by Erin Osborne
“Hello?” I answer the phone, looking to make sure Imogen didn’t wake up.
“Flynn, it’s Doctor Ramirez,” he tells me. “I have Imogen’s results back. She’s fine but will probably be feeling sick for a while.”
“What’s going on, Doc?” I question him.
“Imogen is pregnant. The only reason I’m calling you is because she told me I could talk to you. Normally I’d call her and let her fill you in. Right now, she needs rest and to stay hydrated. I’m going to have Tommaso bring her over some pills to help with nausea and prenatal vitamins. He won’t know what they are or why she needs them. They won’t hurt the baby. However, she needs to get in with an obstetrician quickly. Especially if she’s still as sick as today,” he tells me.
“Okay. Do you recommend anyone while we’re still here?” I question him, grabbing a pen and piece of paper to write any information on.
“I’ll text you the information on two. One of them is easier to get into and she’s amazing. She gives her patients the time to ask any questions and ensure both mom and baby are completely safe,” he informs me.
“That’s who I want. Money is no object,” I assure him, wanting who I think is going to be the best fit for my woman. “Is there anything we need to do in the meantime?”
“No. She just needs to take the vitamins every day and the nausea medicine as needed, but according to my instructions. Then you both need to listen to the doctor when she tells you what to do. Especially regarding travel because I know you’re planning on going home soon,” he tells me.
“Okay. Thank you for everything. I’ll make sure Sal has your money,” I respond, hanging up the phone.
The reality of Imogen being pregnant sets in, and I wait for the nerves to hit me. They don’t. Instead, happiness and excitement fills me. I’m not scared to become a father as long as Imogen is the mother of my children. Together we’ll make great parents because we are different and will work together to bring our different styles together. Now, I’m truly picturing a little girl who looks exactly like her mother. Or a little boy with my looks and Imogen’s big heart.
I want to wake her up and give her the news, but Doc wants her to get as much rest as possible. So, I’m going to let her rest and when she wakes up again, I’ll tell her what he said. For now, I’ll let Sal and Tommaso know she’s okay but nothing more. We’ll decide together when everyone finds out what’s going on. I’m not about to take her choices away.
Now, I really want to marry her. I want us to share the same last name, live our lives as one, and figure out what’s going on with King and my father. There’s no longer any doubt in my mind about them working together to gain something. I’m not going to let it happen and there’s nothing I can do about it until Liam gets back to me. We’ll need solid proof in order to take both King and my father down. Lachlan and Hunter need to be on board with this too. I don’t want to hurt them when everything happens and comes to light.
My brothers are almost as important to me as Imogen. They are my blood and I’ll always love them. However, Imogen is going to be my wife. She’ll be the one by my side for the rest of our lives. Hopefully, they love her as a sister-in-law. Just like I hope to get from them some day in the future. That’s something we’ll have to deal with soon.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Imogen
WAKING UP, OUR room is dark. Darker than it’s ever been since we’ve been here. Before I can contemplate it too much, I have to jump up and race to the bathroom to once again get sick. Flynn is instantly at my back, holding my hair back and rubbing my back. When I’m ready to leave the bathroom, he helps me clean up before leading me back to bed. Once I’m comfortable, he hands me a bottle of water and two different pills. I’m not just going to take something I don’t know what it is.
“What are these for?” I question him, looking between the pills in my hand and Flynn.
“Well, while you were sleeping, Doc called me back. You’re pregnant,” he responds to me, giving me a minute to process what he’s just told me.
I’m shocked as hell because it wasn’t even a thought in my mind about being pregnant. I thought maybe it was a flu of some sort. Or something I ate not agreeing with me. That’s been blown to hell. However, I’m not upset by it. It’s not as if we’ve been trying to prevent this from happening; we haven’t. I look up at him, trying to gauge his reaction. Happiness, concern, and excitement fill his eyes. A smile covers his face as he looks down at me. I answer his with my own smile.
“We’re really gonna do this?” I ask him, needing to hear the words from him.
