Author: J. Saman
Category: Contemporary
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“I see you smiling, Lucas, and I know you’re razzed about becoming an uncle or godfather or whatever you’ll be, but those babies are early. Let’s hold our excitement until we know everyone is okay, yeah?”
She has no idea what actually has me grinning like a stupid bastard.
“Did you know that when you’re nervous, your accent is a million times thicker than it normally is?”
Ivy rolls her eyes, hopping out of the car without responding to me.
“Did you ring Kyle and Claire?”
“I texted them, and they both said they were on their way. Claire was at the show with a date that she had to dump, but I think Kyle should be here soon.”
Ivy nods her head, looking as apprehensive as I’ve ever seen her.
“Hey.” I pull her into my side, wrapping a comforting arm around her. “They’ll be fine, baby. You’ll see. All of them.”
We rush into the hospital as Ivy fishes through her bag looking for her hospital ID, which should hopefully get us past the dictators at the front desk. It does, but once we get outside the trauma room where Kate is apparently delivering the babies, we’re stopped by a small and surprisingly intimidating woman.
“There are already too many people in that room and your presence won’t help a thing,” she says with an air of authority that’s begging to be challenged. “You can go back out to the waiting room.”
I’m about to open my mouth to set her straight when Ivy grabs my hand, trying to pull me away.
“No way,” I bark at her.
“Luke, first of all, Marybeth here is right.” I don’t give a fuck if Marybeth here is right. “There are far too many people in that room. We’ll just be in the way. Second of all, Kate is in the process of giving birth.”
“And your point is?”
“My point is that she does not want you seeing that, and something tells me that if we walk in there now, Ryan will kick your arse for seeing his wife’s vagina.”
“Oh.” I hadn’t thought about the whole seeing Kate’s vagina thing. That thought makes me shudder in the worst possible way.
“Yeah. Oh.” Ivy manages to tug me into compliance this time, and once we’re back out in the waiting room, we take a seat on the hard, unforgiving pleather chairs.
“I can’t believe Kate and Ryan are having their babies today.” I shake my head, beyond incredulous.
“Do you want that someday?” Ivy asks casually, but something in her intonation has me craning my head to examine her.
“Want what? Babies?”
“Yes.”
She’s not meeting my eyes as she chews nervously on the corner of her lip.
“Of course, I do, though I think I may prefer one at a time. Two seems like a lot to have at once.” I’m watching her absorb my words, trying to figure out why she’s gone from apprehensive over Kate and the twins, to edgy and agitated.
She just bobs her head, looking anywhere but at me, and I can’t stand this another moment. Shifting to face her fully, the seat squeaks its protest beneath me as I reach out and take her face in my hand, guiding it until her eyes are forced to meet mine.
“What’s up?”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re the worst liar, so out with it. You’re making an already tense situation worse. Are you okay? Is there something I should know?”
Then she breaks down into tears, and now my heart is really hammering away in my chest.
“I’m sorry,” she sobs, and I wrap my arms around her, terrified that she’s going to say something like she’s dying, or we can never have children or even adopt because of some obscure Australian glitch that makes everything impossible. That doesn’t even make sense in my mind, but the fact that she’s crying the way she is, in my arms, has me thinking all kinds of crazy illogical things.
“Ivy, you’re scaring me, darlin’. What’s going on? Are you all right?”
“I didn’t want to tell you like this, but I’m crying, and I can’t make it stop.”
“Okay, now you have to tell me, because you wouldn’t believe the things going through my mind right now, and I can promise you that all of them are really bad.”
More tears.
Crap.
“Are you dying?” She shakes her head. “Are you sick or is someone in your family sick?” Another head shake. “Are you secretly in love with someone else or have knowledge that the polar ice caps have finally melted and Seattle is about to be flooded with water?”
She laughs through her tears, and at this point, I’ll take what I can get.
“None of that.”
“Then, darlin’, you gotta tell me. Whatever it is, we’ll figure it out, okay?”
She sniffs a little, wiping her face on my t-shirt, before pulling back to look at me with red-rimmed, puffy eyes, and disheveled hair. She’s so beautiful.
“I’m pregnant.”
I can only stare at her, while those words replay through my head as I try to make sense of them. I’m pregnant. I’m pregnant.
“You’re pregnant?” This time I get a head nod. “And it’s mine?”
She rolls her eyes, “Of course, it’s yours, you daft wanker.”
And now I’m smiling like a son of a bitch because Ivy, the woman I had planned to get down on one knee and propose to tonight, is pregnant with my baby.
“Hell yeah!” I grab her, pulling her into me and hugging her securely against me until I remember that she’s pregnant and maybe squeezing the life from her isn’t a wise thing anymore.
“You’re okay with this?” She’s still sniffing back her tears.
How can she even question that?
“I’m so much more than okay. I’m beyond fucking ecstatic. In fact, I think it’s safe to say I’ve never been happier in my life.” Reaching out, I cup the flat expanse of her lower belly in awe. My baby is in there. “When did you find out?”
