sending a cascade of rainbows dancing across the porch. "Will you marry me?" I ask, my heart pounding in my chest as I wait for her answer.

Her eyes widen in surprise, tears shimmering in the corners as she looks down at the ring in disbelief. But then, a smile spreads across her face, radiant and full of love as she nods, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, Ryder, I will marry you."

"Does that mean Gia is going to be my mommy?"

"Yes, sweetie. I will be the happiest woman in the world to get to be your mommy."

YES!!" Chloe exclaims as she dances around the porch excitedly. "I'm going to be the only girl whose mommy is a mermaid!"

***

The soft, golden rays of the morning sun gently stream through the curtains, casting a warm glow over the room. I feel the soft touch of Gia"s hand on my shoulder, gently rousing me from my slumber. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I turn to see her smiling face.

"Good morning, fiancé," she says, her voice soft and filled with warmth.

"Morning, beautiful," I reply, a smile spreading across my face as I stretch lazily. Every morning feels like a blessing when I wake up next to her.

We share a quick kiss before getting out of bed. I pull on a pair of shorts and a T-shirt, while Gia slips into her workout gear. Together, we make our way downstairs, the scent of freshly brewed coffee already filling the air.

These are the moments over the last month that I relish the most. The quiet in the house, the peaceful bliss of just her and me before the rest of the world wakes up.

The coffee is set to a timer, already hot and ready to go when we get into the kitchen. Gia pulls out two mugs and pours the coffee for us. She turns around and hands me my cup as the two of us make our way out to the front porch.

The crisp morning air greets us as we settle into our chairs, sipping our coffee in companionable silence. This has become our morning ritual, a moment of peace and tranquility before the chaos of the day begins.

"So, what"s on your agenda for today?" Gia asks, breaking the silence.

I take a moment to think, enjoying the quiet stillness of the morning. "Conditioning, practice, and then a few interviews for the day. My agent wants me to think again about the offer from Detroit."

"Where are you at with that?"

"I'm not ready to trade my skates in for a clipboard. The day that I do, it will be for a college or high school hockey team, not the NHL."

"That's admirable."

"I want to change lives, there are a lot of kids lost in those early years of athletics because they don't have the right coaching."

"You could change the world," she grins back at me.

"So can you."

Gia sets down her coffee cup and looks at me, her eyes filled with determination. "You know, Ryder, I"ve been thinking..."

I raise an eyebrow, curious. "About what?"

"About my future," she says, her voice serious. "I want to do something more, something meaningful."

"Like what?"

"See, I don't know yet. I just know I'd like to put my skills to good use. What do you think?"

"Well, you know, I have a friend who owns a security firm. He"s been looking for a partner. Or, if you want, he could mentor you, help you start your own business. Whatever you choose, I support you a thousand percent."

"Only a thousand percent?"

"Okay, a thousand and one percent."

"Good boy! You're such a good boy!"

"You've been hanging out with our little Dr. Doolittle too much my love."

"Okay, seriously, thank you. Your idea is amazing, Ryder. I"ve thought about it before, but I never really had the courage to take the leap."

I reach out and take her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "You can do anything you set your mind to, Gia. And besides, starting your own business would mean you could make your own schedule. You could spend more time with Chloe and me."

"Can you get me his information? I'll reach out to him. I want to sit down first and build out a plan of what I want."

"That's perfect. I can help you with that. You know I have the resort and a few other businesses, so I've learned a thing or two."

"Perfect, learning from someone who has already done it himself."

"And who would do anything for you…"

We sit in silence for a moment, lost in our own thoughts. The future suddenly feels full of endless possibilities, and I can"t wait to see where this new journey takes us. But for now, I"m content to simply sit here with Gia, enjoying the quiet beauty of the morning.

My watch vibrates alerting me that it's time to start my day.

"I need to get going," I tell her.

We both stand and make our way into the house. Chloe is already up, sitting at the kitchen table, a bowl of cereal in front of her as she doodles on a piece of paper. She looks up and grins as we enter the room.

"Good morning Mommy and Daddy," she chirps, her smile infectious.

"Morning, Sweetheart," Gia says, ruffling Chloe"s hair affectionately.

"Morning, Princess," I add, leaning down to plant a kiss on her forehead. "Daddy's going to work. You look like you"re dressed to work out with Gia."

Chloe grins widely and nods her head.

"Mommy told me I could."

"That's incredible," I smile back at her.

I kiss both of my girls on the forehead before I grab my gear bag and head for the truck.

Life can't get much better than this.

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