He pulls off his shirt and reaches for my shirt, pulling it over my head. His mouth goes to my nipple. I hiss when he sucks it, and he looks at me. “I think I’m getting my period,” I say. “They are really sensitive." I blink now and look at him as I think back to when I had my period last. "Oh, no,” I say, turning and running out of the room. "Did I have it when I got here?" I ask myself, and then I think I had it for sure when I got here because we had to leave the house and then rush out to get them. "Phew." I think, turning on my phone.
"Can I know what is going on?" I hear Reed from behind me.
"My period," I start to say, looking at the dates. “When was the last time I got it?"
"Well, we’ve been here a month, and there are no feminine products," he tells me. “Unless you keep them hidden."
I look at him. “Why would I hide them?" I ask, annoyed. “It’s been seven weeks." I put my hand to my stomach and sit down, the tears starting to come now. “I wasn’t even paying attention between moving here and opening the store." Which is the best thing I could have ever done. Every single day we sell out, the place is jam-packed, and we have even had some interest in doing a paint night once a week. “And all of this."
"What are you saying right now?" he says, his own face almost falling. “Are you saying you could …"
"I mean"—I close my eyes—“we have sex once a day."
He pffts out. “You mean two or three." He puffs out his chest.
"Relax, Romeo, there is no one here, so no need to whip it out." I look at the ceiling now. “What the …" I close my eyes now. “I can’t believe this." I mean, we were never ever careful, not one time. Who gets pregnant this fast? I look down at my hands. I look over and see that Reed has left. “Reed." I call his name, and then he walks back into the room, his shirt now on.
"Only one way to find out,” he says, holding out his hand to me. “Let's go get some tests."
"How are you not freaking out right now?" I ask, and he comes over to me, pulling me up.
"Because together everything is going to be okay." He kisses me, and I nod. “Oh, fuck,” he says, turning and running back to the bedroom. He comes out now. “I might as well do this now," he says. “And if I do it after the test, you are going to spin it in your head that it’s for a completely different reason." He starts mumbling, and I look at him, confused.
Until he gets down on one knee. “Reed Billy Barnes," I say his full name. “I will gut you like a fish if you don’t get up."
He smirks now and looks down at the brown box in his hand. “I had this whole thing set up, but …" He smiles now. “But just like us, we like to do things just a touch backward." I put my hands to my mouth now. “I’ve loved you since I was eighteen years old." His voice dips. “For six years, you were locked in a box, and I knew if I opened it up, I knew that it would be the same all over again." The tears stream down my face now. “You opened that door, and it was as if I could breathe again. It was as if I had died six years ago, and I was now coming to life."
I put my hands on his cheeks, kissing his lips. “Reed,” I whisper.
"You gave me our little girl," he continues. “There is no one I would think of living this life with besides you. Hazel"—he opens the box—"will you marry me?"
"Reed,” I say, getting on my knees in front of him and burying my face in his neck.
He hugs me in his arms. “Is that a no?" I can hear the humor in his voice, and the only thing I can do is say one word.
"Yes." I close my eyes as my tears fall. He peels me away from him and slips on the ring that was in the box. I look down and see the huge round diamond and the pink gold with little diamonds all the way around.
"This ring is huge,” I say, looking at him.
"Sofia picked it out," he says. “This was the smallest one she picked out," he says, getting up, and all I can do is look at the ring. He walks me out of the house, putting me in the truck, and when we get out, I walk in and buy fifteen tests.
"Um, shouldn’t one be enough?" he asks when we get back home, and I look at him.
"No, because if one is not sure, you have a backup," I say, opening the boxes.
He picks up one box. “This says two lines is positive, and this one tells you yes or no," he reads. “How are you going to do this? Just pee in a cup and stick them all in like they are stir sticks?" I look at him, thinking that might not be a bad idea. "Go pee in the cup, and I'll get the stir sticks ready."
"Um …" I shake my head. “You aren’t going to touch my pee,” I say, and he laughs.
