“Two. I kind of liked having Luke around. He came in handy when I needed him.”
Noah’s body rocked me gently as he chuckled. “Yeah, I liked having Em around too. Especially when I needed her to taste something new my mother had cooked.”
Smiling, I peeked up at Noah. “That’s mean.”
Shrugging his shoulders, Noah said, “That’s life. She learned quickly not to be such a push over.”
I let out a soft chuckle as I looked back over at Grams and Gramps. They both looked so worried. “Can you believe they’re waiting for their great-great-grandchild to be born? Can you even imagine?”
Noah’s fingers glided across my arm softly as he said, “No, I can’t imagine how that must feel.”
“The things those two must have seen in their day. How awesome is that?”
Noah pulled my body closer to his. “Colt was telling me about his Grams and Gramps. He said he’d never seen two people so in love after so many years together.”
“I think that’s what keeps them going so strong. Their love for each other. I would dare to say that when they do pass on . . . they’ll probably go together. I couldn’t imagine either one of them being happy without the other.”
Noah took his finger and placed it on my chin as he brought my lips to his. “That’s a forever love.”
Whispering, I smiled and said, “Yes it is.”
Hearing Taylor let out a gasp, I looked over toward the doors and saw Gunner standing there. Tears were streaming down his face as we all slowly stood up.
“No. Please, God no,” I said as I leaned my body into Noah’s.
Smiling a smile so big and bright, Gunner held up his hand as if he was asking for a moment. Ellie came walking out behind him, followed by Josh and Heather.
Heather took a step forward and said, “Bayli Elizabeth Hayes was born about fifteen minutes ago.”
Crying, I turned to Noah who held me tightly while Heather kept talking.
“She weighs four pounds one ounce and is seventeen inches long.”
Everyone erupted in cheers as they hugged the new grandparents.
Walking up to Ellie, I wiped my tears away as I said, “Ellie, is Alex okay?”
Taking me in her arms, Ellie cried as she said, “Yes! Oh sweetheart, Alex is doing amazing. Will is a little emotional, but I think he is okay.” Pulling back some, Ellie pushed a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Bayli is in NICU, but Dr. Johnson thinks she’ll only be in there for a few days. The main thing is making sure she can breathe on her own and suck so she can eat.”
Closing my eyes, I thanked God for the answered prayers. Opening my eyes, I turned to Gunner as he held me close to him. I stood back and looked between the happy grandparents.
“Um . . . did they say what caused her water to break?”
Ellie shook her head. “It’s really hard to say. It was nothing Alex did. Stress might have led to it, but they aren’t sure. Sometimes these things just happen. Thankfully though, both Alex and Bayli are doing wonderfully.”
Noah wrapped his arm around my waist and said, “Looks like Bayli wanted to make today’s grand opening . . . grander!”
Everyone laughed and agreed as the mood in the waiting room shifted and sniffles were replaced with laughter.
“Alex stood outside the store front window of Wild Flowers and stared as she rocked Bayli back and forth in her arms.
Rolling my eyes, I said, “Jesus H. Christ, Alex. Bayli’s going to be ten by the time you decide if you like the display window or not!”
Alex giggled and handed me her four-month-old baby who had been sleeping in her arms. “Here, take Bayli and let me go change one thing. I want to see if moving that vase to the other side will balance the display more.”
Alex rushed back into the store and moved not only the vase, but at least ten other items as well.
Sighing, I walked with Bayli over to the small bench that sat outside our nursery. Sitting, I hummed as Bayli stretched and opened her eyes. Her big, beautiful blue eyes met mine and my heart melted on the spot. Just like it did every time I looked into her eyes.
“Hey, baby girl. Are you awake now that you’re not in Mommy’s arms?”
Bayli gave me a small smile and closed her eyes again as she quickly drifted back to sleep. Will said his daughter was sharp and I believed it. Even in her sleep, she knew something was different. She wasn’t in her momma’s arms, so she woke up to check it out.
I began humming again while I slowly rocked back and forth as I studied Bayli’s precious face.