“This morning. I took a test because I missed my period last week, and it came back positive and I’ve been thinking all day about how I was going to tell you.” She shrugs, sniffles, and wipes her nose with the back of her hand. “I thought you’d be mad as a cut snake with me.”
I snicker at the phrase, shaking my head.
And even though we’re in the hospital’s emergency department waiting room sitting on miserably uncomfortable chairs and it smells like bleach and body odor, I can’t think of a better time or place to do this.
I lower myself onto the floor, kneeling in front of her and capturing her thighs between my arms before I lock my eyes with hers.
“Ivy, baby, I love you, and this is not how I wanted to do this. Not at all in fact.” Her expression drops. She thinks I’m talking about the baby. “I actually had a whole plan for tonight. Nothing outlandish or over the top, but now everything is different. You’re pregnant, and we’re having a baby, and well, I just can’t wait any longer.”
Her head is downcast; clearly, she’s not picking up on what I’m about to do, which just makes this moment better.
I place the petite black velvet box that I’ve kept in my pocket for over a week on her lap in front of her fingers, which are twisted into knots. Her eyes widen as she stares at the box before gazing at me, her mouth popping open into an adorable O shape.
“Ivy, darlin’, from the moment I met you all those years ago, I knew you were someone special. Life certainly has pulled us in a million different ways, but we came back together despite everything, which tells me that we’re meant to be. It tells me that not everything is random, because we’re here together. I love you and I will always love you. And I will always love our child,” I press my fingers to her lower abdomen again, “as well as any subsequent children.” A sob escapes her throat, but I think this time, it’s a happy one. I open the box in her lap, revealing the diamond solitaire that I bought her. “Will you marry me? Because there is no way I can have a happy ending without you.”
“Yes,” she whispers, her voice thick with tears and emotion, a
nd though it wasn’t the shout from the rooftops I was hoping for, this is far better, because Ivy Green just agreed to be mine forever and we’re having a baby.
I slide my ring onto her finger, both of us taking it in before I pull her toward me and press my lips to hers, promising her everything.
Seriously, could this get any better?
“Ivy, Luke?” a voice calls out, and we turn to face the nurse who looks startled to see us embracing like this, before she clears her throat and her expression turns completely impassive. “The babies were both born,” she says stoically. “Kate and Ryan asked that I tell you.”
She looks like she’s about to turn and leave it at that.
Is she kidding me right now?
“Hey,” I call out, ready to tackle this lady to the ground if she takes another step. “Are they okay? Are they boys, girls, hobbits, what?”
Her stone façade doesn’t crack, but I don’t care as long as she tells me what I need to know.
“One girl and one boy. Everyone is doing well, but the babies are premature and will have to stay up in the NICU for a few days.”
Both Ivy and I sag in relief.
“Can we see them?” Ivy asks.
“Not yet. We’re moving Kate up to the postpartum floor. You can visit her there.”
“Thank you,” we say in unison, and the nurse turns and walks away without further comment.
“I guess I was wrong,” I say, grinning like a fool at my new fiancée.
“Wrong about what?” she asks, furrowing her eyebrows.
“I was just thinking that things couldn’t get any better after you said yes to me and told me that you were pregnant, but I was wrong.”
“How so?”
“Because Kate and Ryan have a daughter and a son, and everyone is doing well, and I’m going to be a daddy and a husband.” Ivy nods her head like she not only gets it, but agrees.
Life is fucking perfect.
* * *
*** The End
Liked Luke and Ivy’s story? Pick up your copy of Start With Me and get lost in Claire and Kyle’s story.
START WITH ME
No relationships. No falling in love.
* * *
Those are Claire Sullivan’s rules. Simple. Easy. Uncomplicated.
Then Kyle Grant walks into her life and tries to mess all that up with his GQ model looks, irresistible charm and cocky, take-no-prisoners swagger.
Despite all that, she is determined to keep him snugly in the friend-zone.
Some secrets are just too dark to overcome and hers is certainly not the exception.
But when life and fate step in, Kyle decides he no longer cares about any of Claire's rules.
After all, rules are made to be broken.
Now she has to find a way to stop the man who is stubbornly trying to win her heart.
Not so easily done when she’s desperate to give it to him.
Copyright © 2018 by J. Saman
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Edited by Gina Johnson
Prologue
Kyle
* * *
“I was wondering when you were going to show up,” a sweet yet raspy female voice says from behind me as I step into the over-the-top mansion my brother, Ryan, rented for his wedding. I spin around and come face-to-face with a stunning redhead.
Wow. My eyes widen on their own volition so I can take in more of her.
“I’m not gonna lie, Kyle, my friend, we’d all but written you off for the main event.”
“Um,” I start, blinking at the woman who seems to know me though I’m positive I’ve never seen her before in my life. She’s definitely the sort of woman you’d remember. “I’m sorry, do we know each other?”
“You’re Kyle,” she says to me as her discerning gaze does a full sweep of my body. “I’d know you anywhere.”
A laugh bursts out of my chest. “Really? Because I have to be honest with you, cupcake, I have no idea who you are.”
