by LeAnn Ashers
One thing is for sure, they came back different and a couple. Wilder is chomping at the bit because that is his sister, but all of us knew it was going to happen.
My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I see it’s a text from Gracie.
Gracie: We’re having game night tonight at the center, do you want to come?
Me: What time?
Gracie: Six?
Me: Reid and I will be there.
Gracie
It’s six o’clock, and I am extremely nervous because I’m about to officially meet Reid and that is HUGE. I saw him at the game, but this is totally different. I wasn’t dating his dad then. Well, technically I had, but you get what I’m saying.
The kids are starting to show up. Leah comes in next, and she runs straight to me holding a piece of paper. “Look, Miss Gracie!” she yells and thrusts the piece of paper in my direction. She has her parent’s signature giving her permission to be on my softball team.
“Looks like I have a new member on my team.” I wink at her and she beams at me.
“I am just so excited, Miss Gracie! When’s practice?” She is practically jumping up and down.
I point across the room. “Sitting on top of my desk is a schedule. Just grab one.”
She takes off at a dead sprint, and I laugh at her excitement. I remember being her age—I loved playing. Softball was such a huge part of my life. Everyone needs an escape, and softball was mine. I could have gone really far in the sport, but I preferred to be a coach. I can continue with the sport I love, but I will be the one making a difference in kids’ lives.
The door opens and Aiden steps inside, holding Reid and wearing a backpack diaper bag. I am pretty sure that this is the hottest thing on earth. Seeing a hot, beautiful man carrying his child is extremely attractive.
His eyes go directly to me, and I walk over, trying to ignore the nerves in my stomach. “Hi,” I say to him before my eyes lock on Reid’s. “He’s just so precious, Aiden. Can I?” I reach out to hold him.
“Of course.” He smiles and gently hands him to me.
It just hits me, hard. The feeling of everything being right. I press my hand to the small of Aiden's back, staring into his face.
Aiden
Holy fucking shit. The sight of her holding Reid just changed my entire world.
She is absolutely beautiful, but her holding my son is just perfection. My heart feels like it’s going to beat out of my chest.
She finally takes her eyes off of Reid and looks at me. “I think I am going to keep your son.”
I laugh. “Why don’t I keep both of you?” I say it teasingly but, in the end, I am not really joking. I would love to be around her twenty-four seven.
Reid starts babbling in baby talk and touches the side of her face. Her eyes shoot to mine, and I can see the awe. My boy is already stealing hearts.
“Miss Gracie, I have the paper!” This little girl is probably right around Tiffany’s age.
“That’s great, sweetheart.” Gracie touches the back of her head. The girl is just completely enraptured by her.
Not that I can blame her.
Gracie has this light about her that you just gravitate to. It’s still kind of mind-boggling that we have—somehow, in some unknown way—reunited.
I am beyond fucking thrilled.
Gracie
Aiden, Leah, and I are sitting at the table, with a few other kids, playing UNO. It’s turned into a full-out war, and the kids have continually beaten us.
I am still holding Reid. He is asleep, covered with his blanket. He is the best baby—just so happy.
Aiden is sitting next to me, involved with the kids. They are loving having Aiden— especially the boys. They have asked him a million questions about being a biker.
Aiden slams down his card and sits back, grinning. “I won.” They all gasp dramatically. I laugh at their shocked expressions.
“Good job, Aiden,” Leah says, being the sweetest little thing, as usual. She stretches her arms above her head, and when her shirtsleeves fall down, I see fingerprint-shaped bruises on her forearm.
I suck in a sharp breath. I dismissed the bruises on her legs, in a way, because I wasn’t one hundred percent sure. I look at Aiden to see if he noticed the same thing I did, and he nods. His jaw is tight with anger.
I look at the clock on the wall, and I see it’s getting close to time for them to go home. I come up with a plan. “Leah, can you come and help me?”
She jumps up immediately and walks into the kitchen with me.
“Can you sit down here for a minute?” I ask.