I want one.
Wait. What?
Closing my eyes, I shook my head to clear my crazy thoughts. I can’t have a baby! What in the hell am I thinking? I’m getting married in two weeks, I’m part owner of a successful business; I don’t have time for a baby.
Glancing back at the window, I watched as Alex stood in front of the window and looked at all her changes.
Alex does it. Why couldn’t I?
No. No stop this Grace.
There will be no babies. No baby making with Noah. Who was really good at what we would need to do to make babies.
Really good. Really . . . really good.
I wonder if she’d have green eyes or brown? She’d have brown hair for sure. And my chin and nose. Oh lord, I hope she got Noah’s eyebrows and eyelashes because I’d kill to have both. They are perfect.
Smiling, I glanced back at Bayli. What if I had a boy? He for sure would have his father’s handsome as hell good looks. I bet he’d be just like his daddy.
“Whatcha thinking about, Grace?” Alex asked as she sat next to me, pulling me out of my wonderful daydream.
“Nothing.”
“Uh-huh. Cause that goofy, happy look on your face as you gazed at my daughter was a look of nothing.”
Handing Bayli back to Alex, I stood up and laughed. “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Listen, I need to go in and start thinking about flower designs for the wedding.”
Alex pinched her eyebrows together and said, “Whose wedding?”
“Mine of course! You know, the wedding I’m planning that’s in two weeks.”
Alex stood up and winked at me. “We already planned them out, remember?”
Oh yeah. We did already plan them out.
“We did?” I asked even though I remembered we had done it yesterday.
“Yep. Yesterday to be exact.”
Rubbing my hands together, I said, “Well, I need to call the caterer and make sure she is on track.”
“It’s Jessie. She’s on track and I know for a fact because Colt told me his mother-in-law was the most organized person on the planet.”
“Hmm . . . well . . . Oh I know! I need to call about Noah’s tux.”
Alex walked ahead of me as she said, “Done.”
“The rest of the guys’ tuxes?”
Glancing back over her shoulder, Alex smirked. “Done. Your dress is hanging up in your mother’s closet ready for the big day. Your dad has been warned not to threaten Noah’s life, and Luke has been told if he tries one prank, Libby will withhold sex for two months. The chairs for the wedding are ordered and set to arrive the day before. I’ve got all the guys on chair and table duty.” My mouth dropped open and before I could even say anything, Alex opened the front door of our store and headed toward the back offices and to Bayli’s room.
“Meagan flies in two days before the wedding after she made it clear she was not to be on the same flight as Noah’s cousin Grayson, who I still can’t believe was the stripper that Lauren snagged his number from.” Setting Bayli gently in her crib, Alex turned and walked out of the room, shutting the door quietly. “Oh, speaking of, Grayson will be flying home two days before the wedding, on the same flight as Meg but we’ve kept that little bit information from her.”
Alex grabbed a birdfeeder and turned and put it on one of the displays as she continued talking. “The cakes have been triple-confirmed and will be delivered four hours befor
e the wedding.”
Stopping in front of me, Alex grinned from ear to ear. “You see. Everything is taken care of and on schedule. So, now will you tell me what you were really thinking about outside.”
Feeling my stomach drop, I was about to tell Alex when the bell rang on the front door and Noah and Will walked in. Both of them were covered in sweat with their T-shirts plastered to their chest. My eyes landed on Noah’s perfectly chiseled chest as my libido kicked into overdrive.
“Holy hell,” I whispered.
“Lord, please let Bayli nap extra long today,” Alex said next to me.
Turning my head to look at Alex, I gave her a shocked expression. Alex waved me off. “Please, don’t even look at me like that. I’ve been dying to break in my office furniture.”
Slamming my hands over my ears, I said, “Ew! I didn’t need that visual, you bitch!”
Will walked up to Alex and kissed her as she grabbed him by the shirt and said, “I need to talk to you alone in my office.”
Will glanced at Noah and wiggled his eyebrows as Noah laughed and called out, “Have fun kids!”
