Isaiah’s crutches at the kitchen door as he stepped into the room cautiously distracted them momentarily. Addison exchanged a glance with his brother before turning back to AJ, whose outburst was what obviously had Isaiah coming in to see if everything was okay.
AJ lifted his hand to his brother. “Give us a minute; she’ll be gone soon.”
The moment Isaiah hobbled back into the kitchen Addison turned to AJ, glad now that he was being such an asshole. “You know what? I’m glad I came here now. Glad I got to see your true colors. It’ll make this breakup so much easier.”
“Yeah, well, I’m glad it’ll be easy for one of us,” he said, glaring at her, but he’d lost a little of his fire.
“You’re doing this,” she snapped back, angry that the stupid tears were blurring her vision now, “not me. You’re the one being completely unreasonable. I never in a million years would’ve believed that you could be so cold to me—to Clair. What did she do to you?”
“I told you before,” he said, taking a step toward her. “As much as I love that little girl, there’s no way I can continue talking to and being around her, not when I know there’s a possibility she might let something slip about you and her dad that would make me crazy.”
“That’s crazy,” she said, swatting the tears away, “that you would still think—after everything I’ve sacrificed to make sure that bastard is never a part of her life—that I’d give into him.”
“You said you would!” He took another menacing step toward her. “You said Clair was so upset that day she wandered off because you were giving in to his request to see her.”
She shook her head, even more frustrated now. “She heard it out of context. I didn’t mean I was giving into him. I was telling my dad what Fred wanted me to do.”
Whatever tension AJ was feeling practically radiated off him. He stared at her, still breathing hard. “So you’re not going to? You’re just gonna keep meeting him alone?”
“No.” She shook her head again. “I got him to agree to sign off on Clair, give up his parental rights completely.”
The shock in AJ’s eyes was quickly replaced with something else: something cold—dark—hard. The spark in his eyes, the one she’d seen earlier and so many times before, was back. “How’d you get him to agree to that?”
That he might actually think she’d done anything but what she had, was annoying, not to mention insulting, but she was glad he was at least listening to her now—even more glad she wasn’t crying anymore.
“He owes me back child support. A lot. It’s why I went to see him that night—to show him the paperwork from my lawyers. I had a few threats of my own for him. I knew I had him when he didn’t immediately wave my threats off. His lawyers called mine this morning. He’s ready to sign.”
AJ stared at her for a moment before starting to her with a smile.
“Oh, hell no.” She put her arms up and took a few steps to the door. “You can’t just expect me to be happy with how this all went down.”
“Addison,” he said, shaking his head. “There was no way I—”
“No!” she said, and this time she raised her voice, and the stupid knot in her throat was suddenly back. “I told you from day one my number one priority is to protect Clair. I can’t bring someone into her life that could so easily drop us both like we never meant anything—”
“I never said you didn’t mean anything to me.”
“You may as well have.”
“You’re the one who said it would be an easy breakup. I admitted it wouldn’t be for me. I knew I’d be miserable, but it was my only choice.”
“Really? Hanging in there because you know how much I love you and that I’d never do anything to hurt you was never a choice?”
“Not if it meant some other guy, especially that asshole, was spending time with my family.” He pounded at his own chest with a purpose. “My girls. It would’ve driven me insane. I would’ve driven you insane.” He took a step closer to her, and she didn’t move away. “It would’ve never worked, so I didn’t want to prolong the inevitable. But that was only because you were so adamant that you’d do whatever you had to for Clair’s sake. I don’t blame you, Addison. I really don’t. I’d do anything for you and Clair. But I draw the line at sharing you two with some guy who’s still in love with you and only using Clair to get to you.”
“I told you. I really doubt he knows what love is.”
“That’s not the—”
“Who marries someone and keeps something so huge from her like a daughter?”
“Addison—”
“Who claims to love someone then walks when he finds out she’s pregnant?”
Addison could feel herself coming apart. The pain of knowing AJ had been so ready to walk away from her and Clair just like that was unbearable.
“Babe—”
“Don’t call me that!” She swatted angrily at the tears that now streamed down her face. “I’ll tell you who does that. The same kind of person who claims he adores you then walks away the moment things get tough—”
“Bullshit! Don’t lump me in with that asshole!” He took another giant step to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “I do adore you. I wouldn’t be able to lie about that if I tried. And don’t you think for a minute this was easy for me. Aside from the days I was waiting to hear if Clair was going to be okay . . .”
His eyes suddenly reddened and flooded as they had so much those days in the hospital, and he shook his head. His lips pressed together before speaking again.
“Aside from then, these last two days”—he stopped and cleared his throat—“have been the hardest in my life. Addison, I had no idea what I was gonna do without you two in my life.”
The fact that he always spoke in terms of her and Clair would never stop swelling her heart. Moments ago she’d been so ready to walk out that door and tell him to go to hell. But, as usual, she had no doubt what he was saying to her right then was absolutely genuine. There was no doubt when she looked into those pained eyes now that he’d suffered as much as she had these last two days.
“It’s been just the two of us for seven years, AJ.” She felt her lip begin to quiver. “I’d prided myself that we’d been just fine with that, and I knew we always would be. But suddenly I had no idea what we’d do without you either. I was so scared.”
