Rain points to the mantel where his urn sits. “He’s there for now. We haven’t had a chance to spread his ashes yet.”
“Do you have a plan on where to spread them?” her aunt asks, staring at the urn with tears in her eyes.
“We’ve decided to spread some up in Ontario, Canada. It was a bucket list trip for him that he never got to experience. Then the rest we will spread up by a lake in the mountains. Dad used to spend as much time up there as possible,” Rain tells her.
“Dillion, by chance?”
“How did you know?” Rain asks, sounding shocked.
Heidi smiles. “We spent a lot of time up there. Every weekend, we would pack a tent and head up there. That’s where we planned our future. There used to be a cabin across the lake from where we would go, and we would daydream about the future and how we would buy that home just so we could always see our spot and be close.”
“He never told me,” Rain says quietly.
“I’m sure there are a lot of things he never told either of us,” Heidi admits.
“I bet you’re right.” Rain smiles. “I wonder if you might want to go on the ride with us. If not to Ontario, at least up to the lake. I think he would have wanted you there.”
Heidi looks like she is about to cry. “Thank you. That would mean the world to me. I never stopped loving him. I let him go so that we both could have a life that didn’t end in tragedy.”
Rain sniffles. “He never stopped loving you either. Actually, I have something for you.”
Rain gets up, heading out of the room. I know where she is going. As soon as Hampton started coming around, she put all the valuables in my safe, including the ring Mustang bought for Heidi.
When Rain comes back, she sits down and hands it over. As Heidi opens it, her eyes widen.
“What is this?” she manages to croak out.
“The ring my father always planned to give you. I know he isn’t here, but he kept that in his drawer my entire life. He would want you to have it now.”
Heidi looks speechless. She reaches out and grabs Rain’s hand, squeezing it. It’s her way of saying thank you.
After a moment, she closes the box and slides it into her purse.
Once again, the conversation shifts, turning lighter. My girl leans into me and rests her head on my shoulder.
I don’t know if these two will keep in touch after today, but at least my girl will have the memory of learning about her dad as a man, and not just a biker, and because of that, it’s worth it. I’d do it all over again, just to see her smile.
EPILOGUE
Two years later
Rain
I cannot believeit’s been two years since I married Ridge. It has been one hell of a ride. I wouldn’t change it for anything, though.
Especially not the way he loves me.
I look over at him at the stove, making us breakfast. He wanted to bring it to me in bed, but I convinced him to stay longer than he had planned.
“Stop looking at me like that. You need food,” he growls.
“Pssh, I could live off of you,” I joke.
He shoots me a look over his shoulder.
I’m two months pregnant. He has been hovering like a complete helicopter parent, and the kid isn’t even here yet.
It’s actually really sweet.