She sits down, staring at me, and I can tell she is completely confused. I sit down beside her and try to make myself as small as possible. I don’t want to intimidate her. “Sweetheart, can I ask you how you got those bruises on your arms and legs?” I ask her softly.
She pales and I know instantly she is afraid. I wait for her to answer.
“I’m just clumsy, Miss Gracie.”
I know she is lying, but I want her to be able to come to me if she is in trouble. “Okay sweetheart, but I want you to have something.” I walk over to my purse and take out a prepaid phone; it has my number in it. “I want you to keep this on you, this is our secret. If you ever feel unsafe, call me instantly and I will be there.” I give her the phone, and she stares at it for a few beats before looking at me with tears in her eyes.
My heart shatters. This is just hitting way too close to home for me. I was her, I was Leah, and it’s breaking me.
“I promise, Miss Gracie.”
I lean over and hug her. “I know it’s scary—you feel trapped and it’s all you have known—but know that there is more to life, okay?”
“Okay,” she whispers and hugs me back so tightly, like she doesn’t want to let me go.
She finally pulls away and stuffs the phone into her pocket. I run my hand down the back of her head and watch as she walks back into the game room.
I pull out a chair and sit down. I just need to wrap my head around this and figure out what I’m going to do. I can’t very well let a child be in an abusive situation and not do anything about it. But it’s out of my hands because the director has to be the one to report it, and he is already aware of it.
A hand touches my back. I jump and look over my shoulder at Aiden, who is looking at me, concerned. “Is she okay?” He sits down beside me, holding a sleeping Reid.
“She denied it, but the other day I noticed bruises on her legs. I gave her a phone so she can call me if she’s ever in trouble.”
He wraps his arm around me, pulling me into his side, comforting me. He’s comforting me. I close my eyes and just bask in the moment, because this doesn’t happen very often.
I am so used to doing every single thing alone—I have always been alone—and this moment means a lot. He cares enough to comfort me when I am upset.
“Thank you.” I decide to hug him. I turn around and rest my face on his chest, next to Reid, who is still asleep. I lay my hand on his back, close my eyes, and breathe deeply, letting his scent flow through me. I needed this; this is the first time I have been hugged in such a long time.
A few minutes pass and I pull back, needing to get back to the kids. Aiden continues to look at me intently. “Are you okay?”
I nod immediately. “I’m okay, I just needed the hug,” I answer honestly. One thing is for certain: I will always be okay, no matter what happens. I will never give up. I will never give up trying to be happy and be the best I can be.
5
Grace
The next day
I arrive a few minutes before the girls get there. I hear a vehicle and look up to see Aiden pulling in; I am instantly excited. Last night, he kissed me on my forehead once again and waited until I was safely on the road before he left.
I love this. I love that he is giving me the chance to get to know him before he starts to get physical with me.
I have a bit of PTSD. I can’t handle sudden aggres
sive behavior, and I’m a bit anxious when I start dating someone. Aiden is different—I can see that—and this is different. How I feel is different.
He gets out of his truck and opens the back door. Then he takes out a stroller, and I walk over to help him. When he takes out Reid, I walk closer, itching to hold him. “How is my little man today?”
Aiden chuckles and hands me Reid. I sigh with relief at the feeling of rightness. “You didn’t miss me?” Aiden teases and I laugh.
I lean my head against his shoulder without thinking. “Of course I did.”
Aiden opens the stroller and retrieves the diaper bag. He is just such an amazing father. I know that is what I find most attractive about him. He chose to do this alone. That is something not many people—especially guys—would do. There is so much more to him than meets the eye.
Reid is sucking on his thumb, looking way too adorable in his jeans and T-shirt. “Are you dressed like Daddy today? All you need is a little vest.” I run my hand down the back of his head before I buckle him into his stroller. I pull the shade down so the light doesn’t bother him. “How is Daddy feeling today?” I ask with a wink.
