“You think Jase is that way?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “I don’t know. I mean just because he left with a girl, doesn’t mean he had sex with her.”
“Why does he ignore me when we’re both out and at places? I mean not all places, mostly parties and when he’s drinking.”
My heart hurt for my sister. I was so glad I had Grayson and the games with guys were over.
“Maybe he’s afraid he’ll do something he regrets.”
Taylor looked straight ahead as her face turned ten shades of red.
“What is it? Why are you blushing so hard?” I asked as I hit her on the arm.
Taylor looked over toward the guys and then around her shoulder to check where our mother was. “I ran into Jase one time when I was out running. He asked me to coffee, and we sat there for three hours and just talked. It was one of the best afternoons of my life.”
Smiling, I reached for her hand. I could see it all over her face, she liked this guy. “Then what happened?”
Taylor looked away. “I um . . . I asked him if he wanted to come back to my place and catch a movie.”
“And?” I asked with bated breath.
“He did and before I knew it we were all over each other and he had his hand down my pants and I was . . .”
“Ew! No! Stop . . . leave out those kind of details please!”
Taylor chewed on her lip as she giggled. Rolling my eyes, I motioned for her to keep talking.
“Okay so anyway, one thing led to another and all of a sudden he stopped.”
“He stopped what? Feeling on you?”
Taylor’s eyes teared up. “Yes. I mean, it was getting pretty serious, and I was the one who said we needed to slow things down and he totally agreed with me but I didn’t think he would just stop all together. I mean, Meg, he said such sweet things to me.”
My heart hurt for my sister. I wanted her to find someone who would be her everything and she would be his. “Like?”
“Like how much he liked me and he didn’t mean to lose control like that and he would never push me into something I wasn’t ready for. But I think I messed up because now he doesn’t want me at all.”
My mouth dropped open. “You didn’t mess up.”
Scrunching up her face, Taylor nodded. “I did. I dropped the V word.”
Peeking back out to make sure the guys were still busy, I turned back to Taylor. “What did he do?”
Taylor lifted her shoulders and gave me a confused look. “He smiled.”
My head jerked back as I looked at her shocked. “Like what kind of smile?”
“I don’t know, Meg. He just smiled and said that made everything so much better for when it was the right time.”
“Huh. So he liked the fact that you were a virgin, which I’m still shocked that you are, but that’s good Taylor. You’re saving yourself for that one guy.”
Taylor smirked. “Thanks I guess.”
“Okay, so let me think about this. He got hot and heavy with you and then stopped when you said you needed to go slow. Then you told him your cherry is intact. Clearly he wanted your first time to be something a little more special than on the couch in your apartment.”
Rolling her eyes, Taylor hit my leg. “Ugh! Meagan!”
Laughing, I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “He hasn’t talked to you since then?”
“Well, he’s talked to me, and has even asked me out a few times. Then all of a sudden, he just stopped paying any attention to me at all. It’s like I don’t even exist anymore.”
Pinching my eyebrows together, I stared at my sister. “Then fuck ’em, Tay. Don’t ever let anyone treat you like that. Ever. If he can’t even see what is in front of his face, then the hell with him.”
“I thought so too, but then, a few weeks ago, he walked up to me and asked me how I was doing.”
“Did you tell him to fuck off?”
Taylor smiled weakly. “I wanted to. I did give him the cold shoulder. He walked with me for a bit and told me he was sorry he just up and stopped talking to me.”
“Was there a reason?”
“He said he felt like an asshole but that he thought it was best if he left me alone. I guess he said he ended up getting drunk at a party one night and woke up with a girl in his bed and he felt guilty as hell and that he didn’t want to hurt me. I told him I wasn’t under the impression we were dating, so why should he feel guilty. I feel like he just wants a girl with experience and I’m not her.”
My heart broke for my sister. Reaching over, I took her hand in mine. “Taylor, that was actually a sweet thing for him to do, he just went about doing it in a totally messed up asshole kind of way. Guys are like that. They think they are doing right by you and all they are doing is being stupid jerks.”
