Opening his eyes, he brings his face closer to mine and plants a soft kiss on my lips before pulling away and stepping out of the car.
I’m not sure I can keep this in until after dinner. I’m already stressing the hell out.
We all say our hello’s as we go into the big house and as soon as everyone is sat down, I just can’t stop it coming out of my mouth. The plan was to wait until everyone had eaten but that goes right out of the window.
“I’m pregnant,” I blurt out.
The room is silent for several seconds as all eyes turn to me and Corey then everyone is talking all at once.
“Yes!” Elena shouts, punching the air with her fist. “I’ve been waiting for another grand baby and it’s finally happening!”
I do this weird, smile, chuckle, snort, cry thing and relish in the feel of her arms as they come around me.
“I love you, Ava,” she says, pulling away.
“I love you too.” My smile stretches into a grin at the shock on her face.
Yeah, it’s taken me two years to say it but I finally have and now I’ve said it once, I fully intend to say it to every single person that I love.
Three and a half years later
My hands shake as I stand on the other side of the door, waiting for my turn. My breaths start to come in gasps and I can feel a buzzing in my ears as the seconds on the clock tick by.
If someone would have told me five years ago that this is where I would be right now, I would have told them they were crazy.
The last few years haven’t been easy by any stretch.
There have been up and downs, good times and bad, but the good times have been unforgettable.
I’m still plagued by the bad memories but they’re not half as bad, or as often, as they used to be and Corey has made it his life’s mission to replace all of the bad ones with good ones.
I’m healing, getting there slowly. I know it will always be there in the back of my mind but learning to live with it is something that I’ve come to terms with.
“Ready?” Jess asks, coming to stand next to me, her bouquet in her hands.
“Erm... yeah?”
She snorts, shaking her head and puffing out her chest, smiling wide when the giant wooden doors open.
The music starts and I watch her walk through the doors, my nerves going haywire at all of the people I can see.
I don’t think I can do this, not in front of all these people.
What if I trip and fall? What if I say the wrong thing?
“Oh no you don’t,” Trevor’s voice vibrates through me as he grips my shoulders gently and spins me back around. “It’s normal to be nervous, means you’re doing the right thing.”
“It does?” I ask, my voice cracking from how dry my mouth is.
Patting my hand, he brings it into the crook of his arm, stepping forward when the march sounds.
It’s now or never.
We walk, slowly, taking my time just in case I fall over this ridiculously big dress.
I don’t look up until I’m halfway there and I look to Trevor by my side and then to my family that are sat in the pews. These people really are my family, we may not be related by blood but that doesn’t mean we’re not family. They’re the best thing that has ever happened to me.
I see Thomas sat on the other side and I acknowledge him with a smile. Things with him have been rocky over the last couple of years but I’ve been getting to know him. Daley did some investigating, using some of his many contacts and found out every little thing he could. It was that, that made me see that he didn’t mean to lead my dad to me, he just wanted to meet me. So now we’re trying to build a relationship. It’s slow going but we’ll get there.
My eyes clash with Corey’s and I can see how nervous he is as he fidgets on the spot and bends down, listening to something Ryan says. I look down to him and can’t help but break out into the widest grin. He looks so cute in a little suit, the same as his dads, complete with matching ties and his blond hair spiked on the top of his head.
“I can’t believe he’ll be three soon,” Trevor says as we come closer to the alter.
I nod, not being able to say anything against the lump in my throat.
Staring at my little family, watching as both of their eyes sparkle, I can’t help but think I’m the luckiest woman in the world.
“She’s all yours,” Trevor winks at Corey, kissing my cheek and going to sit next to Elena who is already wiping tears off her face.
“Mommy! Woo wook pwetty!”
“Thank you, you look handsome.” I chuckle and bend down, planting a wet kiss on his cheek.
“I is hanswome.” He grins, puffing his little chest out. “Uncle Dawey!” Ryan calls when Daley picks him up and winks at me.
“You look beautiful,” Corey whispers, taking my hand. “Ready?”
“Yeah,” I whisper. “Let’s fly free.”
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New Adult and Contemporary romance author Abigail Davies grew up with a passion for words, storytelling and anything pink. Dreaming up characters and talking to them out loud is a daily occurrence for Abigail. She finds it fascinating how a whole world can be built with words alone, and how everyone reads a story differently. Now following her dreams of writing, Abigail has set out on the crazy journey of being an author. When she’s not writing, she’s a mother to two daughters, who she encourages to use their imagination, as she believes that it’s a magical thing. Abigail loves to get lost in a good book and is rarely far away from her kindle.
Thank you so much for reading Ava and Corey’s story. This story is so close to my heart and I hope you love it as much as I loved writing it.
Copyright
Flying Free
Copyright © ٢٠١٦ Abigail Davies
All rights reserved.
No parts of this book may be reproduced in any form without written consent from the author. Except in the use of brief quotations in a book review.
This book is a piece of fiction. Any names, characters, businesses, places or events are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to persons living or dead, events or locations is purely coincidental.
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you are reading this book and have not purchased it for your use only, then you should return it to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy.
Thank you for respecting the author’s work.
Published: Abigail Davies 2016
Contents
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Epilogue
Table of Contents
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