“We’re gonna do this. Tomorrow morning you have an appointment with one of the doctors I was given. I couldn’t get you in today,” he lets me know. “Now, those pills are one for nausea and the other one is a prenatal vitamin. You need to take them.”
Nodding my head, I swallow down the pills and settle back against my pillows. Instead of closing my eyes and going back to bed, I reach over to grab the resting on the nightstand next to me. Flynn must have gotten me them while I was sleeping. I swear, I have never felt as horrible as I did yesterday. Rosa must have let him know what was going on because Flynn came home really early from what I can remember.
“Flynn, let’s get married. Today,” I tell him suddenly.
“Why today?” he questions me, sitting down on his side of the bed.
“Because we’re having a baby and I don’t want to wait. If we have to get married again back home, I’m okay with that. I want your last name as my own and to begin our lives together. Do you want to wait?” I ask him, turning to face him better as I wait for his response.
“Doc said you have to get rest,” he says, leaning over to kiss me on my forehead.
“I will rest. Until you tell me it’s time to get ready, I’ll stay right in this bed. I’ll eat and drink. Then, we’ll have our ceremony and then eat dinner with our guests. I promise to come back to bed after eating and not get back out tomorrow,” I plead with him.
This is something I really want to do. Now that there’s a baby in the equation, I want to ensure we’re married, and our life is set before I get too far along to do anything about it. I don’t want to get married while I’m heavily pregnant either.
“You swear you’ll stay in bed all day until it’s time?” Flynn asks me, leaning over to be closer to me.
“I promise. Rosa can help me get ready too. I just don’t know if I have anything to wear for our ceremony,” I tell him. “I don’t care though. I’ll wear a summer dress if I have to.”
“I’ll get it figured out. You just lay back and relax while we make this a day for you to remember,” Flynn promises me, giving me a kiss before grabbing his phone and leaving the room.
Laying back down, I turn on a movie and close my eyes. I’m not going to fall asleep; I simply want to relax and rest. Flynn will let me know when to begin getting ready and then I’ll be up for a few hours before coming back to bed. I love Flynn even more for giving this to us today. Tomorrow we have our first doctor’s appointment and I want our last name to be the same. I may be old fashion in my way of thinking, but I really do love Flynn. It’s a quiet love that snuck up on me without any warning at all. I’m not sure what he thinks about that, but it’s how I feel. That’s more important than what anyone thinks besides Flynn and me.
I’m so bored. I’ve already watched almost three full movies and have tried to read. Flynn walks in and hangs something in the closet before grabbing his own clothes. I look up at him eagerly, hoping it’s time for me to get ready.
“Angel, get in the shower. I’m going to join you only because I don’t wany anything to happen. Then, I’ll go to my old room and get dressed,” he informs me.
“Okay. I love you, Flynn Mackay,” I tell him, tossing the covers off me.
“I love you, Imogen Mackay,” he responds, kissing me before leading me into the bathroom.
While I get undressed, Flynn turns the shower on and adjusts the temper
ature. By the time we’re both ready to get in, I’m ready for more than just a shower. One look at his body and I’m ready to forget everything so we can find a bed, the shower, or anywhere else we can have sex. Unfortunately, my desire to be married to the man standing before me outweighs the need to have sex right now.
Flynn and I take our time washing one another. It’s sensual and powerful; better than anything I’ve ever experienced. I’m not sure if it’s because we don’t ever look away from one another or just what today means for us. Either way, this is how I want to spend the rest of my days. Any time spent with Flynn is a good day.
We get out and Flynn gives me a long, passionate kiss before leaving the room. Rosa walks in the bathroom with the garment bag Flynn put in the closet when he came back in. One of the guards brings in a chair for me to sit down in. After he leaves, Rosa sits me down and begins applying my make-up. I trust her enough to let her do her own work on my face. She talks to me as she works, and has me laughing with tales of Tommaso and the rest of the guys from the time she started working with them. Most of the time she’s alone, but not always.
