by B. L. Mooney
“Shit.”
I crinkled my nose and looked at my baby girl resting on my shoulder. “Yeah, that about sums it up. I’ll be right back.”
“Aw, man. I’m not looking forward to that.”
I chuckled and took Lily upstairs to change her. I was just as nervous as Aaron was when we had Joey, but I was ready the second time. There was a small learning curve since she was a girl, but I wasn’t as apprehensive as I was the first time.
“You know your mama and I love you very much, but you do stink and create a big mess. Yes, you do.”
I laid her down and turned to get a fresh diaper and wipes, but Lindsey was right next to me with everything I needed. “There’s nothing sexier than a man who changes diapers without being told to.”
“Maybe you should tell that to Aaron. I think he’s going to need all the incentive in the world.” I undressed Lily and peeled the diaper back. “Oh, man. I’m disturbed that you find this sexy.”
Lindsey laughed. “Not the act, but the willingness to do it. And for the record, you were just as nervous as Aaron is. He’ll be a great dad.”
After we got Lily cleaned up and moved to her crib, I went to the bathroom to wash my hands. Lindsey came in behind me and wrapped her arms around my waist. “I wish we could take a nap.”
I dried my hands and turned to wrap my arms around her. “We’ll stay in bed all day tomorrow if you want. I have to go back to work on Monday. I’d like to have a lazy day tomorrow.”
“That sounds great, but I don’t think Joey will like that idea.”
“We’ll still have a lazy day. It may be on the sofa in the living room, but we’ll make it count.”
I held her face and kissed her. Lily cried, and while we ignored it for a few moments, it didn’t sound as if she was going to stop any time soon. I sighed and placed my forehead to Lindsey’s.
“I’ll get her and bring her down. She probably just wants to be at the party with everyone else.”
“Yeah. I’ll set the portable up, and my mom should be here soon. I should head back down anyway.”
I tugged on her hand before she left the bathroom. “I love you.”
“You just get sexier as the day goes on.” Lindsey smiled. “I love you, too.”
I watched as my wife and the love of my life disappeared down the stairs. I couldn’t imagine going back to my old, empty life. I was angry for a long time about the life my father robbed from me, but had I not taken that old, empty path, I wouldn’t be the man I was today and appreciated the life Lindsey had shown me was possible.
I picked up my daughter and cradled her in my arms as I walked down the steps. I vowed to make sure the man she fell in love with would be worthy of her and not an animal like my father. I’d show her what men were supposed to do for their families and how they were to treat a lady. She’d learn to never accept or settle for less.
I walked into the room that held most of my close friends and watched as Aaron played cars on the floor with Joey. I would teach him the right way to be a man and not a coward that my father had tried to teach me how to be. I would teach him that it was okay to show people how much you love them and how to respect women. And if he broke a few windows while playing catch, I’d teach him that was okay and how to repair it. He wasn’t going to be afraid to play or love if I could help it.
Grant was helping Lindsey pull the portable out and place it in a corner that we could watch but would minimize the impact we would have on Lily’s ability to rest. My girl needed to rest.
I swallowed hard when I watched Grant and Lindsey interact. Their bond was instant when they met. They loved each other as much as they loved me. I wouldn’t be the man I had become without either of them. He was the one to pull me from darkness. She was the one who showed me the light.
Teresa stood next to me and rubbed my back. “I’m glad you took the chance your mother gave you. I can tell you as a mother myself, I know she’s the happiest she’s ever been when she looks down on you and sees your family. This is all she ever wanted for you.” She squeezed my shoulder and kissed my cheek. “You’re a father now. You know I’m right.”
She took Lily from me and gave her kisses while taking her to the portable. She was right. A family like the one in my living room was all that my mother wanted for me. She tried her best to give it to me herself, but she did the next best thing and set me free. I’d spend the rest of my life trying to do for my children what my mother had done for me.
Paige Maroney Smith for ripping my story apart and helping me piece it back together. Each cuss word was said with love. I promise.
Robin Harper of Wicked by Design for putting up with my long list of requests and making my beautiful cover perfect. - https://www.facebook.com/WickedByDesignRobinHarper
Lauren Watson Perry of Perrywinkle Photography for taking such amazing photos that I couldn’t decide which to use, so I had to use both! - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Perrywinkle-Photography/181095318624016
Tami Norman of Integrity Formatting for turning “I don’t know what I want” into something beautiful. - https://www.facebook.com/IntegrityFormatting
To the readers who’ve stuck with me and waited for this story, I hope you enjoy it and all the ones to come after it.
B.L. Mooney started writing when the voices and storylines in her head ran out of room. They were getting too cramped and neither B.L. nor the characters could take it anymore, so she did the only thing she could do—she made room. She always knew she wanted to write, but vowed to make time for it later. Now that she’s made time for writing, most everything else falls to the wayside. That seems to suit the characters that keep popping up in her head just fine.
B.L. lives in the Midwest, and her other talents include in-demand cookies, a very dry sense of humor, and stealth eavesdropping. Some mannerisms, attitudes, or twists come from random sentences picked up while passing by strangers. So speak up the next time you have something to gossip about. You never know, it may just end up on the pages of the next book you read.
She loves to hear from her readers.
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.authorblmooney.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorBLMooney
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6999168.B_L_Mooney
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorBLMooney
Coming Home
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BXDTZ4K
Striving for Normal ~ Striving Series 1 (Drew’s story)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ENVYOFE
Striving for Perfection ~ Striving Series 2 (Rachael’s story)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00N6RLXKU
Striving for Acceptance ~ Striving Series 3 (Deb’s story)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QMVW5XQ
Liv’s Existence ~ Liv Series 1
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ID6YLI0
Abby’s Survival ~ Liv Series 2
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00K9W8GMI
Shadow (Collaboration with Laura Emory)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00ZDK2VRM
Behind His Walls
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B015PG1FP2
Table of Contents
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
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Epilogue
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Also by B.L. Mooney