I had it framed. I don't know why I did it, but I did.

My masters was now proudly on the wall, next to my bachelors.

I passed with flying colours, writing about the mental capabilities of a kidnapping victim. It was hard to relive it all again, but I felt the best way to complete my masters was through personal experience.

The third frame was what I asked Jan to print off. My farewell with Soul and my very first article from years ago.

It felt good not having to rush to work everyday. I spent as much time as possible with Rowan as we played games, inside the house and outside, on the beach.

Rowan was napping and I found a new hobby to do while he did that. Sewing. I spent a lot of time on YouTube watching tutorials, but I think I have the hang of it now.

I cut the thread and held up my new cushion cover. Perfect. I went over to the cupboard and pulled out a cushion and shoved it in the new cover, heading to the renovated spare room and placed it on the decorative armchair in there.

It fitted in to the room perfectly. I've been doing a lot of op shopping lately, getting old curtains and clothes and recreating them. I went to the kitchen and fixed up some fruit salad, locking it in to an air tight container for later.

I had promised Rowan a picnic when he wakes up and he was due to wake up soon.

I stepped out on to the balcony, letting the sun shine on me, the wind whipping my hair as I opened up the picnic rug, spreading it out. I went and pegged in a large beach umbrella and then threw down some large puffy cushions I made the other day on to the rug.

I heard my phone ting in my hands and I quickly peeked, to see a message from Gabriel. Smiling I read it, she will be up in a week. I quickly replied with a picture of streamers before continuing what I was doing.

Gabriel got another teaching job, but instead of a 15 hour plus plane ride, it's only a two hour car drive away.

"Momma?" I heard his little cry as I went back up to the veranda.

I found Rowan in the kitchen, opening the fridge. "There's my boy." I smiled as he turned to me.

"Picnic now Momma?" He asked. This kid doesn't forget a thing.

"Yes, baby. First, let's get changed." I told him as we went to his room. I found his swimmers and placed them on him, before rubbing him down in sun cream lotion and placing a hat on his head.

"Now?"

I laughed as I went to my room. "I have to get dressed too." I told him, throwing my clothes off and putting on a bikini set, wrapping a sheer white sarong around my hips. I ran my hands down my flat stomach and on to my hips as I sighed.

Rowan waited outside my door, growing impatient with a pout on his face.

I couldn't help but smile at him, tapping his scrunched up nose with my finger as I went to the kitchen.

"We have to have food!" I told him, packing the basket. "Do you want to get your new game as well?" I asked as he ran off.

I locked the front door and held the basket in one hand while waiting for Rowan. He came back with the small cardboard box in his hands as he went outside on to the verandah.

"Of you go." I smiled as he ran to where the picnic was half set up. I closed the door and locked it, dropping the keys in to the basket as I held on to my own sun hat with one hand, the basket in my other hand.

I made my way down to the set up, Rowan already there, waiting for me.

"Where are the sand toys?" He asked me.

"On the veranda." I watched as he ran back up and grabbed his bucket and spade before coming back to me. He placed them on the sand and took my hand.

"Swim now please?"

I looked down at him, a stern look on my face. I've been trying to teach him to use full sentences.

"Can I go swim now please?" He repeated. Good enough, for now.

I took his hand as I tried walking, but was half dragged by Rowan as he tried to run down to the water.

"Stay where you can reach." I told him as I stayed in ankle deep water. It was a bit cold, the water, but it was a beautiful day, the end of summer.

I watched as Rowan played in the waves, splashing water and laughing. I had a huge smile on my face, watching how content he was made me happy. Even making me forget my troubles.

After an hour, Rowan grumbled he was bored and hungry. We went back to the picnic and I pulled out some fruit salad and poured him some juice.

I set up his new game, memory and as we nibbled, we played.

"Cat and Momma." Rowan said, flipping the cards back over.

I went for one. "Dog and Horse." I sighed out playfully.

"Momma and Daddy." He frowned as he flipped them back over. My heart skipped a beat. It does everyone Rowan says that word.

It's been nearly three months. A phone call every couple of days. It's so hard to keep track of Ryder, being left, right and centre in America, Canada and even England.

But I watch the news. The boring one on paid TV. He is selling. Selling his companies and he needs to be there. I couldn't understand why he is selling them, he worked so hard to get them.

"Momma?"

I looked at Rowan.

"Your turn."

"Right." I blinked as I flipped the two cards over. "Oh. Cat and Dog." I try to let Rowan win, I do, but sometimes this game drags out for a good hour or so before he even gets a pair.

Rowan giggled and flipped one over. "Momma." He said as I looked at what he was doing.

"The Momma card. Now another Momma card. I think it might be over here somewhere." I hinted to him, pointing straight at it.

I groaned when Rowan didn't pick it up. Instead he went to the other side of the game, picking a different one up. "Daddy!"

I frowned as I looked at the card. "No. That's Monkey." I told him.

"Daddy." He said again and I looked at his face. Rowan wasn't looking at the cards. He was looking behind me as he scrambled up, kicking the cards and ran to the house.

I turned around and saw what Rowan did, my heart stopping.

Ryder is back!

Rowan jumped in to Ryder's arms as Ryder spun him around. I could hear Rowan's giggles as he went around in circles.

