Who I Am With You

by Amanda Lanclos

  “Come on, I’ll get you a Sprite and we can watch that show.”

  “I’ll be out in a minute.” She nods as I stand in the bathroom, looking at my pale sticky skin in the mirror.

  My eyes are dark from the worry of losing Casey, the morning sickness and the sleepless nights because of Dallas. I take my appearance in, noticing that my boobs are starting to grow even bigger. I’d paid a pretty penny for my DD’s. I went from a large B to a DD bra and I know Dallas wasn’t complaining. He’d told me as well as shown me exactly how much he loved the newest addition to my body. I’d loved every second of that approval as well. The man was amazing when it came to worshipping my body and if I didn’t stop thinking about it, I’d need to handle it without him.

  I splash another round of cold water onto my face, effectively cooling my sexual desires. Taking a deep breath, I open the door, smelling the sweet aroma of butter and chocolate. Thank God it isn’t making me want to hurl again.

  I don’t know why Casey forgave me so easily, but I am so thankful she did. I don’t know what I would do without her. But I knew one thing: I’d be talking to Dallas about adding a class onto the schedule for Casey to teach.

  Chapter Sixteen

  After dropping Kennedy off at Austin’s house, I knew exactly what my day would be like. I’d sold a guy a couple of horses a few years ago for his farm and he’d told me if I needed anything at all to let him know. Well, I never took him up on that offer, even though I knew I could have. I didn’t want to take advantage of anyone at all because well, he was a pretty big deal around here.

  I bring up my contacts and pull up his name, letting my finger hover over the phone button. Finally I just hit the ‘send’ button. It rings twice before his southern twang fills the phone.

  “Dallas! How are you man?”

  “Hey Chris, I’m doing good. How are the horses?” I slide my hand over the back of my neck, rubbing them up and down.

  “Best horses I’ve ever had. You should see Mom riding Tanya. It’s hysterical man. She is bound and determined to prove she isn’t afraid of them.” He laughs and I swear the man could make anyone’s day better with it. “What’s going on with you?”

  “I was wondering if I could call in that favor?”

  He laughs again. “You know it man. I’ll be in Dallas in two weeks for a show. What cha got?” I hear the people in the background, wondering if he’s busy.

  “You need to call me later? You sound pretty busy.”

  “Nah, just the guys being rowdy, my brother.” I’ve never heard him with anger in his voice and I don’t think I ever will. He’s a great guy.

  “Well, I was wondering if you could help me with a proposal.” I chew on my bottom lip, not really sure why I’m so nervous to talk about it. This man is all about love.

  “Let’s get to it then, man. Tell me what cha got.”

  We talk for over an hour, finalizing the details. After I feel confident about what we are going to do, I call Lori and my mom. I need their help with the other part of this proposal, but by the end of it, Kennedy isn’t going to have any doubt in her mind what she means to me. Now to just tell our parents about the baby.

  “You okay?” Kennedy asks me as she squeezes my hand.

  Am I really supposed to answer that? Am I okay? We’re in a freaking room with stirrups and a contraption that looks like it causes far more damage than I’m sure it does.

  “Yeah, sure.” I mumble as I try to look at anything but the damn torture devices. I try to focus on Kennedy sitting here with just that hospital gown on, but damn if that doesn’t turn me on because she’s naked underneath it.

  “You don’t look okay. It’s just a normal procedure, Dallas. Then we get to go see the baby and see how far along we are.” She smiles as she lays back on the table, waiting for the doctor to come in.

  The door opens and in steps a petite woman with brown hair and welcoming brown eyes. “Hi there! You must be Dallas and Kennedy?” Her hand reaches out to me and I shake it gently.

  “Yes ma’am. Nice to meet you.”

  “Likewise. I’m Doctor Chauvin, nice to meet you.” Her kind smile is enough to help put me at ease until she addresses Kennedy. “Kennedy, would you like Dallas to step out for the next part?”

  “What? No!” I roar. The doctor laughs softly as Kennedy just shakes her head.

