by Allie Kay
"Let's go in." I came around to help her out. Pulling her in for a hug, I whispered in her ear, "It will be alright, I promise."
Just as I'd expected, my family welcomed her like they always had. It didn't take long before Claire was sitting with Talia, laughing. A look of awe brightened her face when Talia grabbed her hand and put it on her very prominent baby bump.
Sean bumped my shoulder and jerked his head toward the kitchen. I followed him out of the library and plopped down on a barstool.
"You look happy."
"I am. I kinda asked her to move in with me."
"Fuck. I thought Talia and I moved fast." Sean laughed. "Once you stopped hiding, you jumped in head first, didn't you?"
"It feels right though." I tapped my fingers on the granite. "Really right."
"Good."
Jack wandered in. "How you just gonna leave me in there with a bunch of women gushing on about baby stuff."
Sean shrugged. "Sam was in there too."
"Not anymore." My dad took a seat next to me. "Too much talk about swollen ankles and bassinets. Done my time with all that. It's your turn with that now."
"Just Sean." Jack shook his head. "Mateo’s five. No swollen ankles. Already wipes his own ass. I’m good."
"Until she decides Mateo needs a brother or a sister..."
Jack laughed. “One at a time, man. One at a time.”
"Okay." I laughed. “You keep on believing that if you want to.”
"You not going to protest that it's not your turn for marriage and babies?" Dad asked.
"Nah... Soon enough, I hope. I have to get a few things straightened out. You guys were right that I was drinking too much. That meeting I went to? Hell of a wakeup call. But I get it now. I have to cut back. And you don’t have to worry about me anymore. I’m good now."
“Admitting you have a problem is the first step.” Jack slapped me on the shoulder. “Now that you got Claire to stop hissing when you get near her, you gonna try to get her to let you pet her?”
“Ha ha. Shut up, asshole. Claire and I are good.”
"Zane..." Claire spoke from behind me.
I spun on the stool so fast I almost fell off. "Oh, hey, angel. Y'all had enough baby talk?"
"Talia wants to open presents."
The other men filed out of the kitchen and gave us a moment alone.
"Do you really want to get married and have kids soon?" she asked softly.
"Yeah. Well, relatively soon. No big rush." I pulled her into my arms. "No pressure. But I won't deny that's what I want."
"Okay."
"What?" I leaned back and looked at her.
"I didn't stutter. But with that ring of Talia's, you have high expectations to live up to."
I grinned as she walked back into the library with my family. This fall had been one hell of a ride and I could only imagine where we might end up a year from now.
But with the woman I loved at my side, it would all be worth it.
Heartsong
ALLIE KAY
The heart won’t lie…
The guilt of his sins weighs heavily on Timothy Jackson. He moved to Garden Falls for a fresh start where his past hadn’t been highlighted on the six o’clock news. With a job that he loves and good friends that he can count on, ‘Jack’ finally feels like his life is on the right track. He isn’t looking for romance, and even if he were, he’s not father material.
Single mom Joy Parks came to Garden Falls with a single objective—keep Mateo safe. She wants to lay low and raise her son without fear that a slip of the tongue would lead to a busted lip. The sexy bartender next door is a temptation she just can’t risk, even if his tender touch leaves her longing for the impossible.
After seeing her ex in town, Joy is minutes from disappearing again. There’s just one hold up this time—Jack. By accepting the older man’s help, she’s entrusting him with her son’s safety, but is she willing to gamble with her heart?
Buy Heartsong today and see for yourself how sometimes the strongest love is the most unexpected.
Available Sept 25, 2018
About the Author
Allie Kay writes emotional, heartfelt stories set in small town America. If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out with her family or with her nose buried in a book.
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