by Joyia Marie
Aiden didn’t intend to be as stupid as Harold and have a house as well as the loft. If Helen ever left him, he didn’t want her to have any place to run to that he couldn’t follow. He hoped he’d never be as stupid as Harold is and give Helen a reason to want to run.
Aiden grinned as Harold and Jillian kissed as well as they could over her huge belly. He and Helen shared another look that promised much more than kisses when the reception was done. It promised kisses, laughter, fighting, making up, walking the floors with a cranky child, and love. Their look promised love. They smiled and joined the church in celebrating the new couple.
Chapter Sixty-Seven: Helen
I snuggled into Aiden’s arms for a last slow dance before we left. My high heels were a memory and I was glad Aiden was light enough on his feet to stay off my tender toes. We hadn’t danced together much in the short time we had known each other, but we still moved as if we had done this for years.
I bit back a yawn and Aiden grinned down at me. I had forgotten how tired the early stages of pregnancy made you and all I wanted was this man and a place to get horizontal.
The happy couple had made their departure and the twins were back at the loft with Vivian and my father. They seemed very snuggly themselves and I wondered if there was another hand fasting in the offing.
I wouldn’t mind, John, as I called my father was a good man. A weak man who didn’t handle adversity well, but a good man none the less. I might write about alpha men, but I knew it took all kinds to make this world work.
I had given Harold and Jillian a weekend at a local bed and breakfast for a honeymoon. Jillian couldn’t fly this late in her pregnancy and Harold needed to be back in the office come Monday so it would have to do. Jillian had looked suitably grateful which was a nice change from the sulky teenager from my motel room many moons ago.
Jillian had really stepped up to the plate with the twins. The reports I got from Tonya were favorable. Tony only said she was ‘okay’, which from him was high praise. Anyway, so far so good and that file I had on her remained in the safe at my loft.
I hadn’t shown it to Aiden, as I didn’t think it mattered. In addition, if he looked at those pictures of Jillian with anything but faint disinterest, I would be forced to put his eyes out. So better safe than sorry, I happened to be rather fond of Aiden’s eyes as well as the rest of him.
I had filled him in on the whole LV thing which he thought was a hoot. I had seen him from time to time reading one of the books with a faint speculative look on his face when he looked at me.
My thoughts were bring it on, there was nothing in those books I hadn’t tried or wouldn’t be willing to try again. As long as it didn’t involve chocolate pudding and handcuffs. Seriously people, that was a joke, move on.
We walked off the floor and collapsed into our chairs. The place was slowly clearing out and we would too, as soon as we got a second wind. Hard to believe my ex-husband’s wedding to another woman was as tiring as his wedding to me. Harold and I had spent our first night as man and wife snoring like bears in hibernation. We didn’t consummate our marriage until the next morning.
“We’re going to head out,” Raphael said to me with a nod to Aiden. Those two had bonded as much as men ever do. Raphael thought Aiden was ‘okay’ to use Tony’s term and Aiden returned the favor.
I looked up and saw Theo and Sonya waiting at the door, eager to hit the gay bars in Dallas. Theo and Raphael had met during the prep for Aiden’s sister Sheila’s wedding. The two had become fast friends, but nothing more much to Aiden and my disappointment. How perfect would that have been his best friend and my best friend as a couple?
They did enjoy hitting the bars together and scoping out men so it was all good. Theo kept trying to get Raphael to join him on the road as the stylist to his models in his trunk shows. So far, Raphael had resisted, but I had a feeling that a road trip was in the cards for the men soon.
Raphael pulled me out of the chair for an unexpected hug, much gentler than the one he gave me all those months ago in his office. I looked up in askance and he looked me deep in the eyes and said, “You did good,” with a nod to Aiden.
I saw him and Aiden share a glance that felt like a passing of the guard. Raphael was willing to trust Aiden with me. Other than when my dad gave me away next month at my wedding this was probably the most significant moment of my life. Aiden nodded solemnly as if he understood and he probably did. Aiden was fluent in strong and silent.
Raphael released me and shook Aiden’s hand with another long look. This one said ‘mess up and die’, and even I got that. I am learning strong and silent as my second language or would that be third after German. I still laugh when I think about Harold’s frustration with the twins’ ‘private language’.
Raphael put a hand on one of each of our shoulders and gave another long look. He nodded as if pleased then said, “you take care of each other,” with a significant look at my still flat belly.
I gave him a fulminating look. Looks like another big secret wasn’t. I swear Raphael missed his calling with the CIA. However, he seemed content to pass on his tricks to my own two junior CIA agents.
Raphael smiled at my look, then gave a big belly laugh that had everyone looking. I threw an arm around Aiden’s waist and hid my flaming face in Aiden’s chest. Raphael walked over to Theo and Sonya who were watching speculatively.
I knew when Raphael clued then when both of them looked at my tummy. I felt like I was wearing a neon sign and I was glad the twins were already gone. That bit of news I wanted to break myself to my children in private.
They both gave me big smiles, then the three of them left. I saw Gwendolyn was supervising the packing up of the still wrapped wedding gifts. I’m sure she would oversee the unpacking at the house, then Jillian and Harold unwrapping them, then stand over Jillian with a whip until the thank you notes were written.