"It’s just pee," he says. I grab two sticks, walk into the bathroom, and he follows me.
"Stay here,” I say when I close the door. “I’m going to pee on these two, and if anything, we can do two more later." I pull down my pants and grab the two sticks, holding them together.
I place them on the counter and flush. “Can I come in now?" he asks, opening the door.
"Three minutes,” I say, walking out of the bathroom and pushing him out with me. “We wait three minutes."
"Should we watch them?" He points at the tests.
"They’re not a cake. You don’t watch them. You sit down and wait for three minutes, and it’s going to feel like it’s eighty-four years,” I say, sitting on the bed.
"I don’t know if I can wait three minutes,” he says. “It’s been, what, a minute so far?"
I laugh. “It’s been ten seconds."
"This will be better if I watch them,” he says, walking into the bathroom.
"I’m staying here,” I say, and my legs start to move now. “If this is negative, we are having safe sex until we are ready," I inform him. “No more playing Russian roulette with my ovaries." I tilt my head to look into the bathroom and see him examining the sticks. “What do they say?"
"It’s not time yet,” he says and picks the other one up. “But"—he looks at me—“one says yes, and the other has two lines." I get up now. “Will they change?"
"I don’t know," I say, standing next to him, picking up one. “We should do another one."
Thirty minutes later, another five tests have come back positive. "Well," Reed says, then looks at me. “Do you think it’s another girl?" I put my head back and groan, closing my eyes before he finally takes me in the shower.
Nine months later, our baby boy blesses us.
Epilogue Two
Reed
Seven Years later
"I think he’s out,” I say, walking out of our son's room and looking over to see that it’s seven o’clock.
"Did he whine?" Hazel asks, walking to the fridge, her hair wet from the shower. “He usually likes to nurse to go to sleep." In the past seven years, I’ve fallen more and more in love with my wife. I put a matching wedding band on her finger the week after we found out we were having a boy. With Sofia in the middle of us, we said our vows, and it’s been blissful ever since.
"In one month, he’s already taken over everything,” I say, sitting down on the stool with my head hanging. “Why is it so much harder than Kaine?”
"Maybe because he knows we aren’t having another child, so he’s going to make sure we stick to our guns." I laugh, thinking of our son Denver. He came into the world with a roar and never stopped. He came out with his nights and days screwed up, and we just got him figured out, but now he's decided that sleep, in general, is overrated.
The front door opens, and we both look over to see our thirteen-year-old daughter coming into the house. She has grown up to be even more beautiful than I can explain, making being a father to a girl so much harder. “Is he finally sleeping?" She stops, and Harlow also stops behind her.
"Should we even be talking?" Harlow asks, looking around. "I don’t want to wake him."
"He should be out for at least an hour," Hazel says, closing her eyes. “I fucking hope."
Harlow laughs now. “Okay, kiddo," she tells Sofia. “Give me a hug. I’ll be gone this weekend."
Sofia walks to her and gives her a hug,
turning and walking to her room on her tippy-toes.
"Are you really going to that wedding?" I look at her as she walks to the kitchen.
"What am I supposed to do?" She sits down next to me. “I made a promise, and a promise is a promise."
"I don’t think you need to keep a promise you made to an ex-boyfriend," Hazel says. “An ex-boyfriend you still love."
She rolls her eyes at Hazel. “I don’t still love him. Besides, I got an invitation. If I don’t show up, he’s going to know it bothers me." She pushes off the counter. “I’ll go to the wedding, show my face, smile, and wish him well." She shows us the smile she'll use. “See? Fine." She turns on her heels and storms out of the house.
"This is not going to be good," Hazel says.
"You can say that again." I shake my head. “Nothing about that was good." I get up and walk over to her, kissing her on her neck.
"He’s not going to know what hit him," Hazel says. "What do you say we go and nap?"
I grab her hand and head to our bedroom. “That has to be the sexiest thing you’ve ever said to me."
I’m about to fall onto the bed when I hear the grunting of our son. “Oh, look, our little ray of sunshine is up," Hazel says, making me laugh.
