by Kat T. Masen
“Amelia,” I called softly, sitting beside her. “You need to talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I don’t know,” she whispered, wringing her hands nervously. “There’s a lot on my mind.”
“But something is upsetting you? Is it about the baby? I know you disagree with Stewart’s decision, but the baby will go to a loving family.”
“How do you know that?” she snapped, her eyes dark and withdrawn. “Do you know how many children go from foster home to foster home? Some until they turn eighteen.”
I chose my words carefully. Amelia is training to be a lawyer and arguing can often be pointless. It’s something I’ve learned over the short time we’ve been together.
“I guess I don’t know for sure.”
“Exactly,” she stated, crossing her arms. “He needs to go to a loving home. Parents who will love him unconditionally for the rest of his life.”
“I’m sure there is a family out there for him.”
Her gaze fell upon her lap, unable to look me in the eye. I moved closer to her, lifting her chin gently while trying to understand her feelings.
“What’s really wrong here, Amelia?” I asked softly.
“Why can’t we foster him, to adopt.”
I stilled my movements, unable to piece my thoughts together without coming across insensitive. My eyes blinked slowly as a heaviness weighed down my limbs.
“For starters, this is the first you’ve ever mentioned of wanting to foster or adopt. I just assumed we’d have our own kids one day when you finished law school.”
“I do want to fall pregnant again one day, but why can’t this baby be part of our family? Luna is adopted, that never stopped Julian and Adriana from wanting her or growing their family.”
Adoption and fostering a child is beyond a foreign concept to me. Never had I ever thought about it, let alone considered it to be part of my future plans.
“Okay, but Amelia, it’s not that simple. You’re still studying.”
“So, I’ll defer.”
I shook my head, disagreeing. “You can’t defer.”
“Why not?”
“Because you worked so hard to get where you are.”
Amelia’s lips pinched together as her eyes fought back the tears. “Yeah, and inside a hospital in Orlando is a baby who has no family to take care of him. Now, you tell me what is more important? Yale or that child’s life?”
I shut my eyes, trying to stay patient. This could easily spiral into an argument that may tear us apart, so I made sure to think about my actions, knowing just how emotional she was.
“We can barely find time for each other. How are we supposed to raise a baby?”
I could see the disappointment across her face and how her shoulders collapsed against the bed head. There are not many things Amelia is passionate about or willing to argue over, so I knew this was important to her. I just wasn’t expecting her to want us to start a family this way.
“And say we work all that out,” I mentioned mildly. “There’s a lot of legal hoops to jump through. There is no guarantee we can become foster parents or adopt the baby.”
“But are you willing to try?” she pleaded, holding her breath.
“Is this what you want?”
“I want you, Will. And you are right. I never expected to start a family this way. But that little boy brought us together. There is a reason he came into our life all those weeks ago. There is a reason why Ashley walked into that bar that night.”
I reached out for her hand, kissing her knuckles softly. There was a huge part of me that wondered why it all happened. I took it as a test to see how strong we were and if we could reach the other side.
“This is not a decision for just me to make,” she confessed, lowering her voice. “It’s for us to make. As husband and wife. We both need to commit to providing a loving home for this child if we are blessed to be his parents one day.”
I remained quiet, thinking about the whole situation. There were so many things to consider, but the pressing thought was, am I ready to be a father? And to a child who is not biologically mine.
“We would need to move to LA to be closer to your Mom.”
Amelia’s lips slowly curved upward into a hopeful smile. “Is that a yes?”
“It’s a let us take one step at a time. There are a lot of hurdles to get through. I need you to be strong because there is no guarantee at the end,” I warned her.
She threw her arms around me, tears springing from her eyes. “I love you.”
My arms wrapped around her while I kiss her hair. There is nothing much that terrified me until now. I’d seen it all to get to where I am. But losing my wife would top the list without a shadow of a doubt, and second would be raising a child.
“You have no idea how much I needed to hear that,” I whispered in her ear.
It was never going to be easy—that was certain.
Charlie and Mom took on the legal side for us, processing all the paperwork necessary. The hardest part was the wait, up to three months to apply to be foster parents.
But then, luck appeared to be on our side.
Or perhaps, someone from above was watching over us.
Stewart Knight granted us temporary guardianship, still within his rights as the paternal father before his role in the child’s life was officially terminated.
He admitted that bringing a baby back home to London, with his wife and family learning of his affair, would be catastrophic for everyone involved. During a long video call with him in which our mothers sat in with us, Stewart admitted to a pre-nuptial agreement not being signed, and half of his fifty-billion-dollar empire would go to his wife.
It wasn’t just the money at play, nor his wife leaving him.
Her Italian background made it all the more complicated.
I read between the lines, though he never confirmed the truth, his wife’s family had mafia ties. It wasn’t just Stewart’s life on the line but this child too.
And so, he signed over the rights knowing his son will be given a good life. He also requested a confidentiality agreement to be signed that this situation is never to be spoken of. We all agreed with the intent to protect the baby.
The most surprising part of the conversation was Stewart’s honesty of his feelings toward Ashley. I’d spent enough time around powerful men to know his vulnerability is not for show. His words echoed his sentiments. He fell deeply for Ashley but knew he could never leave his wife.
A tragic ending to what was his greatest love story.
Then, after a month of waiting, the baby was placed in the arms of my wife, and I knew right there we did the right thing. All the heartache was worth the journey, all because we opened our hearts to allow another human being to be a part of us.
Amelia was born to be a mother.
And if it was possible—I fell in love with her even more.
Yet, none of this was possible without our family. They were the compass to guide us, the pillars keeping us strong. They are the tie to our past and the bridge to our future. We were far from perfect, but we always come together in the end.
