“God forbid I make a scene at his birthday.”
“See,” she tsked. “That, right there. That’s the crap I’m not going to tolerate.”
“Katherine, he accosted your father’s associate at a formal affair!”
“Daddy doesn’t even like Dawson!”
“That’s not the point,” she argued, and Kat’s blood boiled.
“What is the point, Mom? How would you feel if I told you Dawson practically forced himself on me, thinking because I have a child I’m some sort of a whore?”
“He wouldn’t do that—”
“He did! Right there on my front porch! I had a bruise on my leg because he grabbed me so hard, but you don’t want to hear that. You’re probably thinking of some excuse, something I did in order to provoke him. You might not like Tyson, but I can promise you he’d never disrespect me the way that man did.”
She sniffed. “It’s irrelevant now.”
Laughing without humor, Kat said, “You’re right, but your feelings on the subject aren’t. It matters to me that my mother will defend some asshole before her own daughter. If anyone ever spoke to Mia that way or scared her like that, I’d kill them.”
“What would you have me do, Katherine?”
“Just be on my side! For once!”
“I am on your side. For years, I’ve done nothing but try to make your life better. I thought having a husband would—”
“I didn’t need a husband! I needed my parents.” Lowering her head, she said. “I was a kid. You took me to that apartment, put two thousand dollars in my bank account and abandoned me when I was eight months pregnant. Do you have any idea how terrified I was? I didn’t want your money. I just wanted to know I could go to you when I was scared or confused, and I could talk to you without being judged or made to feel like an idiot.”
Vivian met her gaze, her lips tensing, as words seemed to crowd the tip of her tongue. “You’re a good mother, Katherine. Sometimes I see the way Mia looks at you and depends on you, and I… I feel like a failure. All I ever wanted was to be close to my daughter.”
Startled by the compliment to her parenting skills, her anger ebbed. “Then you need to get to know who your daughter is. I’m not a debutant. I’m not graduating from some Ivy League school like some of your friends’ kids. And I’m not sorry.”
She sighed. “I’m tired of fighting, Mom. So what if you can’t brag about my car or if you’re not brimming with pride over the fact that I rent a home? You have Mia. Be grateful for all the incredible things she brings to our lives, but I’m telling you now, I will never let you control the woman she becomes. I want her to be happy and that isn’t a state you get to define for her. It’s whatever she wants it to be.”
She nodded. “I’m not used to this new side of you, Katherine.” She stood. “I will try my best to be better.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll let you know about next Sunday. I assume Jeremy won’t be taking Mia.”
She nodded. “Let me know.”
Without a show of affection, she opened the door and left.
Kat’s shoulders sagged as she roughly exhaled. Ten o’clock in the morning and she was ready for a drink.
Tyson awoke, the morning of his birthday, and grinned, pulling Kat’s soft body close to his so he could nibble her ear.
She stretched and purred, “Good morning, birthday boy.” Turning, she nuzzled his neck as her warm hand slid beneath the covers finding him already aroused.
Easing to his back, he grinned as she slowly stroked. “Do I get special birthday privileges today?”
“What would you like, old man?”
“You.”
“I believe I can provide that.” Slithering under the covers, she crawled between his legs and kissed his chest.
He pulled her closer, so her legs were straddling his. “Put me inside of you, kitten.” He groaned as her warmth engulfed him. Birthdays are good.
She slowly moved, languidly, milking her pleasure. Leaning forward, he took one puckered, pink nipple into his mouth as she slowly rocked back and forth. Making love to Kat in the mornings was his favorite way to start the day. It gave him something to wish for in the future—his future with her.
Falling back on the pillow, he raised his hips and pressed deep into her core. She hissed out a breath in sudden pleasure. With unhurried movements, the tension in her brow eased as he made love to her. “You feel that, kitten? That’s me, coming home.”
Rotating her hips, sinking fully down onto his length, she pressed so close it seemed they’d never break apart—he could only hope. Leaning forward, her fingers dug into his flesh. It was an exquisitely unguarded moment he committed to memory. She was a vision.
With shallow breaths, they pulled each other close as they worked their pleasure. Her sex fluttered and contracted as she moaned deep and long. His release pulled from the base of his spine as he thrust deeper.
Glancing at her soft belly, the way it folded with each rock of her hips, he envisioned the future and longed for the day his child might be there, their souls entwined in future that could not be undone. Kat was the one. He’d never been more certain of anything in his life.
A year ago, he thought he’d understood what his family had been pushing him to find. He understood the general process of life. People got married and people had kids. But not until he had fallen in love with Kat did he truly understand the magnitude of finding such happiness. Now he understood what being in love fully meant and his definition of happiness had met a new standard. Life was good.
Tyson finally left to meet the foreman for Jeremy’s project. As soon as he walked out the door Kat grabbed the phone and dialed Jeremy’s number.
“Good morning,” he answered and she smiled, liking this new level of friendship they developed over the passing weeks.
“Morning! Okay, you have to keep him occupied until four o’clock. Just like we talked about. If he tries to come home, you get him drunk. Understand?”
