Gaining Miles (Miles Family #5)(6)

Zoe was downstairs. She smiled and hugged me when I came into the kitchen. “Thanks again for watching him.”

“Did you have a nice date?”

“We did,” she said. “Dinner was delicious. And no one needed to be burped. It’s so nice to feel like a woman, not just a mom. Even if it’s only for a few hours.”

“It’s good for you.”

“Thanks.” She smiled again and gave me another hug.

With their baby asleep, I knew they probably wanted more privacy, so I said my goodbyes. Roland came downstairs just as I was leaving, so I got a hug from my son, too. I left them in their cozy house, their sweet baby asleep upstairs.

And it made me happy.

They lived a short drive from Salishan. All my kids were close, which was a dream come true. Now that my divorce was final, Chase and Brynn could start on the house they had planned—right on Salishan land. Cooper would do the same, although he and Amelia seemed happy to live in one of the guest cottages for the time being.

Leo and Hannah were still contemplating their living situation. With a baby on the way, eventually they’d need more space than they had now. Like I’d done for my other kids, I was going to offer them a parcel of the land to build on. I had a feeling they’d take me up on it.

I parked in front of my house and went inside. Took off my coat and put down my purse. I’d skipped dinner, so my first order of business for the evening was finding something to eat.

My kitchen was spacious, with cupboard doors worn from years of use, gray counter tops, and a small kitchen table next to the window. I still had my mother’s collection of tea cups and more wine glasses than I knew what to do with.

I opened the fridge and was surprised to find a container of leftover chicken. For a woman who lived alone, my leftovers disappeared remarkably fast. But my boys still stopped by, sniffing around the kitchen for lunch or a snack. They knew I cooked more than I needed and was happy to share.

The truth was, I did it on purpose. I cooked so much because I liked giving them an excuse to come over. Cooper and Chase were regulars in my kitchen, even now that neither of them was a bachelor. Leo too. Before Hannah, I’d often tried to tempt him out of hiding with the promise of leftovers or a big batch of homemade muffins. Now that he had Hannah in his life, I didn’t feel like it was necessary to try to coax him out of his house.

But I still cooked a lot.

I warmed up the chicken, poured a glass of wine, and took it to my kitchen table. I preferred eating in here when I was alone. My dining table was big—it could easily seat twelve, more if we squished—and when I sat there by myself it felt immense. And very empty.

A quiet house was a nice change after an evening watching my grandson. I loved spending time with him, but my days raising little boys were long over. Being a grandma was perfect—I got lots of baby snuggles, without the hard work that went into parenting. Even on days when I watched him, I got to come home to my regular life. A life where my children were adults.

Not just adults—settled adults. Roland, once again married to Zoe, raising their first child. My baby girl, Brynn, married to Chase—who’d been like a son to me since he was five. Leo and Hannah would be getting married soon, and my second grandchild was on the way. And Cooper. That whirlwind of chaos and energy that was my youngest son had actually met his match in Amelia.

All four of my children were in love and happy. And after the example they’d grown up with, that seemed like a miracle.

Thirty-five years ago, when I’d married Lawrence Miles, I couldn’t have imagined my life would turn out the way it had. I’d been young and hopeful, swept off my feet by a man with ambition. In Lawrence, I’d seen stability. Someone who would support my passion for my family’s business and provide for the family I’d always known I wanted.

What I’d gotten was a man who’d quickly become cold and distant, not long after our wedding. Who’d been unfaithful to me. Fathered children with another woman and kept that family a secret from all of us. Who’d almost run my family’s winery into the ground with his selfishness and bad management, and then tried to take it from me in the divorce. Who would now spend the next twenty years in prison for drug trafficking.

It was hard to imagine choosing a worse partner than Lawrence.

My four children were the only reason I didn’t regret marrying him with every fiber of my being. If I hadn’t married Lawrence, I wouldn’t have them.

They were worth it.

I cleaned up the few dishes I’d used and poured myself another glass of wine. Wandered into my quiet living room and sat on the corner of the couch. My kids had redecorated for me after I’d kicked out my ex. The colors were new, furniture moved, new photos on the walls. It felt more like my home again, after years of sharing it with him.

This place was filled with memories—both good and bad. I’d raised my children here. Cared for my parents here as their health declined. Lived a life here.

And now I lived here alone.

I put my wine glass down on the coffee table next to the latest mystery novel I’d been reading. Ben had brought it to me a few days ago. He’d started loaning me books recently. I’d mentioned in passing that I’d been looking for something to read, and the next day he’d stopped by with a book. I didn’t usually read mysteries, but had decided to give it a try.

It had been riveting. I’d been glued to the page until the very end. After that, he’d suggested more books, and often brought new ones for me to borrow.