Embracing Series Box Set #1-6

by Delisa Lynn

  “Hey, I tried. If it was up to me, you’d be walking around, naked, all day. But my cousins and your friend are here, so keep that dress on. I’ll see you downstairs.”

  ***

  On the way downstairs, I think about how lucky I am. Not only is she a wonderful wife and mother, but she’s a kindhearted woman who would do anything for anyone. She gets upset when our mothers try kidnapping our girls, but she lets them go because she knows it makes our moms happy, and that makes Lila happy. She and her mother aren’t as close as they used to be. I think it has a lot to do with her mother’s new husband. Lila likes him, but I know she misses her dad.

  I walk into the kitchen and pull out ten steaks and ten chicken breasts. Rosa has been doing most of the shopping. She always stocks up for us. I thaw the meat and prepare the marinade. Lila walks in with a big smile on her face and opens the pantry. She brings out a box of tri-colored noodles. I know what she’s up to.

  “Hey, handsome. It isn’t a cookout unless we have Aunt Nancy’s famous pasta salad. She gave me the recipe. I hope we have everything for it. Did Rosa get produce too?” she asks, searching the refrigerator and pantry again.

  I laugh. “Now, when has Rosa ever not bought produce?”

  “Yeah, I love when she shops. Found them! I’m going to start chopping the veggies for the pasta salad. Then I’m going to find my babies.”

  “They’re in the water with Meg and Kade. Ashton should be back soon. He went to pick up AJ.”

  Lila looks out the window and says, “Look how cute Megan and Kade are together. She likes him; I know she does. What do you think about hooking them up?”

  “I don’t think they need our help. Anyone can see that they like each other, but Kade doesn’t do relationships. I know my cousin. He’s like how Ashton was in high school.”

  “Well, from what I know about Meg, she doesn’t either. I know she has her ‘friends with benefits,’ as she calls them,” she says in a serious tone. “But that can always change.”

  “Get to making that pasta salad. I’m going to light the grill.”

  I wrap my arms around her waist and place small kisses along her neck.

  “Um, you better go because I can’t have sex for seven long weeks and I can’t handle you kissing me like that without being inside of me,” she says, moving out of my arms.

  I wink. “Fine. We can do other things, though.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  Lila

  “Mommy, mommy, mommy. When is the baby going to fall out of your belly?” Maddison asks.

  “Hey, pumpkin. Where’s your sister? Well, baby Greyson will be here next week. We have to go to the doctor’s and they will take him out of my tummy. Are you ready to be a big sister?”

  “I’m right here, Mommy!” Addison says. She rounds the corner and runs onto the patio. “I like Aunt Meg. She like to swim wif us. Is Aunt Nick and Uncle Brody coming to see our baby Greyson?”

  “Aunt Meg is pretty cool, isn’t she, sugar? Yes, Aunt Nik and Uncle Brody will be here. They are going to have a baby soon too. Not ’til next year, though. Then you two and AJ will have another cousin to play with.”

  “The doctor will take Greyson out of your belly and he will cry,” Addison says.

  “Yes, that will happen. He will probably cry a lot, for a few months. You two sure did.”

  I pull them in for a hug. I love my girls. They are so much like Liam and me. I can see more of his sweet and caring side in them. They have my looks, but his eyes.

  “You feeling okay, babe?” Meg asks as she grabs a beer from the small patio fridge. “You look a little better.”

  I sigh. “Thank you for everything. You know I love you and appreciate all of your help.”

  “I know you do. I love you too. What do you think about Kade and me hooking up? Nothing serious. I just want a piece of him.” She laughs.

  “Umm, that’s between you two. But don’t make things awkward. He seems to really like you and you deserve better than one night stands, my friend.”

  “I don’t do relationships. I’ll never be loved. It’s all just fun to me,” she says, but I see a hint of sadness in her face.

  “Meg, tell me about your family and where you grew up. I’ve known you for two years and you never mention your past.”

  “I grew up in a small town in Kansas. I moved here when I was seventeen to start college and to begin my career. My parents are dead. I have one sister, but she has her own life and we don’t speak often.”

