by M. A. Foster
“I love you more.”
The buzzing of my phone pulls me from an early afternoon nap. Reaching over, I pick it up to find the screen blank. The buzzing is coming from the other side, and I realize it’s Vanessa’s phone. Leaning across the bed, I pick it up to see “Dad” flashing on the screen.
Tapping on the green Answer button, I bring the phone to my ear. “Hey, Coach.”
“Hey,” he replies, sounding a little surprised. “Is Vanessa not at work?”
“She is. I guess she forgot her phone. I saw it was you and figured it might be important. Everything all right?”
“Yeah. Thanks. I wanted to let her know that I’m headed out of town for a conference, but I’ll be back tomorrow night. Kelly is coming with me, so I’ll need Vanessa to come by after work to take care of Princess B.”
“I’d come get her, but I don’t have a car.” I really should think about getting a car or renting one. “Can you bring her here?”
“Where’s here?”
“Her friend Katie’s place. I’m hanging out here today until Vanessa gets off work.”
“Okay. I’ll drop her off within the hour. Thanks.”
“No problem. See you then.”
We hang up, and I toss the phone down on the mattress beside me. After Vanessa left for work, I spent the better part of the morning raiding the kitchen while my PR rep, manager, and attorney drilled me with questions about the pretty girl I’ve been photographed with over the last month and was kissing in the video from last night. I told them she was the love of my life and to do whatever they wanted with that piece of info. I couldn’t give a fuck. I hadn’t planned on watching the video because I don’t let myself get sucked into the tabloid bullshit, but they both said it was fine and even complimented me on my stellar singing voice.
Vanessa’s phone begins buzzing again and I quickly grab it, thinking Coach forgot something. With my thumb hovering over the Answer button, I glance at the screen and see it’s not Coach. It’s Jake.
Princess Buttercup pops her head up from my chest at the sound of the deadbolt. When the door opens, she dives off the couch and makes a beeline for Vanessa.
A moment later, Vanessa shrieks, “My baby!” and a smile tugs at my lips. “What are you doing here?” she coos as she enters the living room carrying the dog on her hip like a toddler.
“You forgot your phone.” I gesture to her phone on the coffee table. “Your dad called. I figured it might be important, so I answered. He had to go out of town for the night, but he’ll be back tomorrow night.”
She nods, burying her face into Princess B’s fur. “I love hanging out with my baby girl.”
“Just an FYI,” I say, “Rocky’s not a fan.”
She snickers, lowering the dog to the floor. “I hope she didn’t give him a heart attack. Katie would never forgive me.”
“He’s fine,” I assure her as she moves over to me, kicking off her shoes before draping her body over mine. I curl my arms around her, running a hand over her back.
“Your heart is beating so fast. What have you been doing?”
“Nothing,” I murmur.
She lifts her head and looks down at me. “What’s wrong, then?”
I’ve been contemplating all day whether or not to bring it up. We’ve been getting along so well, and I don’t want her to feel like I’m picking a fight. Unfortunately, I was born without a filter, and I’m not good at holding things in. Especially when it comes to Vanessa.
“Jake called,” I say, staring at her face.
I’m not sure what I’m looking for.
An expression of guilt?
An explanation?
I get neither.
Instead, I get an eye roll. I bite back a grin as relief washes over me. My muscles relax as the tension dissipates.
“Did you answer?” she asks.
The old me would’ve answered and told that dickhead to kick rocks. But Vanessa and I are working on being a better version of us. As much as I need her to trust me, I have to trust her, too.
“No.” My eyes flick between hers. “But I have to ask why he’s calling you after all this time.”
“I should’ve told you, and honestly, I forgot.”
I raise my brows. “Forgot what?”
“It was probably his son, Jake—I call him LJ. He knows his dad and I aren’t living together, but I was in his life for two years. I couldn’t just disappear. I told him he could call me whenever he wanted.”
“You know Jake is probably using his kid to get to you.”
She sighs and drops her head back down to my chest. “I don’t doubt it. I’ve been gone since August, and LJ’s only called me once. But what am I supposed to do? I don’t want to hurt his feelings. He’s only six. It’s not his fault his dad is a shitty person.”
“Tell me what happened with Jake.”
Her groan vibrates against my chest. “I don’t want to talk about him.”
I slide my hand into the back of her scrubs and squeeze her ass. “I know you don’t, but I need to know.”
“I already told you. He cheated on me.”
“With who?”
“His ex-wife.”
I wasn’t expecting that. “Did you catch them together?”
“No, worse. His kid busted him.”
“Really?” I ask with a soft chuckle.
“Yep. He asked if I was going to be his new mommy and if I was going to spend the night at his house with his daddy. He said his mommy and daddy kiss a lot. Apparently, Jake had been sleeping over there when I was here visiting with my dad.”
I scoff. “What a piece of shit.”
“Mmhmm.”
“I’m sorry he hurt you.”
“Meh.” She burrows her head further in my chest. “This was worth the hurt.”
LIAM
“Liam.”
“Hmm?”
“Your phone is buzzing.”
I roll to the opposite side of the bed and reach for my phone on the nightstand. Cam’s name is flashing on the screen, and my heart skips in my chest.
