The Bet (26 page)
Authors: Rachel Van Dyken
Tags: #love triangles, #New adult, #contemporary romance
“Come here, I want to show you something.” Travis grabbed her hand and led her into a room off the main living area. It looked like a study. Every wall was lined with books. In the middle of the space was a giant oak desk sitting on a circular rug. The room had a private entrance to the porch as well.
“I’ve kept this, for you, all these years.” Travis reached into the desk and pulled out a manila envelope.
“What is it?” Kacey reached out to grab it, but Travis pulled it back.
“Promise me you won’t be angry?”
“No.”
“Figures.” He chuckled and handed over the folder. “I’ll be outside when you need me, okay?”
She nodded as he closed the door behind him.
The envelope was thick.
Shaking, she poured the contents onto the desk in front of her. The first thing she saw was her parents’ will.
She hadn’t looked at it, nor had she been there for the reading. She’d just had Grandma tell her the specifics.
Good thing too, because it stated in no uncertain terms that Grandma was her legal guardian if her parents ever died before her eighteenth birthday.
No wonder Grandma never lost track of her.
Grandma really had been her Godsend.
Sighing heavily, she placed the will aside and pulled out a tiny envelope with her name on it.
The paper inside was college-ruled notebook paper, something she hadn’t written on for years.
The letter was addressed to her.
Kacey,
I don’t know why I’m even writing this. You’re probably going to think your old mom’s
insane for putting something like this in our belongings, but I was sitting at school during my prep period and thought I should give you some words of encouragement.
I heard from another teacher that you and Jake broke up today.
I know it’s hard. Senior year is never easy.
But, honey, don’t you think he’s a better friend than boyfriend? The boy doesn’t even
pass a mirror without looking in it! You know you’re smiling because it’s true! I know we pressure you sometimes, but goodness gracious, you could marry Travis,
and we
would still be proud.
That was me trying to cheer you up.
I know how much you despise that boy, even though
he’s been there for you without you even realizing it.
I guess what I’m saying is. It’s important to keep your options open. It’s important to live and not get so hung up on the past.
The past is called the past for a reason. If you are constantly looking behind you, your
eyes aren’t on the road ahead. You don’t drive a car that way, so why would you live your life that way? Isn’t life more important than
driving that beat up Subaru?
I love you so much. As a mom I have to allow you to make mistakes, to learn and to grow, but you need to know that my love for you is unending.
Regardless of what you’ve done, my love is unconditional. Where you’ve been helps you grow, and,
my little treasure, I want you to grow!
Well, the bell
just
rang. I may not give this to you until you get married. I know you’re rolling your eyes right now, but let’s just say you probably aren’t ready to hear all this from me just yet. But one day, one day this letter will make sense,
and I hope it finds you on that very day. In fact, that’s my prayer right now.
Love you,
Mom
Kacey wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand but cried harder when she saw several other letters in the same pile. Her mom had written her letters and never given them to her. Mom was always strange like that, writing down her thoughts, then forgetting that she wrote them down in the first place.
Kacey always saw her mom writing little things down in her notebooks, but she had no idea it was ever for her.
She tucked the letters back into the manila envelope and walked outside to the porch where Travis was sipping wine.
“You saved all of this for me?”
Travis looked into her eyes and nodded. “I don’t know what any of it said, Kace. I never looked. I just knew, one day, one day you would want all of it, and selfishly I wanted to be the man to give it to you.”
Kacey sat on his lap and leaned against his chest.
”I have a confession to make.” He laughed nervously.
“What did you do?”
“I got drunk.”
“Now?”
Travis laughed again. “No, not now. I got drunk a few weeks ago, and I complained to Grandma about how no woman would ever compare to you. I’m pretty sure I was feeling sorry for myself, and I never make a habit of doing things like that, nor do I make habits of drunk-dialing my own grandmother.”
“Do you think that’s why she faked her stroke?” Kacey asked, taking the wine out of his hands and sipping it.
“It’s possible.” Travis exhaled. “Either way, I don’t care. I’m thankful.”
“Me too.” Kacey nestled into him and sighed. “Me too.”
“Maybe now she’ll direct her attention to Jake while we enjoy a honeymoon far, far away from the family.”
Kacey laughed. “You mean you don’t want your mom, dad, Mr. Casbon, and Grandma to join us?”
“We’d get kicked off the plane in seconds, admit it.”
Kacey giggled. “I’d rather have you to myself anyway.”
“There’s one more thing.” Travis sighed heavily.
“What?”
“Jake owes us a million dollars.”
“Huh?” Kacey jerked back and looked Travis in the eyes. “What the heck? Why?”
Travis grinned smugly. “I bet him a million dollars when I was eight, that I would marry you.”
Kacey burst out laughing. “Shall we call him tomorrow?”
“We shall,” Travis agreed, then his mouth found hers, and immediately she stopped laughing, too distracted by what his mouth was doing.
She’d left home to escape the pain, not knowing that one day, this day, she’d return to find her own true happiness.
Author Note
After writing close to fifteen or sixteen (I've lost count!) of these, it never gets old. I still find myself staring at the screen going, "Holy crap, I'm really an author and I’m really doing what I love!" It's incredible and I can only thank God every second of every day that he's allowed me this awesome opportunity to live in my computer and make up stories. ;)
Thank you to Laura Heritage for being basically the best editor/friend/cover artist a gal could ask for. You do such an excellent job. I seriously don't know what I would do without you. Oh, and p.s. thanks for tutoring me on how to use commas. Also, thanks for not getting mad when I forget. Every. Single. Manuscript.
Also a huge thanks to my "usual" publisher, Astraea Press. They are awesome enough to let me self pub my stuff while still publishing my historicals... basically they are the best publisher ever.
Readers. You guys rock my face off. Seriously. I would dance for you right now if it wouldn't be totally awkward and slightly inappropriate. Thank you so much for your continual support and encouragement! As always, help a girl out... write reviews, good or bad, doesn't matter. I'm happy either way! There's always room for improvement, right?
Follow me on Twitter @RachVD or hang out with me on Facebook: Rachel Van Dyken Author.
Happy reading... see ya at The End.
Other books by Rachel Van Dyken
Every Girl Does It
Compromising Kessen
Savage Winter
The Parting Gift
Waltzing With the Wallflower
Beguiling Bridget
Taming Wilde
The Ugly Duckling Debutante
The Seduction of Sebastian St. James
The Redemption of Lord Rawlings
The Devil Duke Takes A Bride
Upon A Midnight Dream
Whispered Music
The Wolf’s Pursuit
An Unlikely Alliance
Tear: A Seaside Novel
Pull: A Seaside Novel
Coming Soon:
Shatter
Divine Uprising
Irresistible Terms
Elite
About the Author
Rachel Van Dyken
is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of regency and contemporary romances. When she's not writing you can find her drinking coffee at Starbucks and plotting her next book while watching
The Bachelor
.
She keeps her home in Idaho with her husband and their snoring boxer, Sir Winston Churchill. She loves to hear from readers! You can follow her writing journey at
www.rachelvandyken.com
.
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