ooooooooo
Max
It hurt to know that she didn’t trust me at the moment, but I’d worked too hard these last few weeks to make everything perfect and I wasn’t going to ruin it now. When I woke this morning, Hailey was still fast asleep. I’d kept her up most of the night, so I expected as much. I figured I’d make some coffee, and then wait for my girls. ‘My girls’, it seemed like a novel idea, but I really did feel that way. I’d been helping Hailey with Nora since she was born. Even though I wasn’t her father biologically, I still felt like somewhat of a dad to her.
Just as I was leaving the kitchen with my mug, Hailey came shuffling down the hallway. She was dressed in only an oversized sweatshirt, and rubbing sleep from her eyes. “Thanks,” she mumbled as she removed the mug from my hand, and continued walking. “Ugh, this needs sugar.” She curled her lip as she set the mug on the counter.
“That was mine.” I pouted.
“Where was mine?” She scooped sugar by what seemed like the cup full into the mug.
“In the pot.” I motioned to the coffee pot still on the warmer. She scowled, but I quickly recovered. “I didn’t know when you’d be up. I was waiting for you.”
“Really?” She smiled as she moved to stand in front of me. Her arms wrapped around my waist, and she leaned her head against my bare chest.
“I want to take you to breakfast.” I grinned as she looked up at me. The truth was, I was supposed to go by the house for the final walk through, but after last night I decided to surprise her early. Breakfast was definitely needed first though.
“I’m gonna hop in the shower. Will you get Nora up if she wakes before I’m out?” She batted her eyes before pressing a kiss to my chest.
“Sure.” I swatted her ass as she rushed past me with her coffee. Now, I needed to call Jimmy and tell him we were coming today.
ooooooooo
Hailey
“I can’t believe she ate that much.” I glanced in the backseat where Nora was happily babbling. We’d gone to the local pancake shop, and Nora had chowed down. She had teeth now, so no more mushy stuff. Watching her stuff her face with her chubby little hands was hysterical though.
“She was hungry. Girl’s gotta eat.” Max laughed.
“I’ll have to add pancakes and sausage to the list of foods she really likes,” I mused.
“Hey. I need you to do something, and not ask me any questions, ok?” Max glanced at me before reaching into his coat pocket for something.
“Ooookkkk.” I wasn’t sure what he was getting at here, but soon found out when he handed me a blindfold. “I’m not really into that.” I slowly took it from his hand.
“You will be,” he winked, “but that’s not what this is about. Just put it on.”
I slipped it on my head, and leaned back in my seat. It’s funny how much more you notice when you can’t see. I could feel every bump in the road that my car rolled over. I could hear the wipers squeak as they slid across the glass. It had been snowing lightly all morning. I could hear Nora more clearly and even Max’s breathing picked up. “Are you getting turned on?” I teased.
“I’m not answering that,” he muttered as the car turned off the road onto what felt like a gravel drive of sorts. We bounced along for a few more feet before coming to a stop. “Sit tight for a minute.” I heard his door open and close as he climbed out of the car. I could hear the ground crunching as he moved around, probably coming over to get me. My door opened, and I felt the cold wind from outside whip in. “Stay right here.” He positioned me beside the car.
I listened as he went to work getting Nora out. He grunted under the strain of lifting her and her things before coming back to me. “Hold my hand.” He wrapped his fingers around mine and tugged gently, leading me a few feet from the car. “Ok, stop.” He turned me slightly. I heard another set of footsteps before muffled voices, and then Nora laughed. “Ok.” He sounded like he was back beside me. “Take off the blindfold.”
As I slowly blinked against the light waiting for my eyes to adjust, I noticed Max, then the house behind him. “Where are we?” I looked around for something familiar. The pond. The pond was off to the side.
“We’re home, I hope.” Max reached in his pocket as he blinked back tears. I watched, completely stunned as he dropped down in front of me. “Hailey Marie Sullivan Benton, I have loved you since before I knew what love was. I know it took me a long time to wake up from the fog I was living in, but I’m here and I can’t imagine living my life without you and Nora. Make me the happiest man alive. Marry me.” He opened the box he’d pulled from his pocket and a beautiful diamond solitaire was nestled in the cream silk inside.
“Home?” My eyes went from the ring, to the house, finally landing on Max’s face.
“I built it for you.” He swallowed hard.
“It has a view of the pond.” Tears began to trickle down my cheeks.
“Is that a yes?” He smiled as he pulled the ring from the box.