  “He’s in for the ride, Dr. Chauvin. He thinks he can handle it,” Kennedy winks as the doctor grabs her gloves and that silver contraption.

  When she places it inside Kennedy and she winces I want to punch her. She shouldn’t be hurting my woman. Eventually it subsides and she’s smiling.

  “Everything looks great. If you’ll put your clothes back on, we’ll walk down to the sonogram room and take a look at your baby.” She snaps the gloves off as she finishes her sentence.

  “Thank you,” Kennedy and I say in unison.

  Her eyes turn to me as she smiles. “You should be quite proud, Daddy. Most men would have either yelled at me or stormed out by now. Good job,” she winks as she walks by. “I’ll be outside the door whenever you’re ready to see the baby.”

  Kennedy jumps up off that table so quickly and is dressed in record time. “Let’s go!” She shrieks as she bounces up and down on her feet. She looks like a kid experiencing Disney World for the first time. And, I know that experience well. Our parents took us all when we were five. Austin was only three but it was a good trip with all of the people that mattered most to us.

  “Two minutes, excellent timing, Kennedy.” Dr. Chauvin smiles as she leads us down to another room. “Now Dallas, this ultrasound will be different from the others as her pregnancy continues. We will have to do a transvaginal ultrasound because the baby is too small to see through the stomach for now.”

  “Okay,” I rub my hands over my neck again, taking my cap off and setting it on my knee once I sit down.

  “Kennedy, I’m going to need you to go to the bathroom, right through this door. Empty your bladder and undress from the waist down. Once you’ve done that, wrap a sheet around you and come on back. We will look at your baby.”

  Kennedy runs into the bathroom while I look around the darkened room. I shoot a nervous smile at the doctor, before looking at the equipment. There’s a big television screen that’s connected to a monitor that has a sonogram on it. There’s a white wand looking contraption and another smaller one. There’s a bed similar to the one that Kennedy was occupying in the other room, with stirrups attached. Why in the hell do women want to come here? This is what I would imagine Christian Grey’s red room of pain looks like.

  She comes out, wrapped in that sheet and I swear she’s more beautiful than I have ever seen her. A nervous smile takes over her face as she climbs up onto the bed, resting her feet in the stirrups. The doctor puts the wand into the condom, takes some gel and puts it on that white wand before slipping it in between Kennedy’s legs. How fucking uncomfortable.

  My eyes look at Kennedy as her face changes from nervous to awestruck. I turn my head to see what’s got her attention and there on that screen is a little blip. It looks almost like a peanut hiding in her stomach.

  “Here it is. You’re measuring at about seven weeks and two days. Looks like the little one’s got a steady heartbeat too. Hold on one second and I’ll see if we can hear it,” the doctor smiles as she continues to move the wand around inside Kennedy.

  After a few more moments a huge whooshing sound fills the room. Whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh-whoosh. Kennedy’s eyes fill with tears and her hand goes to her mouth to cover her sob. Leaning forward, I pull her spare hand into my own, rubbing it as I wipe the tears from my eyes. We are really having a baby. In less than eight months.

  “Congratulations, Mommy and Daddy. Your baby is healthy and in less than four months if you want to find out you’ll know if it’s a boy or a girl.” Dr. Chauvin stands, taking her gloves off and giving us a big smile. “I’ll see you again in a month, Kennedy. Make sure you’re drinking lot
s of water. I’ll also call you in some Zofran for the morning sickness.”

  “Thank you,” Kennedy smiles as she shakes the doctor’s hand. I was worried I wouldn’t like the woman, but she is really a nice lady.

  Once she leaves, Kennedy stands, walks into the bathroom and throws her jeans back on. Her face is filled with happiness as she slides her hands over my chest. “Thank you,” she mumbles against my lips before she softly kisses me.

  “What for?” I stare at her in confusion because I honestly have no clue what the hell she’s thanking me for.

  “For giving me the greatest gift I’ve ever gotten.” She rubs her stomach and a huge grin takes over my face as well.

  “It sure as hell was fun practicing.”