  “I’m so sorry, doll. I didn’t know. How old were you?”

  “It’s okay. I never bring them up, so how would you know, babe? Well, I was ten and my sister was twelve. We were both at school and came home to a burned down house. It was December the third, my tenth birthday, actually. The fireman said it was a faulty furnace. My mom was a stay-at-home mom and my dad was an accountant. He had just come home for lunch.

  “We went to live with our grandparents and then they died, too. So we were in foster care for about three years. It was awful, the worst years of my life. We will talk about that another day, my friend,” she says, smiling at Maddison and Addison. “I see some girls that want me to swim with them.”

  She runs off the deck and onto the beach, my girls following close behind. A tear falls down my cheek.

  I watch Kade and Megan play with the girls. I know they could be happy together, that they’d both make great parents. Who wouldn’t love Megan? She is an awesome person. I feel bad for bringing up her past, but I will find out why she thinks she isn’t good enough to be loved. I will make sure that Kade is the one to show her she is worth it.

  Her past brings back memories of my father’s death. I will never forget that day. I always thought my dad would end up dead from being in a shoot-out or some crazy criminal he had a past with, but he had health issues that I wasn’t aware of.

  ***

  Liam

  Lila’s due date is tomorrow and she isn’t feeling too well today. Evan and Tatum are in California waiting for her to go into labor so we can have this test performed. They arrived last week. We haven’t seen them, but we have both spoken to Evan. The sad thing is, although he fucked my wife knowing she was married, he is a likeable person. He is well-mannered and seems to be a family man. Ashton ran into him the other night at a restaurant.

  Ashton said he was nice to Evan and pretended like he didn’t know anything. I’m glad he did. Nikki and Brody are here as well. They are staying with us. Kade has been staying at Meg’s house on and off. They haven’t said if they are an item or not. I think what they have is more of a friendship.

  “Liam! Liam, where are you?” Li screams.

  “I’m right here, baby” I run into the bathroom. I can tell she is uncomfortable right away. “What’s wrong? Oh hell, did your water break?”

  “Yes, and I need to put on makeup and make sure my legs are shaved. I’m not going to the hospital looking like a gorilla,” she says, turning the shower on.

  “Love, your legs aren’t hairy and neither is anything else. You look beautiful, no makeup needed.”

  “Just get my bag and call our moms. Where are Nikki and Meg?”

  “I’m not sure. No one is here but the girls and us. My mom will get them and I’ll send a text to everyone letting them know to meet us at the hospital.”

  “Okay, I’m going to shave and then I’ll be ready.” What the hell? Her water broke and she is worried about having hairy legs? “I don’t want the doctor thinking I don’t shave. Now go!”

  I call my mom and send out a group text. I load her bag and the baby’s bag in the truck and get the car seat. My mom is on her way, so I call Rosa. She is closer and can sit with the girls ’til mom gets here. I go back to the bedroom and find Lila with a Hello Kitty Band-Aid on her left knee. She’s wearing a yellow sundress trimmed in white and a pair of white flip-flops. Her blonde curls cascade over her shoulders.

  “I cut my fucking knee. I knew I should have went and got waxed last
week. Dr. Brewster will think I’m a fucking hairy monster. Did you get everything? I need the baby book and I want that picture of Addison, Nikki, and me. It’s in a yellow frame in the nursery. Grab it, please.”

  “Get in the truck and I’ll get the book and the picture. Everything else is in there.”

  “The truck? How am I supposed to climb up there? Just hurry so you can help me in. By the time I waddle out there, you’ll be ready.”

  She grabs a bottle of water and her purse. I run and grab the picture for her. When I make it back outside, she’s not even near the truck yet, just like she said.

  “Okay, love. I’ll help you up. Ready?”

  I pick her up, bride style, sit her in the truck, and put her seat belt on. She looks at me with that beautiful smile of hers and kisses me before I turn to walk to the other side of the truck.

  Lila picks up her phone and quickly dials a number.