I nodded vigorously. “Yes. It’s a yes.” My hands shook as he stood and slipped the ring on my finger, before leaning in to kiss me.
“I love you, Hails,” he whispered against my lips.
“I love you too,” I whispered back. It was then that I realized we had an audience.
“You guys go take a look. This one seems to like me.” Jimmy came down the steps with Nora in his arms.
“Thanks, man.” Max squeezed his shoulder as he reached for me. “Come on. Let’s look at our house.” I didn’t think he could smile any wider, but he surprised me again. When we reached the front door, he wrapped one arm around my shoulders and then bent down, lifting me into his arms.
I squealed in surprise. “What are you doing?”
“Carrying my fiancée over the threshold.” He chuckled as he stepped inside and spun me around.
“This is the best Christmas present ever.” I giggled as I tilted my head to kiss him again, and that was the truth. This was the best Christmas I’d had in a long time. It’s funny how sometimes you need just one more of something to see what you were truly missing all along.
Epilogue
5 years later…
Hailey
“Mama! Mama! Mama! Watch this!” my daughter yelled from where she was bouncing in waist deep water with her father. I laughed as she flopped forward, and kicked her feet. She went about five feet before she stood up and brushed her wet hair out of her eyes.
“That’s great, sweetie,” I called from the front yard.
“Daddy taught me.” She turned her grin toward Max and he held up his hand to give her a high five.
“Dinner will be ready soon. Don’t wait too long to start drying off, ok?” I sighed as I turned to waddle up the front steps. I should be the one in the water right now, but I’ve been so tired lately that all I want to do is sit on the porch swing.
As I headed back inside, I could hear my daughter squealing, and my husband roar with laughter. It was something that I’d grown accustomed to over the years. When Jared died, I never thought I’d have this dream become a reality. I figured it would be just the two of us, Nora and me, and I was okay with that.
I always knew Max was special. Since the day I met him, we had a bond that most people didn’t understand. Over the years, that bond has changed, but it’s never gone away. He’s shown me that my heart can love again, and all the things I thought I’d never have were still possible. He’s loved my daughter like his own.
Max adopted Nora right before the wedding. We’ve made sure to tell her over the years that she has two daddies, one in heaven and Max. She was confused at first, but as she’s gotten older, she’s seemed to understand it more. I still remember the expression on Max’s face when she asked him one night if she would always be his little girl. After he assured her, she climbed into his lap and asked him to tuck her in. He hugged her, and went about her nightly routine as if nothing had changed. I know she’s young, but she’ll start school soon, and I wanted to be
the one to explain things to her about her dads, not some punk kid. I remember what it was like to be picked on, and I plan to shelter my daughter as long as I can from that.
“It smells delicious.” Max hugged me around the waist from behind, resting his hands on my swollen stomach. His damp body pressed against my back, and I leaned into him. “What are we having?”
“Meatloaf and mashed potatoes.” I smiled as I reached for a pot holder. I pushed back against him so I could open the oven to get the meatloaf out.
“Again?” Max released me and ran his fingers through his wet hair. “We just had it two days ago.”
“And I’m craving it again.” I shrugged as I placed the pan on the stove, and began peeling the foil back from the top. “This is your fault, ya know?”
“My fault?” He pointed to himself. “How is this my fault?”
“You knew before we did this,” I pointed to my stomach, “that I would do this.” I then pointed to the stove. “She did this to me too, remember?” I tipped my head in the direction of the family room where Nora was happily talking to one of her dolls.
“I remember how much fun the ‘doing’ was. That’s what I remember.” He grinned like a toddler who was proud of himself.
“I remember.” I sighed as I rubbed my back.
“You say that like it was a chore or something.” He pouted.
“I’m just tired, and hungry, and tired,” I mumbled as I started slicing up dinner.
“Why don’t you sit? I’ll do this.” He turned me by the shoulders and directed me to the table. It was then that Nora came skipping into the kitchen.
“Are we ready yet? I’m hungry.” She rubbed her stomach.
“Daddy’s getting you a plate now. Why don’t you sit down at the table with Mommy?” Max pointed to Nora’s chair.
“K.” She grinned as she bounded around the table. “What are we having?”
“Meatloaf.” Max grimaced as he set Nora’s plate in front of her. I watched his face as she lifted her fork and took a bite with no complaint. My daughter has been a picky eater since she was a baby. We usually fight a battle every other night over food with her. “You like that?” Max looked confused. We’d had to almost force Nora to eat it the other night.