Watching Alex and Will walk toward the back, I quickly turned back and let my eyes take in the handsome man standing in front of me.
His brown hair was wet and a mess on top of his head. His caramel eyes danced with a desire that had my body literally aching to feel him inside of me. His perfectly plump lips demanded to be kissed by mine.
“Baby, if you keep looking at me like that, I’m going to bend you over the counter and fuck you hard and fast.”
A soft low moan escaped my lips as I quickly reached behind the counter and grabbed my purse. “We really need to get you home, so you can shower,” I said as I walked past Noah and locked the front door. Turning off the open sign, I placed the out to lunch sign in the door and grabbed Noah’s hand as I led him to the back door and to his truck.
Once we moved to Mason, Noah decided he needed a truck. He traded his Nissan sports car in for a Chevy truck. I’d never seen anyone as excited as he was when he drove it home for the first time. We barely made it into Mason County before Noah pulled down a dirt road and parked. Claiming we needed to break the truck in ASAP, he climbed into the bed of his truck and dragged me with him. We quickly got lost in each other and stayed in that field for three hours. Talking, making love, and talking some more. It had been the perfect way to celebrate our moving to Mason.
“Grace, you’re not even going to tell Alex you’re leaving?”
“Nope,” I said as I opened the driver’s side door and pushed Noah in. “I need to be with you. Now.”
Noah licked his lips as he quickly motioned for me to get in the truck. Running around the front, I climbed in and quickly unbuttoned his jeans.
“Grace, baby I’ve been working in the field loading hay bales. The sweat on my balls has sweat on it.”
“Don’t care,” I said as I quickly found what I was looking for. “Drive Noah.”
“How in the hell do you expect me to . . . holy fuck!”
Wrapping my lips around his dick, I began sucking. Noah’s hand went to my head where he grabbed a handful of hair and guided my head to the motion he wanted. “Mother of God, that feels amazing,” Noah hissed between gritted teeth.
Pulling my lips off of him, I looked at him and said, “Drive. Noah.”
Putting the truck into reverse, Noah, backed up and then headed to our three-bedroom house we had bought after Noah and Em sold the house in Austin they grew up in. They split the money, and Noah and I used his half to put down on our little piece of heaven here in Mason. It was perfect. Six miles from the shop, and only ten minutes from my parents’ ranch.
“Oh God, Grace, baby, you better stop or I’m going to come.”
Smiling, I slowly started to sit up when Noah pushed my head back down on his dick, nearly causing me to gag and throw up.
“Holy fuck! Your dad. Your dad is behind me! No! No! No!”
Pushing his hand off my head, I raised up slightly. “What?”
“He’s pulling up next to me. Oh for the love of God! Why?”
“Don’t look at him. Speed up. Go faster!”
“Fucking hell, Grace. Don’t say shit like that. All I can think of is fucking you right now and my dick is about to explode.”
Biting on my lip, I said, “Oh really?” Running my tongue along his shaft, Noah sucked in air through his teeth and moaned.
“Stop. Grace. Your father is . . . oh God . . . oh yeah, baby.”
Slipping him into my mouth again, I went to town. “No! Grace, your head is fucking bopping up and down. Have. To. Stop.”
As I moaned against his dick, Noah dropped his head back onto the headrest. “Fuck, I’m going to die before I even had chance to marry you.”
Hearing my father’s truck move up further next to Noah, I slid off his dick and managed to move my body to where it looked like I was laying against the passenger side door sleeping.”
Noah laughed and said, “This is why I’m marrying you. You’re fast on your feet.”
Smiling, I kept my head down so it would appear I was sleeping. My father honked the horn to get Noah’s attention.
“Oh hey there, Grace’s dad, who is driving along next to me while my dick is exposed. At least the sight of your dad made it go down.”
Busting out laughing, I slowly sat up and appeared to look like I just woke up. Turning to look, I fought like hell not to laugh. Noah had been waving as my dad was waving back. Pointing in front of him, he mouthed something.
“What . . . what did he say?” Noah asked.