  “Nikki? Hey, we are on the way to the hospital. Find Meg. I need you both there. I don’t know. I never thought about that.”

  She turns to me. “Liam, should we call Evan and Tatum?”

  What the fuck? I don’t want them there, but I guess it would be for the best. The sooner we get this done, the quicker I can get him out of my life.

  I grab her hand, squeeze it and say, “Yes, go ahead.”

  I’ll be damned if he will ruin this birth for us. I don’t give a fuck whose blood is running through my son’s veins. He is mine and he will always be mine.

  “Oh my God, fuck, damn it! The contractions have started. Get me to the hospital, please.”

  “I’m going, baby. Ashton and Kade were at the office and they are on their way. So is Meg. Your mom isn’t answering, though. I’ll try and call her later. Damn, I forgot about Eric. He is probably there, though. Isn’t he doing his residency?”

  “Yes, he and Kaylin are both there. I’m sure we can find them when we get there.”

  I drive as fast as I can to the hospital. Once inside, I tell them her water broke and she’s having contractions. They wheel her off into a room and I unload the truck. I send a text to Eric to see if he is here, in the hospital. I go into the room they wheeled her in and see they already have Li in a gown and hooked up to the machines.

  “Hey, baby. The nurse said I’ll probably have Greyson within the next couple hours. I’m already dilated eight centimeters. Did you see Nik anywhere? She and Brody should be here by now.”

  “No, but I sent a text to Eric and told him we were here.”

  “Okay, good. I left my phone over there. Evan sent me a text and said they were on their way over. Liam, I’m sorry that we have to share this day with him. I promise you, I’ll never do anything like this again. I was dumb and wasn’t thinking.”

  “Stop! I know you won’t do it again. You were never his, Lila. You have always been mine. He may have kept you company and gave you what you needed, but you have been mine and will always be. Now, let’s get ready to have our son.”

  I kiss her. There is a knock at the door. I look behind me and see Evan and Tatum.

  ***

  “Sorry to interrupt y’all. We’ll just sit in the lobby. I just wanted to let you know we were here,” Evan says in his southern tone.

  “Evan, you and I need to talk, but not in here,” I growl.

  Lila gives me a wide-eyed look. She shakes her head.

  Tatum and Evan step into the room. “Okay, we can talk when and where ever you want. Tatum picked these up for you, Lila,” he says as he hands Li a bouquet of pink and purple daisies.

  “Thank you, Tatum,” Lila says. “They’re beautiful. It’s nice to meet you. I wish it was under better circumstances. And you men can talk after the baby is here. I don’t want any drama today. I fucked up and you both know it was wrong. You can’t blame Evan, Liam. I’m the one that pursued him,” Lila says, wiping tears from her face.

  “Baby, don’t cry,” I whisper in her ear. I feel like an ass, but I’m ready to rip his goddamn head off his shoulders.

  “You’re welcome. It’s nice to meet you too. I agree. There shouldn’t be any drama today. Liam, Evan knows you aren’t happy with him, and hell, I would punch him too if I were you. But not today. This is going to be a great day for all of us. Lila, is it okay if I hug you?” she asks.

  A smile spreads across Lila’s face and she nods. Tatum gives her a hug and kisses her cheek. “Everything will be okay, so don’t get upset about anything. Okay?”

  “Thank you. That’s a pretty dress. One of my favorite colors is pink.”

  “Pink is one of my favorite colors too. Would you like some time to talk with Evan? Liam and I will grab some coffee, if that’s okay.”

  Lila looks at me. I shake my head and run my hands through my hair, then look at a very nervous Evan standing next to the door. I know he’s harmless, but I just can’t bring myself to trust a man who had sex with my wife, knowing she was married, even for a second. Hell, it’s as much Lila’s fault as his, just like she said.

  “Okay, we will be back. Tatum, shall we?” I ask as I motion towards the door.

  We walk out into the hallway and she smiles at me. She seems so nice.