Once my make-up is done, she begins working on my hair. As Rosa brushes out my long hair, I remember when my mom was alive. She would brush my hair out after I took a shower or bath. Then she would put it up in some intricate design. Those were our moments. I’m not sure where it all went wrong or what happened to make her lie to me about King being my father instead of my uncle. He must have said something to her to make her lie to me, that’s the only thing I can think of.
Rosa starts putting my hair up. She asked me what I was looking for and I told her it was her decision. I don’t even look in the mirror as she puts it up, curls it, and works her magic. Keeping my eyes closed, I try not to place my hand over my stomach. Honestly, I could tell anyone it’s because of nerves, but I know the truth. Flynn knows the truth. It wouldn’t be hard for anyone to guess why I’m truly cradling my stomach.
“You can look now,” Rosa tells me as I feel her step to the side.
Looking in the mirror, I see my hair is half up with curls cascading down my back. Rosa hands me a mirror and I see what looks like a knot in the back of my hair as it falls down in long curls. Where the knot appears to be, one delicate clip holds it in place. The clip sparkles in the light from the bathroom. I love what she’s done. It’s so simple yet elegant at the same time.
“Thank you, Rosa,” I tell her as my eyes fill with tears.
“No crying. You’ll ruin your make-up,” she tells me, a soft smile on her face. “I’m going to get ready. Your dress is in the bag.”
I laugh as she leaves the bathroom. While Flynn is surprising me with the entire wedding, I’ll have my own surprise for him. What I’m wearing under my dress. First, I need to make sure what the dress looks like and what I can get away with wearing under it. Walking over to the garment bag, I unzip it. I’m not sure who picked out my dress, but it’s stunning. It’s a white sheath dress with a low cut in the chest. There’s a lace overlay on top of it, adding the simplest touch of elegance to the simplicity of it. I have the perfect lingerie set to go underneath it, even if I can’t wear a bra with it. The front is cut too low while the back is completely open. Flynn won’t know what hit him when I strip out of it later on.
After I’m dressed, I sit down on the bed and wait for someone to come get me. I don’t have anyone to walk me down the aisle, but it doesn’t bother me. Not after learning I’ve never had my real father in my life. However, there’s a knock at the door and I stand up while calling out for them to enter. Sal appears in my room, wearing a black suit with a daisy pinned to his coat. He has a simple bouquet of daisies in his hand as he steps over to me.
“You look so beautiful,” he says, looking at me from top to bottom. “Flynn is a lucky man.”
“Thank you,” I tell him, feeling my cheeks heat as I look down at the floor.
“How are you feeling? Better than yesterday?” he questions me, looking at me closely.
“I am.”
“You ready to get this show on the road?” he asks me. “Flynn is goin’ out of his mind waitin’ on you to get out there. And, if you don’t mind, I’d like to walk you down the aisle to him.”
I laugh with Sal because I’m not surprised Flynn is going out of his mind. He really didn’t want to do this today, but is for me. He’s really going to give me everything I want and need. The same I’ll do for him for the rest of our lives.
“I’m more than ready to become his wife,” I answer him honestly. “Sal, it would be an honor for you to walk me down the aisle. Thank you.”
Together, we walk downstairs and make our way to the doors in the kitchen. Two men I don’t know are standing just outside the door, keeping them shut until it’s time for us to walk through them. They’ve hung different curtains up so I can’t get a glimpse of what has been done on the outside. Honestly, I don’t care what’s been done. The only thing that matters is Flynn and I getting married. I don’t need decorations or anything fancy. Marrying the man I love is more than I thought I’d ever have.
Finally, as I’m ready to break away from Sal and burst through the doors, they open up and my breath catches. The patio around the pool has been cleared of all furniture. Flowers are floating in the pool while mason jars line a path from the doors down the short path to where Flynn is standing waiting for me. As soon as my eyes land on Flynn, every other detail flies out the window.