Taylor chuckled and nodded her head. “Maybe. It’s just, he makes me feel so different when I’m around him. Like he literally lights up my entire world, Meg. I’ve never met another guy who has done that.” A tear fell from her eyes as it rolled slowly down her cheek. “But I think it’s pretty clear, he’s not interested in me. Even if he was, do you really think he’d wake up in bed with some girl he had sex with the night before if he liked me?”
I wanted to punch this Jase guy so hard in the face he’d lose a few teeth.
Pushing a piece of her brown hair behind her ear, I shook my head. “Tay, if a guy doesn’t make you feel like you are the center of his world, he’s not worth having. He should make you feel like a princess and nothing less.”
“Does Gray make you feel that way?”
Pressing my lips together, I smiled and nodded my head. “Yes.”
Expelling a breath, Taylor shook her head. “Well, maybe it’s time I started not playing it so safe. I had this stupid silly idea I was going to save myself for that one special guy. Just think of all the sex I’ve lost out on!”
I shuddered and said, “Change of subject! Fast!” My face turned serious as I took my sister’s hands in mine. “Taylor, don’t do it. You’ll know when it’s right. Don’t have sex just to get back at this guy.”
Her lips pressed into a hard line as she nodded her head. “I won’t. I promise. But he is going to Europe this summer.”
“Really?” I asked as I lifted my eyebrows. “That should be interesting.”
Taylor attempted to smile, but I saw how conflicted she was. “Tay, if it’s meant to be, it will happen. In the mean time, don’t wait around for this guy.”
She nodded her head and looked back out at the guys. “So . . . how long before Dad and Josh start arguing about whose way is better?”
With a chuckle, I said, “Thirty minutes top.”
We spent the next hour laughing and talking about our future as we watched our father and Josh nearly get into a fist fight about which way the slide went on.
Yep. This was the life I wanted. The life I needed.
“Meagan? Is everything okay?”
Spinning around, I smiled when I saw Ashley. Grayson’s mother had been so supportive of our decision to move to Texas and the guilt was beginning to eat away at me.
“Hey,” I whispered as I tried to find my voice. I wasn’t sure if it was the pregnancy or a combination of everything that had happened to me over the last two months that was making me so emotional.
With a wave of my hand and a terrible fake laugh, I said, “I’m fine.”
Ashley walked out to the edge of her deck and stared straight ahead at the snowcapped mountains. “It’s so hard to believe it’s June. Where has the time gone?”
I slowly shook my head, but didn’t answer. When we came back to Colorado, I’d given Melissa my notice. Grayson did the same. Melissa had asked for a months’ notice to be able to find someone and then for me sit with the new person and go over each case I had, to which I agreed. Grayson’s boss was stunned he was leaving, but put in an excellent recommendation for him with a friend of his who worked for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Grayson had flown back to
Texas and interviewed for two days. He passed their tests with flying colors and so far had been offered two jobs. He was going to make his decision today, and I was on pins and needles to see which job he would accept.
I was offered a position with the high school in Mason, but they didn’t need anyone until the next school year. It worked out perfect. I’d be able to have the baby and spend time at home before I headed back to work.
“Are you upset that we’re moving? I feel like I’m taking your son away from you and to be honest, it’s tearing me up inside.”
Ashley’s face dropped. Taking my hands in hers, she gave me the warmest smile. “Meagan, I’m not upset at all. Gray called me from Texas about a week after he took you there and told me what he wanted to do. Sweetheart, I can come visit you any time.”
“But what about the baby?”
Her eyes turned sad for one moment before she squeezed my hands. “Oh, James and I plan on coming and staying with you after the baby is born, and I know we can come anytime to see you. Meagan, my sweet, sweet girl.” Placing her hand on the side of my face, I could practically feel her love. “You make my son so happy and that is all that matters to me. I don’t care if that takes him to Alaska and beyond. As long as he is happy.” She looked down and cleared her throat before looking back up into my eyes. “Gray told me what happened when he first found out you were pregnant. It still bothers him so much.”
