Read Solitude (Artistic Pricks Ink #3) Online
Authors: Cat Mason
The last few weeks have changed so much. Mitch has started attending a group for survivors and those affected by violent crimes. They have been a tremendous help for him to finally begin to shed some of the guilt he has been carrying for far too long. Last week, he even stood and told the story of how Becky died, along with how he saved my life.
Then, today, with my hand in his, Mitch laid flowers on Becky’s and Frank’s graves and made peace with one of his biggest inner demons. It’s not going to be easy, and it’s not the end of his struggle, but his goal is to keep moving forward toward the future we have together.
“Put that thing down,” Maddie scolds Mitch, “Time for Taylor to get some time with her Uncle Mitch.”
Sitting the box on the table beside the other gifts, Mitch smiles. “Hello to you too, Mad.”
“Here you go,” she says, handing him the baby covered entirely in pink, from her lace headband to her converses. “Watch out for Shep,” she says winking at her husband. “Ever since he got home last week, he hasn’t let anyone hold her. Damn baby hog.”
Pulling her to his chest, Mitch stares down at the sweet little blonde in amazement as he makes his way over and sits down on a padded porch swing.
Maddie’s eyes move to me. Smiling, she hugs me to her. “I’m so glad you were able to make the trip.”
“Maddie!” an older woman calls, swinging open the door. “We need your help with the cake.”
She rolls her eyes. “Duty calls. I’ll catch you in a few,” she says, heading into the house.
Making my way over to Mitch, I sit beside him. Wrapping his arm around me, he pulls me into his side and kisses my temple. His eyes go back to Taylor, sleeping soundly in his arms. I can’t help grinning at how peaceful she looks and how relaxed my guy is. “You’re gonna make a hell of a dad someday, prick.”
“A sassy little blonde with curls?” he asks, smiling at me. “Beautiful blues eyes and a smile that melts my heart. Bet she’ll have a smart mouth and be feisty as hell like her momma.”
“Sounds like we’d have our hands full someday,” I laugh, wincing at the idea of another me running around.
“Yeah, we will.” Pressing another kiss to my temple, he smiles against my skin.
There’s no guarantee that life will always be easy. We fight, we make up, we love each other, it’s just that simple, and that makes all of it worth it. The laughs, the love, the tears, every heartache, and every victory we will share together are a stepping stone in the journey we make while filling the pages of our story. I realize now why there were pieces of Mitch’s puzzle that were missing. It’s because it is where I fit, where the parts of us belong in his life that we will put together as a couple. The solitude we both endured until this point has only shown us that together are we truly whole.
The End
I have so many people to thank. This part of the book always seems to be the hardest for me. The two words 'thank you' seem so inadequate to express my gratitude for those who are a part of this journey. I disappear into my head and writing cave for days at a time. I can be flaky, sometimes hysterical, overly emotional, and completely over the top because my characters are such a deep part of me that sometimes I have no choice but to feel everything right along with them.
The Artistic Pricks Novels are always more intense to get on paper. So much of me is interwoven in this series, so many emotions, and I am unbelievably proud of each one. Every trait of each realistic character that I write on the pages are given life by every reader and for that there are just no words.
Cybill Richey, Asli Fratarcangeli, Jennifer Pierson, Tina Morgan, and Amy Kaneff Rudolph, my amazing beta readers, who are so much more than that. You're more like ALPHA readers. You need super hero capes, seriously. You read chapter by chapter and I know Solitude really put you through it. I may have left you hanging, in one way or another, every…SINGLE…time. Thank you ladies for being my sounding boards, my sanity, and the ones to pull me back from the brink of the edge at times when I was all about the delete button. Oh and for not driving to my house and kicking my ass when I gave you those cliffys.
Jennifer, Tina, and Drue Hoffman, thank you so much for all you do for me. You post to my pages, pimp me around in groups, keep me on task when it comes to my calendar, and a million other things. Without you, I'd truly be lost.
Asli, thank you for saving my ass and handling all things grammatical and blundery for me. We both know that it's a hard job, but someone has to do it. HA. HA.
Chelsea and Jenn, even when we go days without talking, and life gets in the way of our chats that can be totally insane at times, you’re always there. It’s what we do. No matter what.
I always forget to name names and if I have not listed you here, I've still got mad, totally fan girly love for you all.
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Shafting the Halls
Fighting Me
Kittery Serials
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Into the Flames
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