by Loni Ree
Copyright
Finding His Forever
Copyright © 2019 by Loni Ree
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Edited By: Kendra's Editing and Book Services
Cover Design By: Karlee Fast at KL’s Book Designs
Created with Vellum
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Epilogue 1
Epilogue 2
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Also by Loni Ree
Chapter One
Henry
Every fucking thing that can go wrong today has gone wrong. Why the idiots on my largest construction crew decided to strike in sympathy for an ongoing city-wide labor dispute, which has nothing to do with our company, is beyond me. Now, my biggest project is falling behind schedule and going way over-budget. Just as my assistant walks in to warn me that another call needs my attention, my cell rings and I see my mother’s number flash across the screen.
I answer the phone to my panicked mother. “Henry, I won’t make it to get Cole. I witnessed a bad accident.”
My mom is talking to someone in the background while I try to get her attention. “Mom, are you okay?”
Finally, she answers me, “I wasn’t in the accident, but I saw everything. I have to go; the police want me. Sorry.” The phone goes dead, and I realize my shitty day has just gotten ten times worse. I have no one to pick Cole up at school in thirty minutes.
After talking to Mom, I call Cole’s school and the secretary promises to let his teacher know that I will be there to get him as soon as I can. She assures me that Ms. Pierce, Cole’s teacher, often stays late in the afternoons and won’t mind watching him for a little while until I can get there to pick him up.
I look over at Margo, who has been waiting for me to finish my conversation with the school. I shake my head and sigh. “This has been a cluster of a day. My mom is stuck and can’t get him. I’ll have to work from home tonight.” She shakes her head and smiles as me.
“You know I will get everything arranged before I head home. I already let Tim know I’d be home late. Call me once you get the little tyke to bed, and we can conference everyone in.”
I grab my things and wave as I’m heading out the door, thanking God for my outstanding assistant who has been with me for many years.
As I’m about to pull onto the highway, my phone rings, and an unfamiliar number flashes across the screen. I almost ignore it but decide to answer at the last minute. “Hello.”
“Dad, it’s Cole. I’m calling from Ms. Pierce’s phone.” My son’s voice fills the interior of my truck.
“Why are you calling, squirt?” I ask as I drive toward the school.
“The lights went out at school, and we had to leave. I’m going home with Ms. Pierce. She wanted me to call and let you know.” The thought of my son going home with a stranger doesn’t sit well, but I try not to let Cole hear my attitude over the phone.
“Let me talk to Ms. Pierce.” I can hear speaking in the background before there is silence, then a sweet voice comes on the line.
“Hello, Mr. Grayson. Sorry for the change in plans, but the school administration forced us to leave. I can meet you somewhere with Cole, or you can pick him up at my house.” As she’s speaking, I realize what a big favor this teacher is doing for me and my temper completely cools. I agree to meet at her house and get the address to plug it into my GPS.
Her house is thirty minutes farther than the school, and I’m tired and aggravated by the time I pull up at the small cottage. A little powder blue compact car is parked in front of the well-manicured lawn, and I park behind it and get out, ready to grab Cole and leave.
Before I can ring the doorbell, the door swings open and Cole is staring frantically at me. “Dad, come quick. Something is wrong with Ms. Pierce.” I run past him around the corner, and my heart stops when I round the corner of the sofa and see her scrunched up on the edge of the sofa moaning in pain. The most beautiful woman I have ever seen is curled up in a ball on the sofa, and I try to shake myself out of this trance to make sense of the situation.
Beads of sweat are pouring down her heart-shaped face, causing her soaked hair to cling to the side of her face and slender neck.
She lifts her head, piercing green eyes meeting mine. “Please help me. The baby’s coming.” Her words break through the fog that has enveloped my brain from the moment I saw her.
I look over her shoulder at Cole and throw my phone while calling out, “Cole, call Aunt Margo and tell her there is an emergency. Tell her to trace the phone and send police and an ambulance.” Then I look down at my goddess and reassure her, “I’m going to take care of everything. How far apart are your contractions?” In the back of my mind, I realize there is a father for this baby, but I know I will be getting rid of him one way or another. This woman and her baby are mine from this moment on.
“I haven’t been having contractions, just backache. Then, all of a sudden, BAM, I feel like I’m HAVING A BABY NOW!” She howls out in pain, and as my ears ring, I realize that I may be delivering this child.
“You’re going to have to lie back and let me have a look.” She looks ready to argue but then grabs my arm as the pain overtakes her. I gently help her lie back on the floor, and when I lift the bottom of her dress and pull off her panties, there’s no doubt this baby is coming now.
“Well, it looks like you and I are doing this.” She keeps shaking her head no as I lean pillows behind her back and try to help her get more comfortable. “My name’s Henry. I thought you should know before I deliver the little one.” I keep talking while I get things ready. After pulling the throw blanket off the back of the sofa, I tell Cole to wait in the kitchen and to keep Margo on the phone until I tell him to come out.