I shook my head. “No, it shouldn’t. It wasn’t like we had planned this pregnancy.” My hand went to my stomach automatically. I was four months pregnant and barely had a tiny bump.
Her eyes turned soft as she glanced down to my hand. “I know, but I can only imagine the fear that was in him. I know it hurt him so much when his father left him. But also know that because of that, Gray is going to be the best father ever.”
Nodding my head, I softly said, “I agree.”
Ashley chortled and wiped her tears away. “Goodness. Let’s stop all this silly emotional stuff and get back in there. This is your last night in Colorado and I want to celebrate!”
“Agreed! I’m going to get drunk on apple juice!”
Ashley laced her arm around mine as we made our way back into the house. The rest of the evening was spent playing games, laughing, and looking at baby pictures of Grayson. It ended with lots of hugs and kisses.
By the time we got back to our apartment, we were both exhausted. The only thing left in the apartment was our suitcases and the bed. Grayson and I had donated everything to a battered women’s shelter. Derrick was coming by tomorrow to get the bed and bring it to the shelter.
After taking a shower, I stared at myself in the mirror. My stomach fluttered when I saw the baby bump that seemed to have popped out somewhere during the day.
“Gray! Come quick!”
Grayson ran so fast into the bathroom he almost bit it and fell. “What? What’s wrong?”
Giving him a grin, I stood sideways and ran my hand over the little bump. “Look!”
Grayson literally gasped out loud like a girl, which caused me to laugh. Heat surged through my body as Grayson dropped to his knees in front of me.
“Our baby,” he whispered as his hands moved across the small bump.
Oh. My. Stars.
This man is so utterly romantic and he doesn’t even know it!
“Hey, little peanut. You decided to make your presence known, huh?”
Grayson’s eyes lifted to mine. “Can you feel her moving yet?”
I swallowed hard. He said . . . her. He said her! He said her!
My heart dropped as I shook my head. “Not yet. My mom said it will feel almost like a little rumble of gas or feel like butterflies.”
Glancing back down to my stomach, Grayson started kissing all over my stomach. Before I knew what was happening, I was lying in bed and softly calling out his name as I lost myself to his lovemaking.
Grayson whispered my name as he poured himself into me. “Thank you, Meg. Thank you for loving me.”
My fingers moved lightly across his skin as I let this moment settle into my heart. “Grayson,” was all I could say as my emotions took ahold of my throat.
Before he rolled off of me, he looked into my eyes. “I made a decision about the job.”
My happy feeling quickly vanished. I loved that Grayson loved being a cop, but after my whole kidnapping incident and the baby, I now lived in constant fear something would happen to him.
Trying to keep my voice neutral sounding, I asked, “What did you decide?”
When he leaned down and whispered it in my ear, a single tear slowly made its way down my cheek while I wrapped my arms tightly around him.
Grayson
Late October
STANDING IN FRONT of the house, I rubbed the back of my neck to relieve the tension.
“Looks good,” Noah said from beside me.
My eyes traveled over the two-story house as I agreed by simply nodding my head. I wasn’t sure how we did it, but we got the house built and finished in time.
Letting out a sigh, I said, “If I wasn’t so tired, I’d jump up and down for joy.”
Leaning down, I opened up the cooler and reached in for a beer and a soda. Handing it to Noah, I laughed. “Here, drink this and you’ll feel better.”
Noah grabbed the soda and damn near drank it in one gulp.
“Is little Hope keeping you up still?”
Noah’s eyes lit up. Any mention of his almost three-month-old daughter, Hope Alaina, and he was flying high. Grace had given birth to Hope on August second with everyone waiting patiently in the waiting room. This little family was growing bigger by the day.
