Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 432(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 288(@300wpm)
The next thing I want you to remember is to always believe in yourself. Follow your instincts, your gut, and most of all, your heart. It will never steer you wrong.
Find your passion. When I met your father, I was lost. I had so many jobs that I didn’t love, but then I became a wife and a mom, and I learned that my passion was my family. I don’t care what your passion is, but make sure you find it and never settle for anything else.
Please continue our scrapbooks. I loved creating them with you, and I hope, one day, you’ll continue them with whoever you find the magic with. Whether it’s a significant other or your child, I hope you will continue our tradition of going on adventures and documenting them because that’s what life is about.
I’m so proud of you, Paige, and I feel so blessed that I got to spend so many years with you. I want you to laugh and smile and love hard. Be careful who you give your heart to because you, my girl, deserve all the magic in the world and I don’t want you to settle for anything less.
I love you, and I’m always here.
Love,
Mom
chapter one
PAIGE
Present Day
“I understand it’s a good opportunity, but you said this is where we would settle down. You knew when I agreed to move here that I didn’t want to move again. I want to get married and start a family. And I thought that’s what you wanted too.”
I will my tears not to come as I stare at the man who was supposed to be my forever. We met three years ago, and he told me on our first date that he knew I was the one for him. On our fourth date, he told me he loved me. And within six months of being together, he asked me to move in with him.
A year ago, he came home and said he was offered a promotion, but it meant moving to Houston, Texas. He asked me to join him, and even though I loved my job at Benson Liquor, loved being in the city my mom had adored, I agreed because I loved John as well.
I still love him, but right now, I don’t like him very much.
He promised Houston would become our home, and since that was all I wanted—to settle down and create a life with the person I loved—I agreed.
I took a job I enjoy with my best friend, Anastasia, at Kingston Limited, and John and I started to make roots. At least, I thought we had.
“You can’t expect me to give up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” John says with a huff. “It can mean doors opening for me. If it works out, this will be our last move.”
“That’s what you said last time.”
Literally. I’m pretty sure those were his exact words. I should’ve known he was lying when I suggested we buy a home and he insisted we rent instead. But love makes people blind, deaf, and dumb, so I went along with it anyway.
Looking back with new eyes, I can finally see how selfish John has been since the beginning. I moved into his place because he had more stuff and it was closer to the tube. He didn’t care that I loved my flat, that it overlooked my mom’s favorite part of London.
And when we moved here, it was because he was chasing his promotion. He didn’t consider my job or what I would lose by leaving. It was all about him.
“I bet Benson would give you your job back,” he points out.
“I don’t want my job back!” I say, emotion clogging my throat. “I want to stay in Houston.”
The fact is, I didn’t even want to live in Houston. My job is in Rosemary—a good thirty minutes away. My best friend lives in Rosemary. But John wanted to live in Houston, so we moved to Houston. Now, I’m going to be stuck here while John is back in London. Because John put his wants and needs first and I allowed my own to be put on the back burner.
“You said we would make a home here,” I add, losing the fight to not cry as tears spill over my lids and track down my cheeks. “Why can’t what we have here be enough?” Why can’t I be enough? “I know the promotion means more money, but we have plenty of money. We both make a good living. Please,” I beg, “stay here with me.”
“Paige!” John snaps. “Stop acting like a brat and be an adult about this.”
His words shoot me straight back to my past, to a time I try not to think about.
“Please,” I beg my dad. “I don’t want to leave. This is our home. This is her home.”