“No,” Nora’s nose scrunched up, “but Mommy said we could get ice cream later if I ate dinner tonight.”
Max’s mouth dropped open as he turned toward me. “When did she say that?”
“Before swimming, when she was making it.” Nora stuffed another bite in. “I want ice cream.” She shrugged.
“Smart kid,” Max muttered as he served both himself and me. “Ice cream, huh?” He glanced in my direction.
“Your son wants it.” I smiled as I stuffed a bite of meatloaf in my own mouth.
“Whatever you say.” Max chuckled.
I’d like to say that we got that ice cream after dinner, but things never seem to go as planned for our little family. I’ve learned to roll with the punches over the years, and that night was no different.
As we were heading out the door to get into my car, my water broke. My evening out with the family turned into dropping Nora off at my parents’ house, and having Max take me to the hospital. At eleven thirty-five that night, Jacob Anthony Stanton came into the world. Where he had his father’s personality, he had my looks, and as I held him in my arms that night, I knew that my life was perfect. Our family was complete.
When I married Max, I didn’t think I needed anything else, but Jake proved time and time again that I did need just one more person to love.
The End
Just One More Playlist
Marry Me- Jason Derulo
Head Above Water- Avril Lavigne
You Belong with Me- Taylor Swift
New Year’s Eve- Taylor Swift
All Too Well- Taylor Swift
The Best Day- Taylor Swift
8 Letters- Why Don’t We
Marry Me- Thomas Rhett
Make Believe- The Faim
Sunday Morning- Parmalee
Rise Again- Tyrone Wells
Fearless- Amy Stroup
Be Alright- Dean Lewis
Miracle- CHVRCHES
Always- Gavin James
Other Works by H. D’Agostino
The Broken Series
Irreparably Broken
Saving Us
My Broken Angel
Broken Pieces
The Shattered Series
Destined
Shattered
Restored
Renewed
Fated
The Witness Series
Being Nobody
Becoming Somebody
Promise Me Tomorrow
Say You Remember
Below the Surface
Crash and Burn
On Broken Wings (Coming Soon)
The Second Chances Series
Unbreak Me
The Boy Next Door
The One That Got Away
Inside Out
Fallen from Grace
The Family Next Door
The Cook Brothers Series
Walking Among the Cherry Trees
Beyond the Cherry Trees
Before the Cherry Trees
The Sutter Family Series
Catching Raindrops
Trusting You
Finding the Green Room
Teaching Cayden
Standalones
Privileged
Beautiful Goodbye
Pieces of Forever
Sands of Time
Acknowledgements
This book was both one of the most fun and emotionally draining books I think I have written so far. I love small town romances, and growing up in the country. I knew when Hailey and Max’s story started forming that I had to write it. As with any of my books, there is a bit of truth mixed in with the fiction. Those who know me well, know where those bits are. If you enjoyed Just One More, I urge you to please go leave a review wherever you bought it from. Reviews are the best way to thank an author. We rely on them to help others find our works. If I miss anyone, I’m sorry. You know I love you all.
To my alpha team… thank you Angie and Melinda. You are #MyTribe. Thank you for your honesty, speediness, and most importantly the laughs and support. I can’t not laugh when I think about what went into getting the cover for this book. Turns out, there’s a lot going on in that head when you’re not talking, Mel.
Thank you Golden for an awesome photoshoot. Your professionalism is top notch, and I can’t wait for us to work together again. You have this ease about you, and it calms even the craziest situations. Narrowing down my pictures was almost as hard as writing the blurb. Haha.
Tabitha, aren’t you glad this was a standalone? Thank you for all the feedback. I appreciate the fact that you can tell me when something doesn’t feel/sound right. Your honesty makes me a better writer.
Thank you, Shaun. Despite all the taunting and teasing, you held your own for this cover shoot. The pictures turned out great, and I truly enjoy working with you.
Last but not least, thank you readers. I couldn’t do what I love without you support. Thank you for buying my books. Thank you for loving my books, but most importantly…thank you for sticking with me through this journey of being an author.
About the Author
Heather D’Agostino is an avid reader turned Bestselling Author of the Contemporary Romance Series The Broken Series, The Shattered Series, The Second Chances Series, The Cook Brothers Series, and Romantic Suspense series The Witness Series.
She attended the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where she received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Elementary Education with a minor in Mathematics.
She currently lives in Central New York with her husband, two children, dog, and three cats. When she’s not writing she can usually be found at the dance studio, soccer field, or one of the many other places that she plays ‘Supermom’.
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