The girl laughs, and it’s like music to my ears. Warm, smooth, and sweet. Like hot fudge on ice cream. It’s one of those laughs that light up her whole face, and you can’t help but join in because it’s just that infectious. “Why, I’m the girl you’re walking down the aisle tonight.” She bats her long eyelashes at me playfully.
“Is that right?” I move to lean into her, but before I can say anything else, I’m enveloped in a bear hug by a tall, broad man who can only be my brother.
“You’re late,” Ryan admonishes with a half-hearted glare.
“I’m not late,” I reply smoothly. “I’m right on time, big brother.” I smack his black tuxedo-clad back hard.
He sighs out, looking more relaxed than I would have anticipated considering he’s about to willingly hand himself over to one woman for the rest of his life. Though I guess if you are going to do that to yourself, he picked well. Kate is awesome, and I have to admit they’re perfect together.
“Kyle, I love you like a brother, but couldn’t you have gotten here yesterday instead of waiting until the last fucking minute?”
I snort derisively. “I am your brother, asshole, which is why I’m the best man.” I raise my eyebrows. “And on time.”
“You’re really not,” the redhead, who is still standing with us and smiling like she’s got a secret, says. “If my non-existent sibling showed up late to the wedding I’m never going to have, I’d be pissed.” What? “But considering the fact that you flew across the country and then drove up into the mountains, I’m thinking you should get a pass.”
“A pass, huh?” Ryan shakes his head at her, and the two exchange something with only their eyes, before he turns back to me. “You do know that if you lived in Seattle and worked for my company, you wouldn’t have to work eighty-hour weeks? You would have already been up here. You would have been here last night, in fact. Oh, and I pay a hell of a lot better than whatever bullshit you’re making now.” Ryan pins a purple orchid onto the lapel of my tuxedo jacket like he’s my prom date, before stepping back to admire his handiwork.
“That’s probably all true,” I bristle. “But I am not a corporate attorney.”
He nods solemnly. “But you should be,” he says, pushing the rim of his black glasses up his nose. “Way less stress than being a criminal defense attorney in New York.” I decide to let it go. Partially because we’ve had this conversation no less than a dozen times since I graduated law school, and partially because . . . well, it’s his wedding day.
“Wow, I totally can’t picture Kyle working with us,” the redhead says, and my eyebrows furrow.
“I’m sorry, how do we know each other again?”
Ryan rolls his eyes at me as a small smirk pulls up the corner of his lips. “Kyle, this is Katie’s maid of honor, my assistant, and all-around pain in my ass, Claire Sullivan. Claire, this is–”
“Your brother, Kyle,” she interrupts, smiling with amusement, her eyes still locked on me. “Yes, I do believe I already said I knew him. You have a picture of the two of you in your office on your bookshelf.”
Claire. Her name bounces around my mind as I take her in. And, now that I think on it, I remember Ryan mentioning her over the years. I just never realized she was also Kate’s maid of honor. And breathtakingly gorgeous.
“Then I guess it’s about time we met, especially since I haven’t had the pleasure before now and I’m the guy who gets to walk you down the aisle.” And then I laugh awkwardly like an insecure teenager who’s never talked to a girl he thought was pretty before. “You know what I mean,” I say and instantly regret it. Jesus, when had I become such an inarticulate bumbling idiot?
Luke, my brother’s best friend, snorts as he walks up to us, clearly having overheard. “Way to play it co
ol there, guy.”
I elbow him, which only makes him laugh more. Claire is gazing at me like she finds me adorable, and I realize I like being on the receiving end of that look from her. Even if it is at my expense.
“About time you showed up, motherfucker,” Luke laughs. Always a nice greeting from him.
“Blow me, bitch,” I say back with an overly exaggerated smile plastered on my face.
“Maybe later.” He winks as he nudges my side again. “We’ve got a show to get through first.” Luke stands up to his full height, his short brown hair gelled back. “You ready for this, big guy?”
“Why does everyone keep asking me that?” Ryan grouses, looking at each of us. We just shrug in response. “I mean, I asked her to marry me. Not the other way around.”
“You’re right,” Claire says with a wink. “So maybe we should all be asking Kate that question? In fact, I think maybe now that the best man has arrived, we should get this party started.”
Ryan’s smile grows. “Showtime,” he booms as he and Luke begin to walk to the back of the room where a few other people seem to be lining up for the ceremony.
“Where is Kate?” I ask, my eyes scanning the vast room decorated in twinkling lights, candles, and flowers in search of my soon-to-be sister-in-law. The alluring fragrance of vanilla, cinnamon, and pine trees assaults my senses. It smells like Christmas in here, even though it’s June.
“She thinks it’s bad luck for Ryan to see her before the ceremony,” Claire says with a shrug, like superstitions are a ridiculous practice. They probably are, but after Kate lost both her husband and toddler daughter in a car accident several years back, I know she doesn’t mess around with anything she views as a potential risk. Even on her wedding day. Especially on her wedding day.
“Looks like you’re stuck with me tonight,” I say with a smile, liking that thought probably more than I should given our situation. I extend my elbow to her so she can loop her arm through mine, and we follow Ryan and Luke to the back of the room.