Lucas’s face breaks into a smile. The father of my child, the father of my children leans down and brushes his lips against mine. He’s here, and I’m here, and we have two healthy, happy children. I didn’t know one person could be so lucky, and I definitely didn’t think that person could be me. I can’t help it. I have to say those three magical words again:
“I love you."
Epilogue
Rosie
“She’s going to love you,” Lucas says, placing a kiss on my forehead. “Don’t worry.”
“Okay,” I answer. “It’s just been a long time since I’ve had to meet the parents.”
“My mother is more concerned with meeting Jack and spoiling him rotten than anything else,” he answers, laughing. “You’ll be lucky if she even notices you.”
I turn back toward the arrivals gate and take another breath. His mother should be walking through any minute, and I bounce Jack in my arms. Allie jumps up and down beside me.
“Do you think Grandma brought any of her gingersnap cookies?” She turns to me. “They’re my favorite. We used to make them together all the time.”
“If she didn’t bring any, I’m sure you’ll have time to make some together,” I respond. Two whole weeks to make them.
I’ll welcome the help with Jack, but I’m still nervous. Two weeks with the mother-in-law. Not technically, obviously, but she’s my mother-in-law for all intents and purposes. She’s said that she wants to help with the baby in any way possible, but I’ve heard so many horror stories about mothers-in-law that I’m not sure what to think.
When she steps through the sliding doors, I know it’s her before Lucas says anything. She has his eyes, and his smile. She spots him and smiles immediately, then her eyes travel to Allie and then to me and the baby. Allie starts running toward her and Lucas’s mother spreads her arms wide. I can’t help but smile as Allie collides with her grandmother, who wraps her in an embrace that only grandmas can give.
“Grandma!” Allie squeals, pulling away and slipping her hand into the old woman’s. She greets Lucas with a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek and then turns to me.
“And you must be Rosie. It’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m Martha.”
“Hi Martha, this is Jack. Lucas tells me you’ve been wanting to meet him for some time now.”
Martha’s face crinkles as she sees Jack. She opens her arms and I pass him over. My heart melts as I see the wonder on her face. She brings him up to her face and kisses his forehead.
“He’s beautiful,” she breathes. “What a beautiful boy.”
“Thank you,” I reply, glancing at Lucas. He winks at me and then turns to his mother.
“Do you have all your bags? We should get going.”
“Oh, you’re always rushing, rushing, rushing,” Martha chides. “I’ve only just met my grandson!”
“Come on, Mom,” Lucas laughs. “You can spoil him when we get to the house.”
All my fears about the next two weeks evaporate. Martha is warm and friendly, and I can tell she has nothing but love for Lucas, Allie, and Jack. Maybe even a little bit for me. It’s a flurry of activity as we get her moved into the guest room and get Allie to bed. Finally, I get to sit down in the living room with Jack in my arms. Martha and Lucas come and join me.
“Thank you for having me, it’s very kind of you,” Martha says.
“Oh please, of course we’d have you. We just needed to move into the new place before there was enough room. My old apartment was a typical New York shoebox,” I laugh.
Lucas nods. “It was small.” His eyes gleam, and I know he’s happy that we’ve finally moved in together. I loved that he gave me space, but it didn’t take me long to realize I couldn’t live without him.
Martha glances at me and I nod to Jack. “You want to hold him? He’s sleeping but I think he’s taken a liking to you already.”
Martha beams and holds out her arms. I watch as she rocks him back and forth and takes in all his tiny features. Lucas and I exchange a glance and he smiles. I shake my head, not believing how lucky I’ve been. A year ago I was recovering from the traumatic stabbing by Harper’s stalker, and now I’ve inherited the most loving family I could imagine.
Martha looks at me and then at Lucas. She nods to the baby and I take Jack back, and then she glances at her hands. She pulls off the ring on her left hand and holds it to Lucas.
“Now, I know I should wait to do this, but I can just sense the love you have for each other and for that baby and the little girl upstairs. I always knew you’d find someone,” she starts.
“Mom,” Lucas interjects, but stops when she shoots him a glance.
Martha continues: “This was my mother’s ring.” She holds it up to Lucas. “Now you don’t need to give it to her right now, but I want you to have it. This is a special woman and a special ring. Since your father died, I haven’t needed it. It should be worn by someone younger than me.”
“Mom, I...” Lucas starts again. There’s a lump in my throat and all I can do is watch. Martha shakes her head and hands the ring to Lucas, who takes it gently. He holds it up to his face and inspects it for a few moments before looking at me.
“Well,” he says, and then stands up and kneels down in front of me. “No sense in waiting. Rosie, I love you more than anyone or anything else in this whole world. You’re the mother of my child, and you’ve become a mother to Allie ever since you met her. I can’t imagine my life without you.” I can see the tears in his eyes as mine mist up. I still can’t say anything from the lump in my throat.
Lucas stares deep in my eyes. “Marry me, Rosie.”
The smile cracks my face open. I don’t know if I’ve ever smiled this hard, or this sincerely in my whole life. I nod. “Yes,” I whisper, and then say a bit louder. “Yes.”