Aiden rolls his eyes but never takes that smile off his face. “I am much better now, hot stuff.”
A few more vehicles pull into the parking lot. Aiden walks with me toward the field, and I notice more than a few softball moms staring at him. I am not jealous; I would be looking too. It just makes me proud that he is here for me.
Tiffany walks over to the dugout carrying her bag. “Hi Tiffany, how are you today?”
She sets her bag down and starts stretching. “I’m good. I heard we have a new girl on the team?”
“Yes. Leah. Do you think…?” I start but Tiffany immediately starts nodding.
“Yes, I will make friends with her.”
I laugh because she knows me well.
Lane and Amelia walk over carrying a cooler and snacks. Again, they are a godsend.
“Thank you guys so much!” I walk over to help them.
Amelia waves off my thanks. “This is no big deal. We love to be involved.”
I wish all the girls here had parents who are this involved in their kids’ lives. Amelia and Lane sit through every practice and game.
The bus pulls in, and the rest of the girls pile into the dugout. Leah is walking by herself without any equipment.
“Oh yeah, I forgot something in my truck,” Aiden says and runs across the lot.
Leah walks straight to my side, and I can tell she is nervous.
“I am so glad you’re a part of the team.”
Her eyes light up. “I am so excited to be here, Miss Gracie.”
I am so distracted by Leah and keeping an eye on Reid, I don’t notice Aiden until he reaches us. He is holding a softball bag with two bats on the back. The open bag contains all the equipment anyone could need.
I cover my mouth. Is this what I think it is?
“Hey, Leah, I had this stuff just lying around. Do you think you could use it?” Aiden sets the bag down in front of her with a new pair of shoes.
Tears fill my eyes, and her eyes widen as she takes in everything. With a shaking hand, she touches the top of one of the bats.
“Thank you, Aiden, so much,” Leah manages to get out through her emotions, and she walks over and hugs him.
I just can’t get over how thoughtful this was. He took the time to run to the store today, and he spent a fortune on top-of-the-line equipment.
“How did you know what to get?” I ask him, still in shock.
He nods in the direction of Tiffany, who waves.
“You guys are just amazing people.” I tell him. They truly are. People say bikers are just mean and rough people, but they are so much more than that. They have a huge soft side—well, these bikers do.
Without thinking twice, I grab the front of his shirt, pull him down, and stand up on my tiptoes, kissing him hard. He freezes for a second before he presses his hand to the back of my head, taking over the kiss.
I pull back, my hands on his chest. Wow, that was the best kiss I’ve ever had. It was just a simple kiss, but it was toe-curling.
But the most shocking thing was it was me who kissed him. I have never, ever been that bold until now.
“Absolute perfection,” he whispers, touching the side of my face.
We have completely ignored everyone standing around staring at us. It’s just me and him in this moment.
“Come on, I will help you with your gear,” Tiffany says, completely bringing us out of our moment. I look around and see Amelia trying to hide her grin. Lane is looking everywhere but at us. Aiden smooths my hair over my shoulder, kissing my temple. I smile, butterflies just swarming inside me.
I give Leah a few minutes to get prepared. “Thank you so much for what you have done for her.”
“I didn’t want her to feel left out. Anything she needs, let me know.”
I sigh as my ovaries implode inside my body. Reid babbles in his stroller, and I bend down and shake one of his toys. He reaches forward to take it from me with that beautiful baby grin.
It’s six o’clock, and in late March it gets kind of chilly as it turns to evening. Without thinking I take one of the blankets from his diaper bag. It’s a thin one, but it will be enough to keep him snug. I take him out of his stroller and wrap him in the blanket.
“Alright you guys, we are running the bases! I will be timing you.” They all run out onto the field. I hold Reid throughout practice, as I direct the girls, but what surprises me the most is Leah.
“Leah, are you sure you’ve never played before?” I ask her, kind of in shock. Tiffany throws the ball to her and, without any direction, Leah hits the ball all the way to the back fence. She runs fast. My girls are good, and one of them retrieves the ball before Leah gets to second base. She slides into second base, barely making it.