Panic raced through my body as I dug through my purse for my phone. Hitting his number I waited for him to answer.
“Hey, Grace. Are y’all headed home for lunch?”
“Um . . . well Noah needed to shower and I needed to grab something that was at the house for the display window we’re working on for the Fourth of July.”
“How awesome. Should I stop by and visit?”
“No!” I shouted. My father had already pulled ahead of Noah and was now in front of us.
“Why not?”
Swallowing hard, I tried to think quickly. “Well, I’m just going to grab the little stool and then head back in my car.”
“Want me to drive you back? That way, Noah can come get you in his truck.”
“Awe, Daddy, you’re so sweet, but that’s okay.”
Hearing him let out a breath, he finally said, “Well, do you think I’m going to get to spend some time with you before I lose you to Noah?”
My heart broke as I heard the sadness in his voice. “Oh, Daddy. You’re not losing me to Noah.”
Noah looked over at me and smiled as he took my hand and kissed the back of it.
“I am, Grace. He’s taking my little girl from me and there isn’t a damn thing I can do about it.”
Feeling a sense of warmth rush through my body, I said, “How about this. You and I spend the entire day together tomorrow.”
“Will you go fishing?”
Letting out a chortle, I said, “Yes. I’ll even go fishing with you.”
“The whole day? You and me. No Noah at all?”
Peeking over to Noah, I smiled and said, “Yes, Daddy. You and me, and no Noah.”
“Hey,” Noah said playfully with a pout that had me instantly turned on again.
“Okay. It’s a deal. Then dinner at our house, and I guess that little bastard can come too.”
Shaking my head, I reached over and played with Noah’s dick again as his eyes grew wider. “Dinner at the house with you and Mom. Got it. Love you, Daddy.”
“Love you back, baby girl. Do me a favor, put Noah on the phone.”
The fact that my father just busted out and asked to speak with Noah should have had me worried, but I figured he was going to give Noah hell about the wedding coming up. “Okay, here he is.” Handing the phone to Noah, I said, “He wants to talk to you.”
Noah pushed my hand off his di
ck as I giggled and pouted. Taking the phone from me, Noah said, “Hey Jeff, what’s up?”
Noah’s face instantly turned white as he let his foot off the gas some before applying pressure again.
Noah nodded his head and said, “Yep. Okay got it, thanks for taking care of that for me. Yes, sir. Bye.”
Handing me the phone back, Noah ran his hand through his hair and said, “Holy fucking hell. I can’t believe this shit.”
Pinching my brows together, I asked, “What’s wrong?”
Noah pulled down our driveway and stopped at our gate as he hit the button and waited for it to open. “I need a second, Grace.”
Once the gate opened, he hit the gas and flew down the driveway. The entire time he kept mumbling something over and over again.
As we approached our house, I saw a car parked in our driveway. “Who is that and how did they get in?”
Noah stopped the truck behind the white Mercedes and let out a deep breath. “Your dad let her in.”
Turning to look at Noah, I asked, “Well who in the hell is she?”
Closing his eyes, Noah said, “The girl I dated before you.”
Feeling a lump in my throat, I turned and looked back toward the house. A girl with blonde hair that was pulled back in a ponytail stood on our front porch. “The girl you dated in high school and college?”
Noah grabbed my hands and pulled on them to get me to look at him. “Yes. Your dad drove by and saw her sitting outside the gate trying to dial to see if anyone was home. He let her in after she told him who she was. Jeff said he left me a message on my cell phone.”
“Why would my dad let some stranger in, Noah? Regardless if she told him she dated you, that doesn’t make sense.”
Noah’s eyes flashed back over to the blonde and then back to me. “She told him she was looking for her old fiancé, tracked him down and found out he lived here. Then she told him my name.”
My mouth dropped open as I pulled my hands from Noah’s. “You bastard. You were engaged to her?”
“Wait, Grace, you don’t understand and you need to let me explain all of this, after I find out what she wants.”
Turning back to her, my heart raced. Holy shit. Please don’t let the past be showing up on my doorstep.