AJ wrapped his arms around her neck, and she fell into his embrace. “Was?” he said, pulling away to look at her suddenly. “So that means we’re good? That idiot’s signing his rights away and we never have to deal with his ass again, right?”
Addison nodded. “My lawyers are writing up the paperwork as we speak. I told them I wanted it ironclad so I’d never have to worry about him making any claims or threats again.”
For only the second time since she’d arrived, AJ smiled. He kissed her then gave her another crushing hug, the kind he’d given her in the hospital, and she’d been helpless to not give into it completely. “Thank God,” he whispered against her ear with groan as he hugged her even tighter. “Thank God I get my girls back. Thank God I never have to worry about that asshole again, and it’ll be just the three of us from here on, without anyone trying to make a claim on what’s mine. All mine.”
“I never said anything about it being just the three of us from here on.”
The moment she said it, his hold on her loosened, and he backed away to look at her, his eyebrow already at attention. “What do you mean? You said he was signing . . .” His expression softened a little. “You mean your parents? I know they’ll always be around, babe. I just meant when it’s just us three.”
“Just the four of us,” she corrected him, and the brow rose again.
The squealing broke Addison from AJ’s death stare, and they turned to Emi, who rushed into the room, and everyone followed. Addison felt her face flush, seeing them all flood in with big smiles. She had no idea they’d apparently had such a big audience for the entire argument.
“Are you say
ing what I think you’re saying?” Emi asked, holding her hands to her mouth.
Addison smiled with a nod as she turned to a still-confused-looking AJ. Emi squealed again, hugging Addison, and then turned to AJ. “She’s pregnant, you idiot!” It barely appeared to register for AJ when Emi added, “So am I! We’ll be pregnant together! We were gonna tell everyone later today, but I figured now is even better.”
There were gasps and joyful hugs all around, so it was a while before Addison got to be in AJ’s arms again. As soon as they had a moment, he pulled her aside. “How long have you known?” he asked after squeezing her and kissing her over and over.
Addison explained how she’d suspected for some time because she’d been late, but it wasn’t until the morning of the last game that she took the test. With everything that happened that day and ever since, she hadn’t, or rather didn’t want to think about it. “I wasn’t sure what was going to happen between you and me. I kept thinking—” Her voice broke, and she finally gave into the emotion she’d been failing miserably anyway to hold in. “I kept thinking, oh my God, this can’t be happening again.”
“Baby, you know I would’ve never turned my back on you.” He stared in her eyes as he wiped her tears away. “You should’ve said something sooner. Like as soon as you walked in.”
She shook her head adamantly. “I didn’t want this to be the only reason you gave us another try.”
AJ kissed her softly then hugged her again. “Another try.” He scoffed. “I talk a good talk, Addison. All this time I kept asking myself how the hell I was going to live without the two of you. Truth is, baby or not, deep down I’m not sure know how long I would’ve been able to hold off crawling back to beg you to take my stubborn ass back.” He chuckled. “Probably not very long.”
Addison laughed softly against his chest, wishing now she’d brought Clair with her. But she’d been afraid this might’ve ended badly as it almost did. She also hadn’t wanted AJ to think she’d brought her along to soften him up. She needed the truth of where his head was no matter how loud and ugly things got.
They all made their way into the kitchen. There were so many of them and they were all so welcoming it was almost a bit overwhelming. She could hardly believe that for someone who’d been such a loner most her life this was going to be her world now. Her and Clair’s world.
When it finally came time that AJ had to leave and they all started making their way out, AJ walked her to her car. He’d hardly stopped touching and kissing her the whole time they’d hung out with his family, and even now he could barely take his lips off her to say good-bye.
He pulled back when he noticed her eyes were all welled up again. “What’s wrong?”
She shrugged, feeling frustrated. “I never had any morning sickness with Clair, and I haven’t had any yet, but my God, did I cry. Back then I thought it was because of my circumstances,” she said, scrunching her face, and then squeaked out the rest. “But I’ve never been so happy in my life and look at me.”
AJ smiled, kissing her again. “Oh boy,” he said then laughed. “This is gonna be a fun nine months.” She shoved him playfully, but laughed even through her crying. “I’ve never been happier in my life either, baby. Cry all you want. I’m just glad the season’s almost over and I’ll be there for you more often. You and Clair.” He glanced down and rubbed her belly. “Just the four of us.”
“Just the four of us,” she repeated, her lips quivering uncontrollably, making AJ laugh again. “I love you, Andrés Josiah,” she squeaked out again.
“I love you too, future Mrs. Romero.”
Her eyes widened and the crying ceased.
“Oh, hell yeah,” he added with an even bigger smile. “You know I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
It wasn’t exactly a proposal, but it may as well have been. Instantly, her face crumbled, and AJ laughed again, pulling her into another crushing hug.
Epilogue
AJ
“Put that away,” AJ said with a frown as he walked into the nursery, determined to get through this with his dignity still intact.
“No way,” Clair said, holding her phone in front of her as she continued to narrate the video she was taking for her sister to watch one day. “AJ’s second attempt to change Chloe’s dirty diaper.”