She’s helped make me whole. She’s helped me be the best man I can be. Seven years ago, I thought I had it all until I saw what I was missing. “Love you,” I say for the hundredth time just today.
"Love you more." She smiles. “Forever."
* * *
Are you ready for The Southern Wedding Series?
* * *
Harlow
I promised him I would be there for the best day of his life.
Not thinking I wouldn’t be the one standing next to him.
But here I was attending the love of my life’s wedding day.
I smiled when I saw him and pushed back the tears that wanted to come out.
This was his day and I was going to fulfill my promise.
* * *
Travis
It was supposed to be the best day of my life.
But the second I got up, things started to fall apart.
Kitchen just caught on fire.
Flowers were from a funeral.
My bride-to-be just had an allergic reaction leaving by ambulance.
Oh and my ex-girlfriend just walked in the church.
* * *
They say you have to see the signs when they are right in front of you.
Maybe she was just mine to have.
Mine To Have
MINE TO HAVE
Are you ready for The Wedding Series?
* * *
Harlow
I promised him I would be there for the best day of his life.
Not thinking I wouldn’t be the one standing next to him.
But here I was attending the love of my life’s wedding day.
I smiled when I saw him and pushed back the tears that wanted to come out.
This was his day and I was going to fulfill my promise.
* * *
Travis
It was supposed to be the best day of my life.
But the second I got up, things started to fall apart.
Kitchen just caught on fire.
Flowers were from a funeral.
My bride-to-be just had an allergic reaction leaving by ambulance.
Oh and my ex-girlfriend just walked in the church.
* * *
They say you have to see the signs when they are right in front of you.
Maybe she was just mine to have.
Mine To Have
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* * *
I would love to keep in touch with you!
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Books By Natasha Madison
The Wedding Series
Mine To Have
Mine To Hold
Mine To Love
Mine To Cherish
* * *
The Only One Series
Only One Kiss
Only One Chance
Only One Night
Only One Touch
Only One Regret
Only One Mistake
Only One Love
Only One Forever
* * *
SOUTHERN SERIES
Southern Chance
Southern Comfort
Southern Storm
Southern Sunrise
Southern Heart
Southern Heat
Southern Secrets
Southern Sunshine
* * *
This Is
This Is Crazy
This Is Wild
This Is Love
This Is Forever
* * *
Hollywood Royalty
Hollywood Playboy
Hollywood Princess
Hollywood Prince
* * *
Something Series
Something So Right
Something So Perfect
Something So Irresistible
Something So Unscripted
Something So BOX SET
Tempt Series
Tempt The Boss
Tempt The Playboy
Tempt The Hookup
Tempt The Ex
* * *
Heaven & Hell Series
Hell and Back
Pieces of Heaven
Heaven & Hell Box Set
Love Series
Perfect Love Story
Unexpected Love Story
Broken Love Story
* * *
Mixed Up Love
Faux Pas
Acknowledgments
Every single time I keep thinking it’s going to be easy. It
Family: To my husband and kids thanks for putting up with the crazy hours and all the take out. I love you more than anything in the world!
Dani: Thank you for taking me on and not quitting on me when I started to message you twenty times a day! I don’t know what I would do without you.
Shauna: Thank you for being by my side and being my cheerleader!
Becca: Thank you so much for helping create the world in the South!
Madison Maniacs: This little group went from two people to so much more and I can’t thank you guys enough. This group is my go to, my safe place. You push me and get excited for me and I can’t wait to watch us grow even bigger!
BLOGGERS. THANK YOU FOR TAKING A CHANCE ON ME. You give so much of yourself effortlessly and you are the voice that we can’t do this without.
My Squad: Sabrina, Melanie, Lydia, Shelly, Stephanie, Marisa. Your support during this whole ride has been amazing. I can honestly say without a doubt that I have the best Squad of life!!!!
And Lastly and most importantly to YOU the reader, Without you none of this would be real. So thank you for reading!
Southern Sunshine Page 19