“I accept my mission. And try to breathe, Kat. It’s going to work out great.”
“God, I hope so.”
She hung up and located a bag of paper plates, cups, napkins, streamers, and other party decorations. Mrs. Adams and Gloria arrived as soon as she was dressed, followed by Gloria’s husband Darrel who was delivering the tables and chairs. Darrel also brought little Davis to keep Mia occupied, which definitely helped. There was a ton of work to do.
Mrs. Adams took over in the kitchen, prepping the food for the party as soon as she smothered Mia and Davis with kisses. Kat and Gloria followed Darrel out back and opened tablecloths to dress the tables. The kids played under a nearby tree as they set up for the party.
At eleven, Darrel left to go pick up the cake and Gloria and Kat made the punch. Mr. Adams arrived at one with the balloons and then took the kids for a walk to the park. The house smelled delicious and she loved learning all the different ways Tyson’s mom cooked.
Darrel constructed a crooked standing grate that he insisted was a fire pit. They were all a little concerned about the soundness of the lopsided structure, but didn’t want to hurt his feelings. At two o’clock she jumped in the shower and got dressed for the party.
Guests started to arrive at three. Kat greeted them and took their presents to a table out back. Tyson’s mother had set up a buffet and kids could pilfer the bucket of toys and yard games. Gramma Tessa and Mrs. Bradshaw were in charge of supervising the children as they roasted marshmallows over the sad fire pit.
By three-thirty most of Tyson’s family had arrived as well as many of his employees and friends. Jade showed up in an adorable dress. “What do you need me to do?”
Kat filled her arms with party hats and noisemakers. “Take these out and try to get people to wear them.”
“On it!”
Brushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, she turned back to the cookie tray.
“Katherine?”
Her eyes lit. “Daddy.” Abandoni
ng the deserts, she gave him a kiss and hug. “Let me introduce you to Ty’s parents.”
Tyson’s mother was the first to see them as she escorted her father out back. “Mrs. Adams, this is my dad, Edward.”
“Well, aren’t you a handsome thing.” She gripped him in an affectionate hug and her father actually laughed. It was interesting watching Ty’s mom tease her father. The man actually blushed.
Mrs. Adams took over the introductions, pulling her father from one guest to another and handing him a large cup of punch. Taking a deep breath, Kat smiled, as the unimaginable seemed to take place and her father easily mingled.
There was no Vivian, but Kat couldn’t pretend she was surprised. After their conversation the other day, her mother had a choice to make. The important thing was that Kat made it clear it was her mother’s choice and she’d be the one to live with it.
Not wanting her mother’s antics to spoil her good mood, she grabbed a cup of punch and lingered by the gate. Tyson’s car pulled up to the house just after four. “He’s here!” she called, hushing the guests as they gathered by the back gate.
Tyson entered the house. “Kat?” Opening the back door, he grinned.
“Surprise!” they yelled and Mia squealed with excitement.
He bashfully smiled as he walked over to Kat and gave her an affectionate kiss. “Sneaky kitten,” he whispered. Glancing around, he laughed. “You all got me.”
As he mingled and greeted his guests, she finally was able to relax. All her hard work paid off. Tyson seemed thrilled and in phenomenal spirits. Laughter mixed with music as guests enjoyed the food. They sang happy birthday and Jade and Jeremy helped pass out pieces of cake.
When it was time for gifts, everyone gathered around as Tyson opened his presents. Mia sat on his knee and helped him tear the paper, sticking the leftover bows on Tyson’s bald head. Kat gave him her gift last—a homemade blanket and two tickets to see Nora Jones in concert.
As he thanked her with a borderline inappropriate kiss, she smirked and whispered, “Did you get everything you wanted?”
“Almost,” he said and she frowned.
“What did we forget?”
“Nothing that can’t be fixed. Stasia,” he called his young cousin. “I saw another gift inside on the kitchen counter. Will you go get it for me?”
Stasia passed Malcolm to Gramma Tessa and went into the house. She returned a minute later carrying a small, black gift box with a silver bow on top. She handed it to Tyson.
He took a deep breath and exhaled, shaking his head. “This is what I wanted.”
Smiling, she wondered whom it was from. Her face went numb as he dropped to his knee and took her hand. The guests gasped in excitement and she froze.
“Kat, in the past six months, you’ve given me more happiness then I have ever imagined possible. You’re an amazing woman, an incredible mother, and I think I fell in love with you the minute I saw you gawking at me on my roof with my shirt off.”
Her face burned as everyone laughed.
“You let me into your life and made yourself a home in my heart. I couldn’t imagine a day without seeing your smile or hearing Mia giggle. I want to grow old with you, watch Cinderella until my head’s ready to explode, and always keep you cool during heat waves. But most of all, I want to love you for the rest of my life. Let me love you, Kat. I’ve never wanted anything more. Katherine Rose D’Angelo, will you do me the honor of being my wife?”
Blinking through glassy eyes, everyone else disappeared as she stared into the face of the man she loved. He opened the box and there sat the most perfect solitaire diamond engagement ring. Her vision blurred as tears spilled past her lashes.