“My name’s Fiona. Oh, God, this sucks,” she manages to stutter out between pushes. I pretty much blank out everything that happens until I look down and I’m holding the most perfect baby boy. “Is he okay?” Fiona cries, and I realize I haven’t spoken since he was born.
At the sound of his mother’s voice, the little tyke starts to scream at the top of his lungs, and Fiona and I both let out the breaths we were holding. After wrapping the baby in the throw, I gently hand him over to Fiona and reassure her, “I’ll be right back. I have to check on Cole.” Then after stopping to place a quick kiss on both their heads, I run to check on Cole.
Cole is sitting at her dining room table, fidgeting and still talking on the phone. He looks up when I walk in, and relief crosses his face, “Daddy, is Ms. Pierce okay?”
“She’s going to be okay. Let me talk to Aunt Margo, Buddy.” After he hands me the cellphone, I ask Margo if the ambulance is on the way. She assures me they should be here any minute, and she is almost here to get Cole. “Cole, Aunt Margo is coming to get you.”
Once Cole is squared away, I race back to Fiona and the baby. “Are y
ou okay, darlin’?”
Her tired, bloodshot eyes meet mine, and she shrugs and mumbles, “I think so.” She looks down and gently runs a finger down the little nose peeking out of the blanket. Sleepy, little unfocused eyes stare back at her, and she smiles down at him.
When I hear a commotion at the front door, I tell her, “That’s the ambulance. Hold on.” I run to let the ambulance crew in and bring them to Fiona.
The rest of the evening flies by in a flurry of loading up Fiona and the baby and then the transport to the nearest hospital. My mind is occupied with making sure they are getting the best possible care, and I keep a watchful eye on everything that happens until we finally get settled into a private room a little after ten o’clock.
The nurse is giving me instructions for the pullout couch when Fiona looks over and starts to interrupt, but my stern glance stops her. I wait for the nurse to leave before informing her, “You need someone to take care of you, so I’m going to stay and help out.”
Her mouth drops open, and as it closes, she bites her bottom lip then replies, “Mr. Grayson, I appreciate all your help, but…”
Before she can really piss me off, I lean over and kiss her shocked lips. “I get all the appreciation I need at work. Right now, I’m here because I want to take care of you and our boy. I know this is shocking to you, and I don’t really understand everything myself, but for now, let’s just take things as the come. And, please, call me Henry.”
My raised voice disturbs the little guy. He starts fussing, so I pick him up and bring him over to Fiona. I’m about the leave the room to give her privacy when she laughs nervously and tells me, “I think you’ve seen way more than the top of my breast at this point. If you want to stay and talk, it doesn’t bother me.”
While she adjusts him and uncovers her gorgeous body, I’m forced to look around the room. My dick doesn’t care that she just gave birth a few hours ago, and I can’t watch her opening the front of her gown and exposing her beautiful swollen boobs. After she gets him settled to eat, I have to ask, “Tell me why you went with a sperm donor.” There was no sign of another man in her life, so I pray my hunch is right and I don’t have to break the law to make them mine.
“Sperm donor? What gave you that idea?” She looks perplexed as she asks.
“There isn’t a man in your life, and I can’t imagine any man being stupid enough to ever give you up. The only logical explanation for you having the little one there is a sperm donor.” Even as I’m speaking, she is shaking her head, and I know I’ll fight for them no matter what it takes. Fiona and this little guy are mine. Whoever was dumb enough to leave them unprotected is a fool who just lost out to me.
“You’re right, there isn’t a man in my life anymore. My ex-boyfriend broke up with me before I realized I was pregnant. He met Yardley Yule, the YouTube idiot, and they eloped one weekend while he was supposed to be at his best friend’s bachelor party. When I found out about the baby, they threatened me. Dale had a lawyer send papers that said, if I name him as father, he’ll take the baby away from me and give it away.” Tears fill her eyes and flow down her cheeks as she tells me the story. Relief that the idiot is no longer in her life clashes with intense hatred for the fool in my mind.
“I promise you, those imbeciles won’t get anywhere near you or the little guy from now on, but we need to come up with a name. We can’t keep calling him ‘the baby,’ or ‘the little guy,’ anymore.” I sit on the edge of her bed and kiss her forehead then gently touch the tiny fingers sticking out of the blanket. I have to use all of my restraint not to peek at the large amount of breast showing above the tiny head, then I lean over and place a soft kiss on his head. My heart is so full of love for two people I didn’t even know existed twelve hours ago.
“Why are you doing all of this for us?” The words are hard to understand through her tears.
“Right now, you may not believe me, and you probably don’t trust men in general, but I took one look and was a goner. You are it for me. You and ‘he we haven’t named yet.’” My joke finally gets a laugh from her, and a little bit of relief enters her eyes.
“What’s your full name?” She looks at me expectantly after asking.
I laugh and then tell her, “Henry Charles Grayson IV.”