Sal leads me to Flynn before handing me over. We stand in front of a man as he begins the ceremony. I don’t hear a single word from him as Flynn and I stare in one another’s eyes. It’s not until someone clears their throat that I realize it’s time for us to say our vows and exchange rings.
“Imogen, I never wanted a wife and kids in my life. To me, it’s a weakness I didn’t want. The second I saw you I knew my life was about to change. Not for the worse, but for the better. You came in, got under my skin, and now you’re about to be my wife. I love you more than I ever thought possible. The rest of my days I will spend loving you and proving you I’m the man you deserve instead of the one portrayed. Imogen, I love you forever and always,” he tells me as a single tear rolls down my face.
“Flynn, you know how I felt about you when we first met. You’ve proven to me you’re a kind, gentle, and loving man. A side only I get to see and love for the rest of our days. Thank you for giving me this today because it means we get to start our lives in this second. I can’t imagine anyone else I’d rather love and spend my days with. Flynn, you also got under my skin and gave me hope and a reason to believe in the kind of love I’ve only ever read about,” I tell him as he continues to stare in my eyes.
The man marrying us asks for the rings. Flynn and I exchange them after Tommaso hands them over. I place a simple platinum band on Flynn’s finger while he places a platinum wedding set on my finger. The diamond is surrounded by tiny emeralds and the same emeralds line the wedding band. Flynn did amazing picking out our rings.
“I now pronounce you man and wife. Flynn, you may kiss your bride,” the man says as Flynn pulls me in his arms.
The catcalls and whistles fade into the background as Flynn kisses me breathless. Instead of the kisses we’ve already shared, this one is completely different. It’s slow, sensual, and full of the love we feel for one another. When he finally pulls away from me, I look up with tears in my eyes at the guests of our wedding. They’re all smiling and showing how happy they are for us. This is all I need for my wedding. Nothing fancy or over the top.
Flynn walks me in the house and to the dining room. We all sit down around the table as a waitstaff begins to bring in food, serving us as we sit. I feel like a princess as we sit together. As we eat, talking and laughter fills the room. I’m introduced to Bianca and Mia, Sal and Dom’s women. I talk to them while the men talk amongst themselves. These women seem genuine and as if they will become very good friends.
Before I’m ushered back up to the bedroom, Flynn st
ands up and dances with me to Just the Way by Parmalee. It may not be a conventional wedding song, but it fits Flynn and I perfectly. Together we’re imperfectly perfect and that’s all I’d ever want in a partner.
“I love you, Mrs. Mackay,” Flynn whispers in my ear as the song is winding to a close.
“I love you, Mr. Mackay. More than you know,” I return.
“Is today what you wanted?” he questions me, pulling back slightly and looking in my eyes.
“There’s only one thing I would’ve wanted to make the day epically perfect,” I answer him. “My mom to be here with us. You would’ve loved her, Flynn. And she would’ve loved you in return.”
“I’m sure I would’ve loved her too, angel,” he says, leaning down for a kiss. “Do you want cake before we head upstairs?”
“No. We can wait for that until later. Right now, I simply want you and only you,” I reply, knowing Sal and company will either remain here and party or they’ll go somewhere else.
“Head on up, I’ll be there in a second. Naked and on the bed waiting for me, angel,” he demands so only I can hear him.
Turning around, I wave to our guests before leaving the dining room. I take my time walking upstairs as I imagine his face when he opens the door to our room. I’ll have my dress off, but nothing else. I want Flynn to see what I’m wearing for him. It’s my wedding gift to him since he did all of this for me. Flynn gave me a day I’ll never forget, and I’ll return the favor for him.
Walking into our room, I begin to strip out of my wedding dress. It’s not long before I’m standing at the end of our bed in nothing more than a white, lace G-string and matching garter belt. Nothing is covering my legs because I have a good tan and don’t need anything covering up my legs. Hell, I wore sandals on my feet because that’s what I wanted to wear. Nothing fancy about today. Which is perfect for Flynn and I.