To Lex, Noah, and Kate, for helping Rockford Technology open a new office in Los Angeles. The logistics of the move, along with the takeover from Lau, created an enormous amount of stress for me. However, they all stepped in, taking on as much as they could, allowing me to be present with our child.
For Julian and Andy, for helping Amelia organize to transfer to UCLA. It wasn’t easy, but thanks to them, Amelia won’t fall too far behind.
To Eric and Ava for finding us a new home, a stone’s throw from Lex and Charlie. If it wasn’t for them, we’d have no place to raise our child. Not only did they find a home which we both fell in love with, but they also furnished it and made sure we had everything we need.
To Adriana, for setting up the nursery and organizing everything we need for the baby.
For Dad, who organized a welcome home party. Thankfully, it
didn’t involve strippers for once.
And to the two most important women in our life—our mothers.
Thanks to them, we have a son.
Ashton Alexander Edwards Romano.
Our rainbow baby, born after the greatest of storms.
THE END
Sneak Peek
The Trouble with Him coming 30th of July 2021
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Dr. Taylor sits on the sofa across from me.
I’m waiting for her lecture on how the diet pills I’d been consuming is what caused me to be so ill over the last month or two. Perhaps, in hindsight, I should have listened to Millie when she warned me of the damage they can do to my body. But stubborn me just continued, and now I’m paying the price.
“Miss Edwards, I have your results here.”
Dr. Taylor procrastinates in the most annoying way possible. She’s pushing close to a hundred— okay, exaggerating a little—but doesn’t she know that time is of the essence? In less than two hours, I need to board a flight to the Bahamas for a photoshoot. Just give me the pep talk, and I’ll be on my merry way.
“You’re pregnant, and the blood work shows you’re about four months along.”
Frozen on the spot, Dr. Taylor hands me a piece of paper with results. I barely make out the words, all of them jumbled and blurry. My skin tingles in discomfort as my chest tightens, restricting my ability to breathe so effortlessly.
This. Cannot. Be. Happening.
I gasp for air, my eyes starting to twitch, followed by the room spinning. Dr. Taylor is concerned, calling my name in the distance. I focus on her face, mumbling the question that is bursting to come out.
“So, when you say four months, I fell pregnant around...”
“January,” she confirms.
My breaths come hard and fast, the panic crippling my ability to even talk.
“But it was only one time,” I beg, almost in tears. “I had my shot back then, and we used a condom…I think.”
“Miss Edwards, I always advise my patients that the birth control shot is not one hundred percent effective. You did the right thing using a condom if you did, but even condoms aren’t one hundred percent.”
“Why does everyone say that?” I raise my voice, the cushions falling off the sofa as I pace the area in front of it. “I can’t be pregnant! If nothing’s one hundred percent, then why are people having sex?”
“Abstinence is your one hundred percent,” she reminds me.
What a stupid remark. No one is going to abstain from having sex. Maybe I should have been more into anal. At least I wouldn’t be pregnant, and maybe my so-call fiancé, for all intents and purposes, didn’t have to find some guy to stick his dick into!
My life is a fucking mess.
This will ruin me.
“I was with the same man before that night for nearly two years. How come I didn’t fall pregnant with him?”
“It could be several things. Perhaps you weren’t having intercourse during ovulation, but most likely, you’ve found a male partner with strong sperm that’s extremely compatible with your eggs.”
“And if I don’t want this kid?” I ask, my voice is high-pitched.
“I’m afraid it’s a little too late if that’s what you’re asking me. However, there is always placing the baby up for adoption,” Dr. Taylor keeps her gaze fixated on me. “So, I take it you’re not in a relationship with the father?”
“Three words for you, Doc. One. Night. Stand.”
I see pity or maybe even a little bit of judgment in her eyes. She carries on about prenatal appointments, supplements, and other things that are flying in one ear and out the other. In my head, I only see the look on my family's face when I tell them.
Chances are—this will destroy them.
And it’s all because of one night.
A night when my entire life came crashing down, and the only person able to comfort me was a man completely forbidden…
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Other Books by Kat T.Masen
The Dark Love Series
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Chasing Love: A Billionaire Love Triangle Book One
Chasing Us: A Second Chance Love Triangle Book Two
Chasing Her: A Stalker Romance Book Three
Chasing Him: A Forbidden Second Chance Romance Book Four
Chasing Fate: An Enemies to Lovers Romance Book Five
Chasing Heartbreak: A Friends-to-Lovers Romance Book Six
The Forbidden Love Series
(The Dark Love Series Next Generation)
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The Trouble with Love: An Age Gap Romance
Book One
The Trouble with Us: A Second Chance Love Triangle Book Two
The Trouble with Him: A Secret Pregnancy Romance Book Three
The Office Rival – An Enemies to Lovers Romance
The Marriage Rival – An Office Romance
Bad Boy Player – A Brother’s Best Friend Romance
Bad Boy Rich – An Enemies to Lovers Hollywood Romance
Arrogant Aussie: A Hero Club Novel
Roomie Wars Box Set – Friends to Lovers Series (Books 1-3)
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About the Author
Born and bred in Sydney, Australia, Kat T. Masen is a mother to four crazy boys and wife to one sane husband. Growing up in a generation where social media and fancy gadgets didn’t exist, she enjoyed reading from an early age and found herself immersed in these stories. After meeting friends on Twitter who loved to read as much as she did, her passion for writing began, and the friendships continued on despite the distance.
“I’m known to be crazy and humorous. Show me the most random picture of a dog in a wig, and I’ll be laughing for days.”