  She slaps me in the stomach, laughing as she pulls me out of the room. “Yeah, it was. Now, can we please go get a blooming onion from Outback?”

  If my woman wants a blooming onion, she’s going to get it. I nod as I pull her out of the office and toward the truck. After lunch though, she was going to be letting me enjoy her for dessert.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “Kennedy!” Casey comes running into the house shrieking with excitement.

  “What? Oh my God! What’s going on?” I jump, sending the lemonade I had in my hand sloshing all over my hand and shirt.

  It had been two weeks since our doctor’s appointment and I was starting to show just a tad. We still hadn’t told Darlene because I was afraid what they would say because we weren’t married yet. His dad was the Pastor after all.

  “I just won front row tickets to the Chris Young concert tomorrow night!” She squeals with delight as I stare at her. “And backstage passes!” She jumps up and down clapping like crazy.

  “Seriously? I love him!” I squeal as well, not even caring that I’m now covered in sweet sticky lemonade.

  “Yeah! It’s at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington! Dallas said he’d get us a hotel room there and we could all go! How freaking awesome is that!” She jumps again making me laugh. Thank God the woman didn’t have basketballs for tits or she’d be laid out on the ground.

  “Oh My God! I can’t believe it! I’ve always wanted to see him. He’s so damn hot!” I laugh at Casey as I admit that I have a thing for him.

  “Hey now! I’m hotter!” Dallas’ voice comes in through the screen door and I can’t help but laugh.

  “Yeah, you are baby.” I smile as he comes into my view. My mouth goes dry as I take him in, covered in sweat with that white shirt sticking to him like a second skin. Damn right you’re hotter. And you’re all mine.

  “Stop with the looks. I’m on a Chris Young high. Don’t take it away by eye-fucking each other in front of me,” Casey whines, making me laugh.

  I can’t stop staring at him though. There is something about a man covered in sweat and dirt that makes them look hot as hell.

  “Why don’t you two take the day off? Pack up and we will drive down tonight?” Dallas looks at us both with amusement as we both start running everywhere. He doesn’t even get a straight answer from us as we run up the stairs and into my bedroom.

  Casey helps me pick out an outfit to wear to the concert. I’m beginning to wonder what exactly is going on because this is a little fancier than I would have gone with. I wanted to wear my cut off shorts and a tank top that said Lay It On Me, but she suggests my teal dress with my cowboy boots.

  After we are packed and ready for a weekend trip, the boys load the bags in the truck and with a hoop and a holler we are on our way.

  The city of Arlington, between Dallas and Ft. Worth, is very different than I remembered it. Ten years could change a place, but it didn’t take the memories that went along with it. I remember coming to this very same building when I was ten years old with my daddy to see Tracy Lawrence. He was amazing in concert and even brought a little girl in a wheel chair up to sing Texas Tornado. I’d never forgotten that little girl’s face and how mesmerized she was by him.

  Walking down to our seats, I can’t believe the spot we got. Casey really did get amazing seats from wherever she won them. She is looking cute with a pair of Miss Me jeans and a light purple lace top. Austin is wearing his black cowboy hat with a pearl snap shirt and Wrangler jeans, but the person that steals the show for me is Dallas. He’d put on his cream-colored cowboy hat that I loved. He is wearing a light blue button up shirt tucked into his jeans and a pair of dark denim jeans with his brown boots. He looks good enough to eat and had it not been for Casey banging on the door to our room in the suite I would have gotten my fill before we left.

  After about twenty minutes of sitting, the show starts and Cassadee Pope comes out in a cute little black dress. She does her set, while Austin and Dallas cackle about her. I don’t mind it because I know he’s coming home with me and that he’s happy with me.

  After the set is over and they are getting ready for Chris to come out, I notice Dallas is fidgeting like he’s nervous. As soon as that deep velvet voice comes out over the speaker though, I don’t even care. I’m entranced by all that is Chris Young. His voice, his looks. If I wasn’t pregnant and in love, I’d be all over that fine as hell man.