“She was sleeping through the night, but the last two she’s been waking up in the middle of the night. Grace is so busy with Homecoming mums that I’ve let her sleep and I’ve gotten up with Hope.”
With a crooked smile, I shook my head. “That must be such hell for you.”
Noah laughed. “Dude, I cannot wait for you to experience this. I can’t even put fatherhood into words. I’d never be able to describe how amazing it is.”
“Thinking more?”
Noah tipped the soda back and finished it off. Dropping the empty can into the bag, he shook his head. “I don’t think so. Grace and I talked about it; we kind of like having just the three of us. Besides, she has so many cousins, it’s unreal!”
Throwing my head back, I laughed. “She sure does.”
We stared at the house for another few minutes before I blew out a breath and started making my way to the front door.
“Meagan is going to love it, Gray,” Noah said as we walked into the foyer. Straight ahead was a staircase that winded up to the second floor. To the left was a formal living room, and to the right was my office. I’d taken a job with the Texas Department of Public Safety as a training coordinator at their tactical training center in Fredericksburg. My job was to train all incoming recruits both mentally and physically. Each recruit school lasted about twenty-six weeks. I loved my new job. And, Meagan had peace of mind I wasn’t in any danger to get shot at every single day when I walked out the door.
Walking down the hall, we went into the formal dining room that opened right up into the massive kitchen. The open floor plan had the breakfast area on the other side of the kitchen with a huge family room that would be perfect for having family over. The massive sandstone fireplace was the main focal point of the room.
The master bedroom was downstairs, along with a huge master bath. I had decided to add a fireplace that could be seen in both the bedroom as well as the bathroom. Meagan had loved the idea. Upstairs were three bedrooms, a playroom, and a media room I threw in at the last minute above the garage. Meagan hadn’t really been able to see the house that much since she had been put on bed rest shortly after Grace had Hope. She hadn’t seen it at all the last month. When she started having early contractions, the doctor thought it best for her to take it easy the rest of the pregnancy.
Noah walked
out onto the massive deck that overlooked the hill country. The Llano River flowed peacefully through the canyon. “You tell Meg about the media room yet?”
“Nope.”
Shaking his head, Noah sighed. “She is going to be so pissed at you.”
I let out a chuckle as I blew out a sigh of relief. “I’m just so glad it was all done before Meg’s due date. Although I have to say, I am going to miss our little rental house.” A memory quickly popped into my mind as Noah and I stood there looking out over the hill country.
“I kind of like this little house,” Meagan said with a crinkled nose.
Hitting play, I replied, “It’s cute.”
Meagan dropped down onto the sofa and said, “Don’t get me wrong, I want our house and I’m so glad we started it when we did. I just pray it gets finished by mid-October.”
I nodded. “Yep, me too.”
We had rented a little three-bedroom house in Fredericksburg and all Meagan ever said was how much she loved how cozy it felt.
Reaching over, Meagan grabbed some popcorn and went to put it in my mouth when she cried out.
“Oh. My. God.”
Pausing the movie, I sighed and then shoved popcorn in my mouth. “Hurry up and go to the bathroom . . . again . . . so we can get the movie started. I need to be in at work early tomorrow.”
Meagan squealed in delight.
She grabbed my hand and put it on her belly “The baby! She moved!”
“What?” I shouted as I jumped up and popcorn went flying everywhere.
I placed both hands on her belly and started talking to the baby. “Hey sweet girl, kick for Daddy. Please kick for Daddy.”
We both jumped when the baby kicked. “Oh my God! I felt her! I felt her!”
Meagan giggled and pushed on the side of her stomach to see if she would do it again.
Nothing.
“Talk to her again. I think she likes your voice,” Meagan said softly.
“Sweet baby girl, move for Daddy.”
Another hard kick caused my eyes to fill with tears. “She’s moving for me.”
Glancing up, Meagan was smiling so big as we spent the next five minutes feeling our child kick.