Lucas laughs and slips the ring over my finger. He puts his hands on either side of my face and kisses me harder than ever before. We’re both shaking, and I can’t stop smiling and laughing as we pull away.
“Yay!” Allie’s voice calls out from the top of the stairs.
“You’re supposed to be in bed,” Lucas yells. Allie runs downstairs and jumps up. I’m laughing and smiling so hard my cheeks hurt.
“Well, that’s settled then,” Martha says, sitting back. “Now let me see my grandson again.”
I laugh again and nod, handing Jack over to his doting grandmother.
“Lucky kid,” I breathe. I look at Lucas and Allie and Martha. “Lucky me.”
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Bad Boy
Unexpected: Book 3
Lilian Monroe
1
Jess
My grandmother’s old house hasn’t changed a bit. Well, the paint is peeling a little and it’s faded over the years. There are a few more weeds in the flower beds but apart from that, it looks exactly the same.
I park the car and grab my bag. I packed light—there’s no one to impress in this town. In any case, Gram will probably want to stuff me so full of food I’ll need a new wardrobe by the time my ten day trip is over.
My steps are light as I make my way up the flagstone path toward the wide front porch. I remember playing on the path, skipping from flagstone to flagstone when I was a kid, over and back for hours at a time. I grin as I place my feet on the stones and avoid the bits of grass that stick up between them. Old habits die hard, I guess.
By the time I make it to the porch and put my foot on the first rickety step, the screen door swings open.
“Jessica,” my grandmother’s warm voice greets me. Her wrinkled face is lit up with a huge smile, and she steps out to spread her arms wide.
“Hi,
Gram.” I hop up the steps and drop my bag before wrapping my grandmother in a huge bear hug. “It’s good to see you.”
She smiles at me and strokes my cheek with a gnarled finger. “Good to see you too, darling. Come on in. Is that all you brought?”
“Just the one bag.”
She nods and her eyebrow shoots up. “Well all right. Your old room is all made up. You put your things down and come to the kitchen for some food.”
She gives my arm a squeeze and flashes me another smile and then disappears down the hallway toward the kitchen. I take a few moments to glance around and smile. Nothing’s changed. To the right is the living room with the old overstuffed sofa that we weren’t allowed to sit on when we were kids. Straight ahead is the creaky stairway up to the bedrooms with the white handrail curling around at the bottom in a graceful arc. I run my fingers along the wainscoting at waist height and take in the old paisley wallpaper that must be older than I am.
I’m home.
My room hasn’t changed at all. From the time I moved in when I was seven to the time I moved out when I was eighteen, this was my refuge. The small single bed with the floral bedspread is still in the corner, and my favorite teddy bear is carefully placed in front of the pillows. I drop my bag and pick the faded brown bear up.
“Hey, Mr. Tickles. How have you been?”
Mr. Tickles looks back at me with his glassy eyes and I bring him up to my nose. I breathe in deeply and sigh. I spent hours hugging that bear until I fell asleep when I was a little girl. I put him back down on the bed and scan the room. My medals from sports, the trophy I won in a debate tournament, the certificates of achievement for schoolwork—it’s all displayed exactly how I had it when I was here. I shake my head. Gram must have thought I was going to move back in eventually.
There wasn’t a hope on Earth that I’d move back in. Lexington, Virginia isn’t exactly the belly button of the universe, and it certainly wasn’t the most pleasant place for me to grow up. Apart from Gram who loved me unconditionally, I was always an outsider here. I got out as soon as that college acceptance letter came through.
The stairs creak as I make my way back to the kitchen. I step through the door and let it swing back and forth behind me. Gram looks over her shoulder.
“Come here, dear. I’ve made some chicken for you. Grab a plate.”
“Smells delicious, Gram.”
“Just simple cooking,” she responds as she spoons the fragrant meat onto my plate. “You look as thin as a rail, Jessica. Eat up.”
I laugh and shake my head. “You’re always trying to fatten me up, Gram.”
“You young people need food. It’s good for you.”
I grab a knife and fork and sit down at the kitchen table. Gram keeps working away, stirring and cleaning and hustling and bustling around the kitchen. I take my first bite and groan.
“This is so good,” I say.
“Do they not have chicken in New York?”
“They have chicken,” I laugh, “but not your chicken.”
“Mm.” That’s all the response I get as Gram looks over to make sure I’m eating my fill. It would be hard not to, I haven’t had anything this tasty in months.
“So what’s new in town? There must be some news?”
“Oh, not much. Old Mr. Wilson died, and Mrs. Wilson looks like she’s on the way out. Jack Hanson’s daughter is getting married to a boy from Clivestown. Melanie Sanders just had a baby boy, the most precious little baby you’ve ever seen.”
“Deaths, weddings and babies, huh,” I reply as I take another bite.
“That’s life, Jessica,” Gram responds as she finally pulls out a chair to sit down. “How about you? When am I going to meet the lucky man who snagged you?”
I laugh. “No one’s been that lucky, Gram. You know I’d tell you if I was seeing someone. I think I’m destined to be an old maid.”
“Nonsense. You’re smart and beautiful and kind. Surely there’s someone in that big city that means something to you?”