“I’ve changed her diaper plenty of times,” AJ protested as he laid Chloe down on the changing table.
“Correction,” Clair said as she maneuvered to get a better angle of AJ’s face and not the diaper, “AJ’s second attempt to change Chloe’s loaded, dirty diaper.” She looked up at AJ, who was already preparing not to panic. “Changing her diaper when she’s just wet doesn’t count. Even I can do that.” Clair pinched her nose as AJ undid the tape that fastened the diaper together. “The waste basket is right there.” She pointed.
“I’m not gonna need that,” AJ insisted, but he wasn’t so sure as the smell of his precious baby girl’s diaper assaulted his nose. “I got the first one out of the—Ugh!” He gagged as he opened the diaper and saw what Addison referred to as “Chloe’s presents.”
“Presents, my ass,” he muttered. “Ugh!” He gagged again, leaning over the waste basket because he felt his stomach turn.
“There you are,” Clair said, turning to the doorway.
AJ turned to see Harrison cautiously peeking in. “Where’d you go?” she asked. “I thought you wanted to see this.”
Harrison shook his head, wide-eyed, as AJ wiped his already running nose with back of his arm. Then Harrison walked back out. “Get back here, you coward,” AJ called out as he wiped some of the mess away with a wipe and promptly gagged again. “I could use some help here.”
Clair giggled even louder as he leaned over and dry-heaved into the waste basket. “Yeah,” she said, laughing even more. “My hands are full or I’d help.”
Looking up from the waste basket, even as his hand still held Chloe’s ankles in the air, he peered at his adorably evil little girl. She shrugged then covered her mouth with the same hand that still pinched her nose, but continued to video tape the whole thing. “And Mom thought I was exaggerating about the last time you did this.”
“You were,” he said as he attempted wipe away some more of his baby’s offensive presents. “Ugh!” He gagged a few more times before leaning over and actually throwing up a little.
Chloe babbled loudly, moving her little arms in the air as if even she were enjoying watching Daddy’s pathetic attempt to change her without being sick.
“Oh, was I?” Clair said, enjoying this way too much. “Harrison,” she called out. “You gotta come in here and see this. It won’t be the same just watching the video. Look at him; his eyes are crying and everything.”
Despite his churning stomach, it still couldn’t flatten the instant smile on his face when his eyes met Chloe’s beautiful bright eyes. “You are enjoying this, aren’t you, sweetheart?”
AJ finally made it through the diaper change, but not before gagging a few more times and throwing up again. When it was all over and he’d cleaned up the whole area, Clair stepped up to help. “Yeah, you get the easy job,” AJ said as they walked into his bedroom and placed Chloe on his and Addison’s bed for Clair and Harrison to watch while he went out back to throw out all remnants of his heroic diaper change. But he stopped at the doorway when he saw Harrison climb on the bed with his girls. “Harrison.”
The wide-eyed little boy turned to him curiously. “Yeah?”
“Did you forget the rule?”
It took him a second, but AJ saw the moment it hit him. Immediately, Harrison had one foot on the floor. “Sorry, Mr. Romero,” he said.
AJ smirked, shaking his head as he walked out of the bedroom. He wasn’t sure how or why it happened, but it was sometime around the time he decided to adopt Clair. Ever since it was established that, while they’d still be best buddies, AJ was now going to be Clair’s dad and she his daughter, Harrison had gone from calling him Mr. AJ to Mr. Romero. The adoption
wasn’t even final yet. But he was glad the transition from best buddies to being a family now living in the same home had been a smooth one. He just wished the damn adoption would be too.
Even though he was already referring to her as his daughter, the issue of Clair changing her last name hadn’t been discussed too much at first. Addison had offered to hyphenate hers back when they first got married so Clair wouldn’t feel left out, since Chloe would be a Romero. But once her little sister arrived, Clair decided she wanted to be part of the Romero family all the way. Getting her name legally changed had surprisingly been a much easier task.
The wait on the adoption being finalized was an exasperating one though. There was so much red tape and none of it even had anything to do with Bigsby. He’d cooperated completely. Addison had been right about the asshole. It was nothing but a bruised ego. The moment he found out how much he’d have to shell out in back child support and how much he’d have to pay for another ten plus years, his supposed eagerness about getting to know Clair was squashed.
Addison’s lawyers had since made it clear that AJ would be Clair’s father now. AJ had also made sure the guy knew through her lawyers that there’d be hell to pay if he ever came near or tried to mess with his family in any way. So it was handled with far more diplomacy than if AJ had delivered the threat himself like he’d originally hoped to.
With the generous deal and bonus he’d gotten for resigning with Padres, especially since they not only won the World Series but he’d been named MVP, AJ had no choice but to invest in more property. He bought one with two adjacent homes on the lot. Nathan and Isaiah were now each living in one, and, of course, the two stubborn asses insisted on paying him rent.
The gate to the driveway opened just as AJ was making his way to the back entryway from where he’d dumped Chloe’s diaper in the trashcan. He smiled when his eyes met his beautiful wife’s eyes. Stopping to wait, he continued smiling as she drove up and into one of the carports.
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