“Is it time?” I ask by way of answering.
“My boy is ready to come into the world.” I’m still half asleep, but I can hear the excitement in his voice, and it makes me grin.
“Where do we go?” As soon as I say those words, Vanessa leaps from the bed and begins pulling out clothes.
“Medical center, top floor,” Cam says.
“We’ll be there soon.”
Dropping the phone beside me on the bed, I drag my hands down my face. “Leave it to Emerson to go into labor at two in the morning.”
I pull into the parking lot, finding several cars already here. Vanessa and I climb out and meet at the front. She takes my hand, and we make our way to the private entrance. Vanessa swipes her badge, and a green light appears on the pad and the door clicks. Pulling the door open, she steps in first and I close the door behind us.
I hold out my hand to Vanessa and she takes it, lacing our fingers together, as I lead her toward the bank of elevators. The doors slide open and we head toward the only waiting room where Jay, Zach, Bass and his girlfriend, Lisa, my mother, Cam’s parents, and his sister, Elizabeth, are all seated. My father is pacing near the door.
“How’s it going in there?” I ask him.
He shrugs. “They just got her settled in about twenty minutes ago.”
We move over to the waiting area and sit down. No one says a word because we’re all too damn tired. Zach has his head back against the wall, and Jay is asleep across his lap.
An hour later, Cam walks out wearing a pair of blue scrubs and a mask hanging off his face. He throws his arms in the air. “I’m a dad.”
I leap from my chair and tackle him with a bear hug. His arms come around me and he buries his face in my shoulder as his emotions take over. My eyes well up with tears as we hug, slapping each other on the back before pulling away. Cam wipes his face and moves over to hug his mom. I look over my shoul
der to find Vanessa, and she gives me a smile as she swipes her fingers under her eyes.
Jameson Trace Parker is really friggin’ cute. Emerson and Cam want to call him Trace. It’s too soon to tell who he looks like. His hair is light, so he gets that from Cam, at least.
“I gotta say, we Mackenzies make some pretty babies.” I glance at Vanessa, then back down to my nephew cradled in my arms. “I’ll take one each in pink and blue.”
“Slow your roll, man. I’m just starting to like you again,” she quips, making everyone laugh, including me.
“How are you feeling, Em?” I ask my sister.
“Like I just pushed a tiny human out of my vagina.”
My face screws up with a sour expression, as does every other male in the room, except Cam.
“You asked.” She snorts which turns into a groan, then turns her head to the side to look at Cam. “I don’t think I can do that again. I’m too old.”
“Don’t talk about my woman like that,” Cam says as he leans over and presses a chaste kiss to her lips. “I love you. Thank you for giving me a beautiful son. I promise I’ll be the best father.”
“I know you will, and I love you, too.”
I’m really happy for them, but I don’t think it will ever not be weird that my best friend and my sister just had a baby together.
VANESSA
After we’ve all had our turn with baby Trace, we leave Emerson and Cam alone with their son and head for the elevators.
Jay stops beside me and pulls me into a side hug. “I told him you’d be back,” she whispers.
The elevator opens and everyone moves to get on. I curl a hand around her forearm. “Wait.” My gaze moves to Liam and Zach. “Give us a minute. We’ll meet you downstairs.”
Zach’s brows pinch in confusion, his eyes flick between Jay and me. “It’s fine, Z.”
Liam nods in understanding before they step on the elevator. Once the doors close, I turn to Jay. “I’m sorry I haven’t been over to see you since you got back.”
“Uncle Liam has been keeping you all to himself,” she replies with a knowing grin.
“Yeah. But also I wanted to give you some time with your husband.” I smirk. “By the way, nice job.”
She gets that dreamy look in her eyes, reminding me of that thirteen-year-old girl I left behind, and she sighs. “I know, right?”
“Anyway,” I continue with a soft laugh. “I owe you an apology.”
Her brows pinch, and the corners of her mouth dip into a frown. “For what?”
“For leaving you the way I did.” I exhale a deep sigh. “I was so upset with Liam, I didn’t stop to think of the other people I was leaving behind. And your dad,” my voice cracks and I feel the sting of tears fill my eyes. “I wish I was there for you.”
She swipes at the stray tear rolling down her cheek. “I’m not mad at you for leaving. My feelings were hurt, but I understand it wasn’t about me. I’m just glad you’re back. I know Uncle Liam has his faults, but he loves you so much.”
I nod. “I know, and I love him, too.” I open my arms and pull her into a hug. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you, too.” She pulls back. “Do you still have Princess Buttercup?”
“Yes.” I turn and press the call button for the elevator. “I’ll bring her over for a visit.”
“Yes, and we can order pizza and watch The Princess Bride in my media room just like old times.”
The elevator doors slide open and we step on. “Sounds like a plan.”
LIAM
“No.”
“What do you mean, no?” Gabbi shrieks. “That’s a beautiful house.”
“I agree, but it’s not Vanessa.” I turn my attention to the passenger window.
She blows out a breath. “You’re right. Everyone wants the biggest or the prettiest house in the neighborhood. Then there’s Vanessa, who’d be happy with any house.”