“Not yet,” I laugh. “Not a man, anyways. I’m not in any rush to get married Gram. And you know me, I’m not interested in having kids.”
Gram makes a noise and nods her head. “You might change your mind when the right man comes along,” she says with a smile.
I shake my head. “Doubt it. I’m not bringing a kid into this world, it’s too miserable. I wouldn’t do that to an innocent child.”
This time, Gram’s face crinkles up and she starts laughing. “It’s always been doom and gloom with you, Jessica. You haven’t changed a bit.”
“I prefer to call it realism,” I reply as I scrape my plate for the last bits of sauce. I glance at my grandmother and smile. She takes my plate. “I’ll get that, Gram. Let me do something to help.”
“Don’t worry about it, dear. You go see your friends. I know Samantha is dying to see you.”
“I was thinking you and I would hang out tonight, Gram. I haven’t seen you in so long.”
Gram smiles and plants a kiss on my cheek. “You should go out and enjoy yourself. It’s Friday night! There’s a new owner at the Lexington Hotel. He’s having some big dinner or concert or party over there tonight. Lots of young people and such. You should go. The new owner is some big shot from New York, maybe you know him.”
A party at the Lex. Great.
I snort. “Doubt it. It’s a bit bigger than this town, Gram. What happened to Mrs. Carter? Why did she sell the hotel?”
“When Hank died, I think a part of her died with him and she just wanted to get rid of the place,” Gram replies. “That’s how it goes with us old folks. Me too, but I’m just too stubborn to die,” she adds with a smile.
“You’re not dying anytime soon, Gram.”
“Mm-hmm. Now go. The whole town will be there, you’ll see everyone.”
“Get all the hellos out of the way tonight, then I can just lay low for the rest of the week.”
Gram laughs. “Go, my little social butterfly.” She wraps me in one of her hugs again and plants a big kiss on my cheek. “It’s good to see you, Jessica.”
“It’s good to see you too, Gram. I missed you.”
“Go and have fun. I’ll see you in the morning.” Her eyes crinkle as she smiles at me and I wrap my arms around her in another hug. Even if Lexington never felt like home, my grandmother’s arms always did.
2
Jess
It’s nice to be back in the warm weather. There’s quite a bit of a nip in the air, but that’s to be expected at the end of April. New York is still freezing cold this time of year so this feels almost balmy. I wrap my jacket around me a little bit tighter and walk down toward Main Street.
The streets are so quiet here. Compared to the big city where everyone is in a rush and there’s constant noise of cars and honking and yelling, it’s almost shocking to be somewhere like this. It feels like a different universe. I glance up at the sky and see the first stars start to twinkle as dusk falls.
I take a deep breath and let the clean air fill my lungs as I turn onto Main Street. When I exhale, I can see my breath for a second before it dissipates and I take a couple deep breaths just to watch them disappear.
The hotel comes into view just down the road—it must be absolutely packed. Every man and their dog are probably there. The new owner has put lights up on all the eaves and painted the whole thing. It looks like there’s a new sign, too. I speed up slightly, curious to see what else has changed.
As I get closer, the noise gets louder. It sounds like live music and the whole town talking and shouting and singing. There’s a huge banner over the front door: Grand Re-Opening.
Very grand, I think with a grin. I don’t think the Lex could be described as ‘Grand’ even if the Queen of England decided to buy it.
“Well, if it isn’t Jessica Lee,” comes a voice to the left and a chill goes down my spine. It’s the voice that bullied me all throughout high school for being a nerd, or a tomboy, or whatever it was
that made me not fit in here. Miss Popularity.
“Mary Hanson,” I reply. “I heard you’re getting married. Congratulations.” My voice sounds flat even to my ears.
“Thank you,” she says, extending her hand and wiggling her fingers at me. The huge rock on her finger glimmers in the light and I nod.
“Nice ring.”
“Oh, thank you,” she replies, pulling her hand back and admiring the ring on her perfectly manicured hand. “He did well.”
“Mm,” I say, glancing around for a way to extract myself from the conversation. “Who’s the lucky guy?”
“He’s a gem,” she replies as she flicks her long blonde hair over her shoulder and giggles. “No pun intended.”
Either that or he’s gotten a lobotomy and doesn’t realize what he’s getting himself into.
“How about you?” She asks innocently. “Any wedding bells or are you still all alone?”
I bristle. “Living the single life in the big city,” I reply. “Tinder’s number 1 user.”
Mary purses her lips and nods. “Well you haven’t changed a bit.”
I say nothing, trying to ignore the thinly veiled insult. I paint a smile on my face as the anger starts to swell in my chest. She flicks her hair behind her shoulder and smirks.
“How long are you in town for?” She finally asks to break the silence. She doesn’t try to conceal the look of disdain as her eyes scan me from head to toe. A small part of me wishes I was wearing something nicer than jeans, a tank top and a plain jacket and I hate myself for thinking it.
“Ten days,” I reply. “Visiting Gram for Easter.”
“Well you have to come by for dinner one night. I have so much to tell you.”
Unexpected (Complete Accidental Pregnancy Box Set) Page 32