“I’d like you to meet Charlie then.” My heart melts a little at her words, and I vow to make sure that Charlie has my last name as soon as I can possibly arrange to make it happen.
Chapter Two
Fiona
I feel like my life has turned into a rollercoaster. Yesterday, I woke up in a great mood, but that wonderful outlook evaporated as the day went from one disaster to another. First, Dale called to remind me that my child’s paternity is to remain a secret or I will lose the baby forever. Next, my back ached horribly, and it only got worse throughout the day. After the secretary called to say Cole Grayson’s grandmother witnessed an accident and wouldn’t be able to pick him up, I waited for the next catastrophe since I couldn’t shake the sense of impending doom. The day from hell had more in store for me, and one last disaster proved to be the one that brought everything to a head. When the power went out, the school was evacuated and I was forced to bring Cole home with me. Luckily, he was at my house when the urge to push hit me, and I realized that I had been in labor all day long. Cole’s father arrived right in time to take control of the situation and help bring Charlie into the world.
Now, here I am, staring at my beautiful little boy, wondering if I can believe everything Henry promises. Time will tell if he is sincere, or if he turns out to be another loser like Dale.
After spending the night squished on the fold-out sofa bed, Henry woke looking pretty rough. He’s too handsome to look that horrible. I finally persuaded him to run home and get a shower and some rest then come back to see us later on.
I’m almost asleep with Charlie on my chest when my door opens, and a short, portly man walks into the room. I’ve never seen him before, and when he turns and leers at me, my skin crawls. A shudder runs through my body as I take in his expensive suit that isn’t buttoned and his pot belly holding the front of it open. His comb-over looks like it needed an oil change a week ago, and I instantly know this is Dale and Yardley’s minion.
“I’m going to have to ask you to leave. This is a hospital.” My tone startles Charlie, causing him to jerk on my chest.
“Ms. Pierce, I have business to discuss with you. There is paperwork for you to sign unless you want to give your child up for adoption right now.” The little weasel smiles, and I reach over for the nurse call button right as my door swings open and in walks Henry. He stops and glares when he sees the other man in my room. After dropping gifts he’s holding, he walks over to the other man and stands between the lawyer and my bed.
“Who the fuck are you?” Henry growls, and the older man visibly pales.
“I’m Wallis Guthrie III, and I represent Dale Mitchell and Yardley Yule. Ms. Pierce is trying to untruthfully claim paternity for her child, and we want her to sign a statement today…” The lawyer’s voice shakes as he speaks, but Henry cuts him off.
“I’m Henry Charles Grayson IV, and that baby is Henry Charles Grayson V. Ms. Pierce is naming the real father, me, on the birth certificate, so get the fuck out of here and don’t come back. If you bother us again, my lawyers will have a field day tearing you and those two idiots to shreds. Understand?” As Henry finishes, he grabs the stunned lawyer by the shoulder and leads him to the door.
“You will not approach Fiona again. My lawyer is Dominic Fletcher; contact him if you have questions. He will be happy to deal with you.” After shoving the smaller man out the door, Henry walks over to the bed and hits the nurse call button.
When a nurse responds, he explains the situation, and I’m promptly moved to another room and listed as private. Henry assures me no one will know where my new room is located. After the move, Henry steps out for a while then comes back and gives me the flowers and bear he brought with him
before the fiasco with Wallis Guthrie.
“Thank you. You really didn’t have to bring anything. Delivering Charlie and saving us was way more than enough.” As I’m looking at my gifts, tears come to my eyes over how sweet Henry has been and the thought of taking care of a new baby, but I try to quickly wipe them away.
“Hey, what’s all this?” Henry questions, and his concerned eyes meet mine.
“Mostly hormones, but I’m also overwhelmed with everything.” After admitting my distress at the situation, I can’t control the tears as they start to fall continuously.
“I’m going to help you. You don’t have to feel overwhelmed. Look at me.” He lifts my eyes to his and kisses the tip of my nose before finishing. “I know you don’t know me yet, but I fell for you and little Charlie. We are going to all be great together. I promise.”
“I have to ask, what about Cole’s mom? Is she going to give us trouble? Surely, she isn’t going to appreciate you taking on another child.” Before I even finish speaking, he throws his head back and laughs.
“Boy, we really need to have a long talk.” He smiles at me and tells me to get comfortable for this conversation. We are interrupted briefly when we move to another room, then Henry continues his story after we get settled again.
Henry tells me his family’s story. His father ran their construction company until his death from a heart attack when Henry was a senior in college. After graduating, Henry took over for his dad. His younger brother, Jacob, was a different story. He is wild and irresponsible. Henry tells me the story of his brother getting his college girlfriend pregnant seven years ago. The girl was going to give the baby up for adoption, and Henry had a hard time accepting his little nephew would be out there somewhere and he’d never know him. His mother actually persuaded him to adopt the little boy himself and raise Cole as his own son. Cole knows the truth but considers Henry to be his father.