Ryder held him close to him, smothering his face in Rowan's thick hair.

I stood up, brushing the sand off me, hesitant about walking or running up to him or staying on the spot.

Ryder stopped spinning Rowan and his eyes went straight to mine. Holding on to Rowan, he came closer as I held my hands in front of me.

"I've been watching the news." I told him. I don't know why I said that, it was the first thing that came to my head. "You sold everything?"

Ryder smiled. "Yes. No more international travelling." He told me. He was a good metre away where he stopped, still clutching Rowan to him.

"I have seen you made some changes to the interior of the beach house."

I smiled. "Yeah. I hope you don't mind. I got a bit bored. I threw in my job, took your advice." I raised an eyebrow. "I've stopped hiding in the advice column, as you had put it."

Ryder smiled a bit wider. "No, I don't mind." I went to ask him how did he know about the redecorating, but he must have read my mind. "I just happened to see the room you, changed, while I was looking for you."

"Ah." I let out a nervous chuckle.

"So is that hopeful thinking or is it true?" I couldn't place his smile. It was a happy one, mixed with a smirk.

I couldn't pull my eyes away from him. I licked my lips and unknowingly fixed up the large sun hat on my head.

"It's true."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Ryder asked me softly.

"I wanted to tell you in person." I sighed out. My heart was racing and I was nervous as all hell. I clutched my fingers tighter together.

Ryder let out a large smile this time and turned to Rowan. "You've grown so much!" He said to his son, making me smile proudly. "You are getting so big and heavy! I might have to get more muscles." Ryder said in an enthusiastic manner, tickling Rowan.

Rowan giggled as Ryder placed him down, kneeling to him. "How about you pick up all these cards first then I have a gift for you inside."

Rowan nodded eagerly and did as he was told as Ryder stood up straight again, looking directly at me.

I sucked in my lips, biting on them under Ryder's gaze. Then he stepped forward, taking my hands and pulled me to him, kissing me.

And what a kiss!

"I've missed you." Ryder told me as we broke apart, leaving me panting for air, my head dizzy and I was in amazement.

I went back to his eyes, still crushed against him. "I missed you too." I managed out before kissing him again. "Don't go again. Even if I tell you to."

"I'm not going any where any time soon."

Ryder gave me another deep kiss, keeping me to him as I heard Rowan laugh at us.

"Daddy kissing Momma!" He giggled. "Can I have my gift please?"

I felt Ryder smile against my lips. "To be continued." He promised as he let me go. "First we will pack this all up and go back inside."

I crouched down, cleaning up our mess and placed as much as I could back in to the picnic hamper. Ryder carried the bulk of it, with Rowan on his shoulders and making sure one hand was free to hold me.

We walked up the sand hill and on to the veranda, placing everything down as I unlocked the door, sliding it open as Ryder gently placed Rowan down.

Rowan ran inside, waiting for us as he disappeared to get dressed, coming out a minute later in just a dry pair of shorts.

"Present daddy!" He begged as he went to the couch, waiting perfectly still.

I couldn't help but smile as I sat on the other couch, watching Ryder go to one of his bags, unzipping it.

****

"I don't know how I feel about this." Ryder whispered in my ear, standing behind me. I was still in my bikinis from earlier today, my sarong long gone and now replaced with a single button up kimono.

Rowan had sucked up all of his father's attention right to the very last second he was awake, making Ryder sit next to him at dinner, being his shadow, making Ryder tuck him in to bed and read him a pile off books. But the minute Rowan was asleep, Ryder reappeared, telling me it was my turn, sending shivers down my spine.

I felt his soft fingertips slowly remove the kimono off my shoulders as I tilted my head to the side, letting Ryder place little kisses on my neck as he brushed my hair out off the way.

I felt the strap of my white bikini loosen as the bow came undone at my neck then the other one on my back.

Ryder's hands were on my hips, moving on to my stomach as I grabbed them and turned around, kissing him.

After only parting for air, I pushed Ryder down on to the bed as I started pulling his pants off him.

The intimacy was intense, and mind blowing and that was just touching.

We spent hours that night, making love, kissing, touching, holding each other.

We were spent as I moaned pleasurably out from under him. Ryder rolled off me and immediately his arms wrapped around me, pulling him to me.

I took one hand and held it against my lips. I felt him play with my fingers as he kissed me on the shoulder.

Then he stilled. I couldn't work out why.

Ryder sat up and turned the lamp on, turning to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked him. "Did I do something wrong?"

But Ryder was smiling at me and I saw where he was looking at. He was holding my left hand, looking at it.

Our wedding rings. "I found them the other week. In the safe. You still have the same pin for it." I told him as I slipped mine off then his. I put my engagement ring back on then my wedding band as I took Ryder's left hand and slipped his ring back on. "That's where it belongs."

I leaned forward to kiss him, but Ryder let out a growl, deepening the kiss, pushing me back down on the bed.

"I love you." I said between the kisses.

"I love you." Ryder told me. "And I'm never letting you go again."

"You won't anyway." I teased him as I looked up at him.

Ryder laid next to me, sliding his arm under my head and I settled on it as his other hand went and rested on my bare stomach.

"That's right." He growled at me before smirking at me. "You're stuck with me forever, baby. You, Rowan and this baby."