“She’s not getting any house,” I say. “She’s getting the perfect house.” Just as the words leave my mouth, my gaze snags on a For Sale by Owner sign fixed to a brick mailbox.
“Stop,” I yell.
Gabbi slams on the brakes and slaps a hand to her chest. “Jesus Christ, Liam,” she snaps. “You’re lucky there was no one behind us.”
“Sorry.” I wince and crane my neck to look behind us. “Back up.”
She throws the car in Reverse and backs up before pulling into the driveway and snapping a picture of the number on the For Sale sign. The black iron gate at the edge of the driveway is open, and the landscaping looks like it’s been updated recently. The lot is large and lined with trees, giving the house some privacy from the street. Gabbi eases up the bush-lined driveway until a large bungalow-style home comes into view.
“Liam,” she gasps as she parks in the circular driveway. “This is the house.”
She’s right. It’s like it was built for Vanessa. This isn’t the type of house I would’ve chosen for myself, but with her, I couldn’t imagine living anywhere else.
Close up, I notice the house is actually a light beige and lined with large white-framed windows.
“Can we see it?” I ask as I push open the passenger door and climb out.
“Hold on.” She picks up her phone. “I need to make a call.”
I leave Gabbi to it and make my way up the wide path lined with hedges and two large oak trees in the center of the yard. I climb the four concrete steps leading to the front porch.
The double front doors are solid wood with frosted glass inserts on the top. Not sure I like them, but I’ll leave that decision to Vanessa. I peer into one of the many windows and take in the open floor plan. The house is completely empty of all furniture. The floors are a dark wood, and the walls are white. The living room is large with a fireplace flanked by built-in bookshelves, which I know Vanessa will love. Not sure how much use we’ll get out of the fireplace, but it adds charm to the room.
Descending the steps, I follow the stone path around the back. I hadn’t noticed it at first, but the driveway actually extends to the back of the house and leads to a three-car garage.
Connected to the garage is a smaller version of the main house which looks like a guest house. There’s a kidney-shaped pool in the middle of the yard, surrounded by lush landscaping and a side yard big enough for… kids?
Okay, yeah, I can definitely picture Vanessa and me raising a family here.
The sound of heels clicking against the pavement grows closer, and I look over my shoulder to see Gabbi walking up wearing her business face.
“Okay,” she says with a grin into her Bluetooth. “We’ll let you know either way. Thank you so much.”
She pulls the Bluetooth from her ear. “Dude, this house just went up for sale this morning.”
“I’ll take it.”
Gabbi snorts. “Don’t you want to see the inside?”
“Did you get the code?”
She nods once and jerks her head to the side. “Let’s go check it out.”
I feel like a giddy little kid. I practically sprint to the front door, which is pointless because it takes Gabbi’s short ass for-fucking-ever to catch up. Truthfully, I don’t care what the inside looks like. As long as the bones are good, everything else can be worked out. My mother and sister-in-law, Jessica, are the best interior designers in the bay area, and although my mother is mostly retired, she’d love nothing more than to put her special touch in my home.
Gabbi presses a four-digit code into the lockbox and a key falls out. She passes it to me, and I unlock the door and step inside.
The large room is separated by archways. Across from the living room is a dining room, and the kitchen is at the back of the house.
“This house has been completely remodeled. It’s a total of 3826 square feet,” Gabbi reads from her phone. “It’s four bedrooms, four bathrooms, plus a bonus room you could convert to an office. There’s a three-car garage and another 1500-square-foot guest suite in the back. There’s
also an outdoor kitchen, and the pool is heated.”
The wood floors have just been refinished and run through the entire house except for the bathrooms. The kitchen is all white with stainless steel appliances and a butcher block top island in the center. I’ve always liked islands in kitchens. Even the guest house at my parents’ has one.
The floor-to-ceiling window in the master bedroom faces the front yard. The bath has an old-school iron claw-foot tub and a separate shower.
“So, what do you think?” Gabbi asks, gesturing around us.
“I think Vanessa will love it.”
“I agree.” She grins. “This is definitely the house. Ready to make an offer?”
“Let’s do it.”
“You did what?” my mother screeches into the phone.
“I bought a house,” I tell her.
“When?”
“Today.” I grin. “I made an offer, and they accepted.” Actually, I offered them ten grand over asking price if we could close by the first of December. “I can’t wait for you to see this place. I found it just hours after they put it up for sale, and I couldn’t pass it up. It’s perfect for Vanessa and me.”
“What does Vanessa think of it?” she asks.
“She hasn’t seen it yet. It’s her Christmas present.”
“Oh, son,” she says with a laugh. “I love your enthusiasm and your optimism. I am so excited for you—for the both of you. Whatever you need from me, I’m happy to help.”
“I’m going to leave the decorating up to Vanessa—with your help, of course—but I was wondering if you could order a few things for me.”
“What do you need?”
I rattle off the basic stuff. I don’t want to bring Vanessa to our home without being prepared.
“Thanks, Mom,” I say when I’m finished.
“You got it. Love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Hanging up, I turn to Gabbi. “How’s that for a romantic gesture?”