Tiffany is grinning proudly. “Miss Gracie, I wonder if she can catch?”
The girl on first base is actually better in the outfield, so Leah takes first base. I nod to one of our best hitters.
I have a really good feeling about this. I look at Tiffany, giving her the go-ahead. Tiffany throws a fast pitch. I am still in awe of how good she is at pitching.
Daisy hits the ball. One of the outfielders catches it and throws it to Leah. The throw is a bit wild.
Leah keeps one leg on the base, and she practically does a freaking split and catches the ball. I blink for a few seconds before all the girls run to her, excited. I am so happy for her. I think she is going to be a star, just like Tiffany. We will go even further now. We were really good, but now we’ll be even better.
Reid is asleep, lying on my shoulder. Aiden is still beside me, his hand on my back. I am growing to love having him by my side.
Amelia walks up to me. “She is really good.”
“She is. She and Tiffany together are a force to be reckoned with.”
Amelia nods.
All the girls have welcomed Leah with open arms, and she is just beaming. I love seeing her so happy. She deserves that.
I wrap up practice as the bus pulls back into the lot. Leah gets all of her belongings together and walks over to me and Aiden. “Thank you again, Aiden.”
“It’s nothing, sweetheart.”
She walks to the bus and, with every step, she loses a bit more pep in her step.
“She doesn’t want to go home,” Aiden says, voicing my thoughts.
“No, she doesn’t.” My voice is barely above a whisper. My heart is hurting at the thought of what she’s going to be walking into.
I feel Reid stirring in my arms, and I look down at him. “I’m surprised he slept like this.”
Aiden runs his finger over Reid’s chubby cheek. “I can’t say I blame him.” Aiden winks.
I shake my head, grinning, and pull Reid higher up on my shoulder.
“Do you want to come over to the house?” Aiden asks. “I will make dinner.”
I fr
eeze, my thoughts immediately going to what if this and that happens.
Stop, Gracie! I chastise myself. If I start going into my head, I will never get out. I decide to throw caution to the wind. “I would like that.”
Nerves are hitting me full force. I have to stop myself from biting my nails, which is a horrible habit. When I get stressed, I instantly start nibbling on my finger or lip. Don’t get me wrong. I am very excited to be around him. I really like Aiden. He’s absolutely amazing. I just have these random thoughts sometimes.
“Do you want to follow me to the house?” he asks, studying me.
“Yeah.” I smile and breathe deeply, finally controlling myself.
He pushes a stray hair out of my face and gently strokes his thumb across my cheekbone.
“You’re a sweetie.” I touch the back of his hand, which is resting on my face. His hand falls, our fingers intertwining.
“Remember what I said about that?” he says, pretending to scold me.
“Mhm.”
I hold Reid while Aiden puts everything back into his truck. I take the time to stare at him without being caught.
I know one thing: right off the bat I felt safe around him. But he is a bad boy—I don’t know one girl who doesn’t want one of those.
He turns around and takes Reid from me. I instantly want him back. Why do I already feel such an attachment to this baby?
“I’m going to go get into my car,” I tell Aiden.
“Be safe.” He kisses me tenderly on the side of my head, and I touch the spot he kissed, smiling.
I follow him to his house jamming out to Killswitch Engage—that is my weakness. I am a metalhead and there’s no cure for it.
I pull in beside him and walk over to the truck; without thinking I take Reid out of his car seat. Aiden is leaning against my car, watching me. “I love seeing you with him.”
Reid is sucking on his little fingers. “Anytime you need a babysitter, I am more than willing.” I have always loved kids. I have always wanted to be a mom. That’s one of my biggest goals in life. I want at least five.
I have honestly been thinking about adopting. I am not married, but I don’t know if that will ever happen for me. I’m going to be completely honest—dating has not been at the forefront of my mind. I’d kind of given it up altogether, but Aiden just came out of nowhere.