“What are we gonna do with those two?” I asked, sipping a glass of tea.
“Heaven knows,” Jada smiled, watching her two children, five and three, test their daddy’s limits. “Cane makes himself crazy worrying over those two. I had to convince him not to start our own private school when we signed Annie up this year. He’s just a mess,” she laughed.
“It’s sweet, really.”
Annie acted like she was going to wade out in the lake and Cane jumped up and threw her over his shoulder, making her squeal.
“When is Connor coming?” I asked, looking at my sister.
“You know, I’m not sure. He said he’d be here sometime today. He won’t miss Annie’s sixth birthday. She has her uncle wrapped around her little finger.”
“Funny how kids change a person, isn’t it?”
Jada smiled knowingly. “It is.”
“Is Kellie coming?”
Jada shook her head. “She’s in Salt Lake City this weekend. One of her friends passed away and there was a funeral today. We’ll have another party with her when she gets back.”
“Two parties? Annie will hate that,” I laughed.
The sliding glass door to the kitchen opened up behind us and Connor walked out, carrying Faith. “It’s a good thing I’m not a burglar or I’d have a pretty sweet, but stinky, prize.”
I got up and took my daughter from his arms. “How did I not hear her?”
“She was just looking up at me when I walked in, so I picked her up. She’s getting so big.”
“She is. She was six months old yesterday, actually,” I said, smiling.
It had been the quickest six months of my life. Max and I had gone through the process to get approved as adoptive parents and then the search began to find the child that was to be “ours.” The agency we went through had called us one day, letting us know a baby was going to be born to a teenage mother. We read through the information available to us and both just knew. We flew out on the next flight.
As soon as she was born, Faith was brought to us and put in my arms. She opened her little eyes and looked at me like she already knew me. Max touched her hand and she wound her fist around his finger . . . and never let go.
Faith Stanley Quinn was the apple of her daddy’s eye and the center of my world. A head full of blonde hair, stunning grey eyes, and the creamiest complexion, she was perfect, healthy, and gorgeous.
Connor kissed her forehead before handing her to me. “Uncle C would keep you, but you smell pretty rotten.”
“I’m gonna go change her,” I said, carrying her inside and into the guest room. I lay her on our bed and watched her coo up at me as I dug around the diaper bag for the items I needed. I pulled out the wipes and found a sticky note attached to the top.
I laughed and tucked the note into the side pocket for safekeeping. Max still left me notes everywhere and I had quite the collection. Sometimes, when I needed a boost, I went back through them; they never failed to make me smile.
“How are my girls?” Max drawled out behind me.
“We’re good, aren’t we, Faith?”
She blew a raspberry, making me laugh.
I bent down to get her diaper off, my shirt riding up. Max’s hand was on the bared skin immediately. I looked at his wrist, seeing the arrow tattoo he had inked shortly after we had gotten married. Unlike mine, his had an endpoint on one end, marked with a “K,” and an arrow tip on the other. He said that he wasn’t looking back; this was his reminder that his life started with me.
His palm laid against my new ink. It was a vine, similar but much smaller than Max’s. Incorporated in the design was a purple orchid, a daisy, the birth flower for Faith, a “Q” for Quinn, and a compass for Max.
I had agonized over what to put to symbolize Max on the vine; nothing felt right. The night before my appointment, I was tracing the compass on his back and it hit me.
Max was many things to me. He was my friend, my lover, my soulmate.
My guiding force.
Just like a compass, I could turn to him to find my way home.
To him.
Because Max Quinn was my home.
I’m a bit overwhelmed.
I never thought, in a million years, I’d be writing the acknowledgements for my second novel. But I am. And for that, I have you to thank.
Yes, you.
I know you have a ton of choices out there and I appreciate you giving me a chance. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
I’m going to thank my family and then go alphabetical because I get all nervous about trying to prioritize these type of things and, let’s face it, my nerves are shot.
Mr. Locke & the Little Locke’s—My life. My world. You’re everything to me. I can’t say it any other way. Love you most.
Mom—Well, you’ve read my work. Not only that, you seem to have a real affinity for Max, giving me storyline ideas and offering to make our family dinner while I write. You’re the best. I love you.