  “I’m sorry,” Tatum says as soon as we’re far away from the door. “I just thought they should talk a little. I told him not to lose his temper. He isn’t a mean guy and doesn’t yell much. He knows she is hurting as much as he is, so I think it will be okay. Just so you know, if the baby is Evan’s, we would never take him from y’all. We know you and Lila are good people. Let’s just make the best of this until we see what the test says, okay?”

  She leans in and hugs me. This girl likes to hug.

  “Thank you. It was taking everything I had not to knock the shit out of him. I’ve been so pissed off at him and her lately. I know they had something special at one time, but why the hell would they sleep together after I was back and she was married to me? I just don’t get it.” I run my hands over my face. “You know that day you guys came to see Lila in the hospital? I knew, then, that they slept together. It was written all over his face. Then, when she woke up and I told her she was pregnant, that same look confirmed my suspicions.”

  “Liam, I know he will always love her and she him. They helped each other through a rough time. He was hurting and so was she. He was in love with me and she loved you, but you were gone and I was in a really bad relationship I couldn’t get out of.

  “I can’t say why they did it, but I know that the love they shared wasn’t just a college fling. She helped him and he helped her heal from losing you and then her best friend. He gave her what you couldn’t. I try to understand why they did this to you and the only thing I can think of is that that was her way of finally saying goodbye to him and their past together.”

  “I know he helped her a lot. I hate to admit it, but I’m glad she had him to help her through everything. But damn, that’s one hell of a goodbye gift,” I say with a sarcastic laugh.

  “Just try to go easy on her. She seems like she is hurting about it and knows she messed up. Life is too short. Love her with everything you have. I know she loves you just by the way she looks at you. I’ve seen pictures of y’all and your family is beautiful.”

  “Thanks, Tatum.”

  I walk in the cafeteria with her, wondering what my wife and Evan are talking about.

  ***

  Lila

  Liam and Tatum walk out and leave Evan and me in the room, alone. He is standing by the door and hasn’t said anything to me yet. I can feel him staring at me. I don’t know what to say. Tatum is so sweet. No wonder her and Nikki have become friends. Who wouldn’t like a sweet, southern belle like her? Her baby bump is showing and she kind of looks like me.

  “Evan, you can come over here and sit next to me. I’m not going to bite you or anything,” I say, laughing.

  He smiles and walks over to the chair next to the bed, not taking his eyes off of me. He sits down and places a hand on mine.

  “Sweetheart, why
didn’t you call me sooner? If he’s mine, I’ve missed out on your entire pregnancy. You know I would have been here for you and the baby. Tatum would have understood my commuting back and forth. She likes you, ya know. She and Nikki are good friends. Lila, can I touch your stomach? I mean, if that’s okay.”

  “She is super sweet. I think we will get along just fine. Of course you can touch it. I know he’s huge. The doctor said he already weighs close to ten pounds. He is going to be a big boy. The girls were so small when they were born. I never imagined having a child this big.

  “I’ll be honest with you, Evan. I didn’t call because I wasn’t sure what to do. When we slept together, you weren’t seeing Tatum, and then, when I woke up in the hospital, Liam told me the two of you were there. I didn’t want to mess up your life.”

  “My child would never mess up my life, darlin’.You should know that better than anyone. I would die for a child of mine, regardless of who the mother is. If this is my baby, you and Liam will have to get used to me being around. I will not walk away from him, ever. He will know me and Tatum and the rest of the family. He will come to Birmingham during the summer and spring breaks. I won’t take him from you, and I won’t allow you to take him from me.”

  “I was wrong. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I just couldn’t. I never meant to hurt you and keep you away from the baby, I promise you that. Will you please forgive me?”

  I start to cry. Tears well up in his eyes as well. Normally, I would feel some sort of attraction when I’m around him, but right now I don’t. I think the feelings I had for him have finally faded.

  “Don’t cry, darling. I didn’t mean to upset you. I’m just crushed. I feel like I’ve already missed out on so much. I missed all of your doctor appointments and the sonograms. But that all changes today, you understand me? Today will be the start of a new friendship between the four of us. If he is mine, of course. Will they do the test after you deliver?”