Love's Taming(58)

The Douglas’ had planned a cookout so the assembly moved to the back yard. Shane and his brother fired up the grill while Megan and Mona got things ready in the kitchen. Turning down Annie’s offer to help, she sat in the yard with David watching the children play.

After making small talk, David turned to her saying, “I gotta tell you that I was worried about Shane coming back. Mona has had a rough couple of years with him gone.”

Annie turned her attention to him, listening attentively.

“She hated for Shane to go into police work after their father was killed. I had only met him a couple of times, but he seemed to be a great husband and dad. Megan and I had just gotten together. I think Mona knew all along that Shane was too much like his dad to not follow in his footsteps. But going undercover? That nearly killed her, wondering if he would come home and if so, in what shape.”

Annie continued to listen, realizing that David had stepped in to fulfill the older son and brother roll when Shane left.

“We made the mistake one night of watching a documentary on some policemen who went undercover in a motorcycle gang.” He shook his head. “Big mistake. It was rough – the life they lived and what they had to do to fit in, and how messed up they were when they came back out.” He picked up the ball that had rolled over to them and tossed it back to his son. “Mona is tough, having been a policeman’s wife, but she jumped up and turned off the TV running out of the room. Megan went and talked to her, but she just kept saying that she was afraid of what was going to come back from that.”

“He was a little…hard, when I first met him,” Annie admitted.

“I have a feeling that being with you has tamed a lot of the wild that had grown in him,” David said, smiling at her as he looked over to where Shane and Rick were laughing with Mona and Megan.

On cue, Shane’s eyes searched for hers, his face smiling widely when they met. Annie smiled back, feeling his happiness from across the yard.

“Yeah,” David agreed. “I’d say you have a lot to do with that taming. Now, just get ready as Mona starts her wedding planning!”

Shane looked over at Annie laughing with David as the children played all around her. His attention was so focused on how her copper hair glistened in the sunlight as her head was thrown back in laughter that he completely missed the look that passed between his mother and siblings.

Mona walked to him, encircling his waist with her arms as she lay her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. “She seems wonderful, son. I really like her.” Leaning her head back so that she could look into the eyes that seemed so much like his father’s, she asked, “So how serious is this relationship?”

“It’s serious, mom. It’s new so we’re still learning about each other, but meetin’ her was what made me decide that it was time to stop screwin’ around and bring the cover and the case to a close. It had already gone on too long, but she was the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.”

Mona smiled into her son’s face as another tear slid from her eye. “Then that’s all I need to know. Any woman who brought my wild son back to me will have my eternal gratitude.”

The rest of the day passed with pleasant conversation, including lots of stories of Shane as a boy, good food, good company, and even games of hide and seek with the nephews. As the evening drew to a close, Shane was saying goodbye to his siblings so Mona took the opportunity to slide over to Annie.

Annie smiled at Mona knowing that the day had been an emotional one. “Thank you so much for allowing me to crash your reunion     with your son.”

“Oh my dear, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate all that you have done for him. I don’t know what shape my son would have returned to me in if he hadn’t met you.”

Hugging Mona tightly feeling the familiar sting of tears in her eyes, Annie just said, “I’m glad we found each other.”

Shane walked over then and Annie stepped back to allow them some privacy to say goodbye. As they walked to the truck Shane pulled her in for a kiss before helping her up. The kiss was simple, almost chaste, knowing his family was on the porch watching, but for Shane it meant everything. The continuation of family. Dad, you woulda loved her.

To Annie it meant nearly the same thing. Future. I want to spend the rest of my life with this man.

Arriving back home, they retired for the evening, making love long into the night, each filled with dreams of forever, feeling as though the roller coaster was finally coming to a halt.





Chapter 19