  He’s dressed in a pair of jeans that make his ass look good, but I notice it isn’t nearly as amazing as Dallas’. He’s wearing a button up blue jean shirt and his hair is expertly styled as always. I watch in awe of the man’s talent as he sings hit after hit after hit. The crowd goes crazy as he starts singing about that little black dress hitting the floor. Dallas sings in my ear and I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. Did he just look over here and wink? I’m seeing things, there is no way that Chris Young just winked in our direction.

  After the song ends, Chris sits down on a stool and smiles at the crowd. “Hello DALLAS! How is everyone doing tonight?” The crowd roars in response and he sits patiently waiting for it to die down.

  “Glad you’re all enjoying the night! I always love coming back to Texas!” More screams erupt and he laughs into the mic. “Normally, I don’t do things like this. But, when a friend calls in a favor you kind of go with the flow. So, here’s to going with the flow.”

  The chords to Who I Am With You start and I grab Dallas. He doesn’t know it, but this is my song to him. I wasn’t the best person in the world, but when I am with him, I am who I want to be.

  “Kennedy,” Dallas turns me back to see Chris singing on the stool staring right at us as our pictures fill the screen behind him. Pictures of us when we were kids, showing each stage of our relationship. I look at him with confusion on my face as Chris continues to belt out the words that express exactly how I feel about Dallas.

  “Come on up here, Dallas,” Chris says during a break in the song. “Everyone give a round of applause for Dallas and Kennedy!” Chris stands with the mic in his hand, coming over to help me up on the stage.

  I just touched Chris Young! Holy shit! I just touched Chris Young! What the hell is going on?

  He continues to sing the song as I watch our pictures on the screen behind him. I’m in awe as Dallas spins me on the stage in front of thousands of people. I’d told him I didn’t know how he would top everything else he’d done in the past, but dammit if he hasn’t.

  The song ends, but the band continues to play behind us as Chris walks closer to us, patting Dallas on the back. “Here ya go, brother. The stage is yours.”

  Dallas takes the microphone from his hand, never letting go of my hand with the other. He gets down on one knee in front of me, smiling as he does. Tears are streaming down my eyes and I’m sure my mascara and eye shadow are running down my face, but I don’t even care in this moment.

  “Kennedy Anne Miller, from the day I met you, I knew I would spend the rest of my life with you. Things may have happened and for a while we lost each other, but now that you’re back in my life, I can’t imagine it without you.

  “I want to grow old with you, have several kids running around the house. I want to be the best man I can, because who I am with you, i
s exactly who I want to be. In the words of my friend Chris, a better man is who I am with you.

  “Please do the honor of making me the best man I can be for the rest of my life. Will you marry me, Kennedy?” He smiles that goofy grin as he waits for my answer.

  “I’ve got a ways to go, but as long as I have a hand to hold, yes. I will marry you.” I say through my tears. Chris cheers as Dallas pulls a ring from his finger. I sob when I see the sapphire and diamond emerald cut ring that belonged to his grandma. I can’t help but cry because it’s a family heirloom and she’d told me years ago that it was destined to be on my hand. I’d just rolled my eyes at her then, but now it was so true. It was my destiny to be his wife. I was made for this man.

  “Give it up for the happy couple! Congrats you two!” Chris gives us both a hug before we are ushered back to our seats and a squealing Casey. Lord help Austin if he ever asks her to marry him.

  “You knew about this?” I yell in her ear over the music playing. I would never be able to top this night. I was proposed to while my favorite singer sung one of my favorite songs. How in the hell did he even know Chris?

  “Yeah, Dallas made sure I knew because he had to have a reason for us to have tickets,” she smiles widely, happiness obvious in her eyes. I’m glad that it’s happiness and not jealousy. Then again, I was always the one who was jealous of whatever she got and I didn’t.

  “How do you even know him?” I ask Dallas.

  “He bought a couple of horses from me last year,” he smirks as if he’s hung the moon and I guess in a way he has. The man is amazing and I am so damn lucky to be his. “You look beautiful in my ring. You’re glowing.”