Swallowing back the lump of emotion clogging her throat, she sniffled and laughed. “You aren’t supposed to buy other people presents on your birthday.”
“You’re all I want,” he softly whispered. “Now, I’m an old man, stop giving me a hard time and say yes.”
She sobbed and gave a tearful laugh then blurted, “Yes, I’ll marry you!”
An explosion of cheers rent the air and as if on cue, Al Green began to play.
Tyson stood and pulled her into his arms, passionately kissing her as the guests went nuts hooting and hollering. He pulled the ring from the box and placed it on her finger. It was a perfect fit, just like him.
“I love you, kitten.”
“I love you too.”
Pulling her into a hug, he kissed her ear and whispered, “First comes love, then comes marriage. Soon enough, we’ll have ourselves another baby in a baby carriage.”
And, once again, she started to cry. Only this time, they were tears of absolute joy.
Epilogue
Two Years Later
“We’re home!” yelled the little witch at her door.
“Did you have fun at your party today?” Kat asked, grinning at Mia’s chocolate stained face. “Did everyone like your cupcakes?”
“My teacher said it was the best frosting she ever tasted and I told her I made them!”
“Did everyone like your costume?”
“There were three witches, but I told them I was a good witch because I used to be a princess. Tabby was a cat and Jacob was a Zombie!” She dumped her goodie bag on the table and Kat quickly moved it out of reach.
“Dinner first. I think you’ve had enough candy, telling by your face.”
Mia sighed. “Is Aunt Gloria coming over to go trick or treating?”
Sliding four-month-old Tyson Jr. into his little pumpkin costume, she blew raspberries on his pudgy dimpled cheek. “Yes, and Grandma Celia, Daddy, and Kiki.”
Tyson lifted T.J. from her arms. “How was he today?”
“Perfect.”
Holding T.J. up, he nestled his little pumpkin belly as their son giggled and kicked his legs like a happy little grasshopper. “And how’s Daddy’s big man? Were you good for Mommy today?”
“Is T.J. going trick or treating with us, Daddy?”
Ty grinned, sliding TJ to his hip. “Of course. The whole family’s going.”
“I’m gonna go get my trick or treat bag!”
As Mia left the room, Tyson asked in a hushed voice, “Jade’s coming?”
Kat gave him a warning look. “Yes, Jeremy’s bringing her.”
“Have you talked to her today?”
The past two years had been a roller coaster for her best friend, filled with joy, tragedy, and acceptance. It was impossible to predict how Jade would act in any situation. She was no longer the same feisty girl she once was, but somehow, she was stronger.
“This morning. She had a session with Dr. Wolfe today, so I don’t know how she’ll be tonight.”
“Do you think it’s wise she do all the walking? Maybe she should stay back and hand out candy.”
“Ty, she said she wants to go with everyone else. You want to try telling her no?”
“No ma’am,” he quickly answered.
“That’s what I thought. Besides, Jeremy will be there.”
Gloria arrived with several boxes of pizza. They filled their bellies then loaded T.J. into his stroller as the kids used the bathroom one last time. When they opened the door, Jeremy was helping Jade from his car.
It was funny how life changed. Kat no longer felt the need to bend over backwards for those who didn’t appreciate her. Her father had become someone she could depend on and laugh with. Vivian was still Vivian, but Kat no longer allowed her to interfere with her own happiness. Seeing Jeremy take such good care of Jade after everything she’d been through was another unexpected gift. It seemed, no matter how many hardships they faced, life had a way of always working out for the best.
“Hey, you alright, kitten?” Tyson asked, sneaking up behind her.
“Yes, just thinking.” Her hand rested on her belly.
“About what?”
“I was thinking if this one’s a girl, we should name her Sophia after your sister.”
“If this one—” He paused. ??
?This one? As in—you’re pregnant?”
A smile broke across his face like dawn breaks across the night, slow and unsure at first, then bold and brighter than ever.
“I am.” Sighing at the fulfillment that came with saying the words aloud, she turned and wreathed her arms around his neck. “And Ty, the cravings have already started so you better do some serious trick or treating tonight and get me some good candy.”
“Anything for you, kitten. Anything for you.”
The End
Don’t miss Jade’s story
IF I FALL
By Bestselling Romance Author Lydia Michaels!
www.LydiaMichaelsBooks.com
About the Author
Award winning author, Lydia Michaels, writes all forms of hot romance. She presses the bounds of love and takes readers on an emotional journey of the heart, mind, and soul with every story she pens. Her books are intellectual, erotic, haunting, and always centered on love. Lydia Michaels loves to hear from readers!
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@Lydia_Michaels
[email protected] Other Titles by Lydia Michaels
The New Castle Series
First Comes Love {Book 1}
If I Fall {Book 2}
Something Borrowed {Book 3}
Remember Me {Book 4}
Why We Go
Breaking Perfect
Simple Man
Blind
La Vie en Rose {Life in Pink}
The Surrender Trilogy
Falling In
Breaking Out
Coming Home
McCullough Mountain
Sacred Waters
Skin