Chasing Charli - Kat Mizera Page 0,77

hand. “I love you. I really, really love you.”

“I love you too. And that’s why I did this.”

“Worry about him has haunted me since the day I gave him up,” she whispered. “I was so afraid for him, so afraid he was scared and alone, or hungry or hurt…”

“He’s not. Gage found out everything about his family. His father is a teacher, his mother a nurse. They live in a nice house in the suburbs, he goes to a good public school, he’s healthy and plays many sports.”

“So… I get to meet him tomorrow?”

“Yes. We’ll go pack a bag so we can be gone for one day, and then get on the road. We’ll sleep in a hotel tonight and meet them at the playground tomorrow morning. Then we’ll drive back here and figure out what you want to do.”

“About what?”

“Everything. Us.”

31

Charli barely slept that night. This was all so overwhelming. Between everything that had happened in the last week and this impromptu trip to St. Louis where she would actually meet her son, she was spinning in circles emotionally. It was by far the most amazing thing anyone had ever done for her, and she’d spent half the night watching Miikka sleep. Taking in his handsome face and the curve of his firm ass. The way his muscles flexed when he moved. The way he smiled, even in his sleep.

“You’re pale,” Miikka said after they checked out of the hotel and got into the rental car. “Are you okay?”

“I’m scared,” she admitted. “I don’t know how to behave or what to say to the mom or anything.”

“I’ll be right there with you,” he said quietly. “Everything is going to be fine. Gage said they were reluctant at first, but once he spoke to them for a while, they were okay.”

“I know. It’s just…” She squeezed his hand. “Oh my god, we’re here.”

“It’s okay. I have a signed jersey for him and a few other things—he’s barely going to notice you.”

She managed a tiny smile but her heart was hammering in her chest and her legs felt like lead. Miikka grabbed his bag of goodies and then came around to her side of the car, helping her out.

“Hold my hand and remember I’ve got you—no matter what. I promise.”

“I love you, Miikka,” she whispered.

“I love you too.” He kissed her soundly on the lips and tugged her towards the playground.

A petite blond woman in shorts and a T-shirt approached them slowly. “Are you Miikka?” she asked quietly.

“Yes. Hello. You’re Heather?”

“Yes.” She shook his hand and glanced at Charli. “Hi. Are you Charlotte?”

“Yes. Thank you so much for allowing this… I can’t tell you how much it means to me.”

“Well, I’m still not sure I’m doing the right thing, but Mr. Caldwell gave me his word this would be a one-time thing, so I’m willing to allow it.”

“Yes, I… Thank you. I just… I’ve spent seven years worrying that he’s okay, happy, that he was adopted by a good family. The agency didn’t give me the option to interview you or pick a family; they just took him.” She took a shaky breath. “My grandfather convinced me it was the right thing to do and he handled everything. So I always worried.”

“I understand.” Heather nodded slowly. “I didn’t realize you hadn’t chosen us. All we knew was that you were seventeen, unmarried and had no way to take care of him. They didn’t tell us anything else.”

“It was a difficult time. My boyfriend at the time left me to join the military and he never contacted me again after I told him I was pregnant. My parents kicked me out and I wound up in Anchorage with my grandfather.”

“I’m sorry that happened to you, but we love Dylan more than life itself. You never have to worry about whether or not he’s okay, or loved, or anything like that.”

“That makes me really happy.” Charli paused. “Did you live in Anchorage when you adopted him?”

“Yes, but we moved a few years later. My husband got a job here in St. Louis and we’ve been here ever since.”

“I’m glad it worked out I could see him.” Charli looked across the park at the two kids on the swings.

“That’s Dylan and Nancy. She’s four and he’s a great big brother. I’ll go get Dylan now, okay?”

Tears puddled in Charli’s eyes as she watched Heather tousle the boy’s hair and laugh at something he said. Then Dylan took Heather’s hand and the two of them