Gwendolyn was big on doing things the right way. I hoped Jillian was ready to become a southern matron. Then I pushed Jillian and Gwendolyn out of my mind when Aiden’s arm tightened around me.
“Ready?” he said, looking down at me.
“Past,” I said. See, I speak strong and silent too.
We walked to the door waving goodbye to the last few stragglers. I stopped by where Harold Sr. was sitting waiting for his wife and dropped a kiss on his wrinkled cheek. He patted my hand and said “Helen”. I nodded and moved on.
I stopped where the last of the gifts were being bundled up and tucked the large manila envelope more securely into a box. That I didn’t want lost as it contained my real gift to Harold and Jillian. I had paid off their house and that envelope contained the deed. See, when I give a house I really give a house.
I figured it was the least I could do with all the years Harold had paid the freight while I tucked my money away. Harold had supported LV and me for years without getting a dime. With this, I figured we were even.
I was shocked again when Gwendolyn pulled me into a hug. During my whole marriage, I think Gwendolyn had hugged me once when the twins were born. I looked at her wondering what had brought this on.
“I just wanted to say thank you for today and apologize for my idiot of a son. I still can’t believe he let you slip away for that girl,” Gwendolyn said sadly. “I know I haven’t always been kind…”
Here I raised a brow, not kind would have been a step up from some of the stuff she pulled but it was water under the bridge now. She was Jillian’s problem now. Her and my interaction would only involve the twins. She would always be their grandmother as I would always be their mother.
Gwendolyn shook her head, “I guess I just followed the example I was shown and believe me Mother Peterson made me look like a walk in the park. But I don’t want to lose touch so if you’d see it clear to continue our lunches, maybe we could get to know each other as women instead of mother-in-law and daughter-in-law.”
I gave an uneasy nod, not sure if I was ready to commit to that. She was Jill
ian’s problem now, not mine, I had done my time. Then I looked into her old eyes and knew I couldn’t say no. She was old and not long for this earth and Grandma Gert would rise up from her grave if I were mean to this old woman. I nodded more firmly and she smiled.
“Great, great,” she said with a bigger smile. “We can talk about books, since you’re a writer and all. I can tell you about my favorite author, Leslie Vandersmoot.” My eyes widened as she leaned toward me to continue with a whisper, “her books are a little naughty but I enjoy them. Harold Sr. isn’t as peppy as he used to be so I read these to occupy my time.”
I felt that full body shudder again and I used it to elbow Aiden in the side when he snickered. There was so much wrong with that statement I didn’t know where to start so I said nothing and just smiled. I looked into her eyes and saw nothing but innocent glee.
She couldn’t know, I wondered. Could she?
She pulled me out of my speculation when she continued. “I know you’re getting married next month and Harold Sr. and I wouldn’t miss it. Thank you again for inviting us.”
I nodded, then winced when she leaned toward me again. “You’re doing it just the right way, dear, one big bellied bride in the family is more than enough,” she whispered with a significant look on her face.
I looked at her in shock. How did she know? Did everybody know? Was I allowed to have no secrets?
“Don’t worry yourself, dear, nobody else knows or at least I don’t think they do. You forget I was here when you were pregnant with the twins and you have the same glow now,” she said with a comforting pat on my hand.
I couldn’t think of anything to say. I don’t remember any glow when I was pregnant with the twins, although I have heard rage will bring a rosy flush to your cheeks so maybe she’s talking about that. I smiled absently as I reflected on how different this pregnancy was from my last.
“Get on with you, dear, we’ll talk again later. Your young man is waiting for you. Good job there,” she said with a saucy wink and for a brief flash, I could see the 16-year-old girl that lives within every woman no matter how old.
I smiled again and backed away quickly dragging Aiden with me. I didn’t stop any more. I wasn’t in the mood for any more revelations or speculations. I was tired, pregnant, and done.
I wanted my man and my bed, as we would be bunking down in his loft tonight. I wondered absently if Aiden knew a way to join the lofts then put the thought aside. I hadn’t been back a year yet and wasn’t sure I was ready to decamp for more construction.
We hoped into my Mustang, as getting in and out of his truck in this dress wouldn’t have worked. I ran an admiring hand over the dress and wished it were any other color but pink. Such loveliness deserved to be worn more than once, but the color dictated it wouldn’t be with me.
One pink day was more than enough for me. I had seen Tonya eying it so maybe she could wear it when she got older. I’d set it aside for her.
The convertible top was down and the wind ruffled my hair. I leaned back and thought how pregnant at 40 was a lot different from pregnant at 25 but I wouldn’t miss it for the world. This child wasn’t planned, but oh so wanted. I rubbed my tummy and hoped ‘bean’ as we called the baby could feel my love.
It’s strange how things turned out. After the twins, I was so determined to get a tubal ligation, but never found the right time to go in for the procedure. Then I started on the depo provera shots and put it out of my mind. Then missed my shots when my life exploded last fall and now this spring I was the happiest woman on earth to be pregnant by the man I loved.
“You okay over there,” Aiden said his chocolate voice blending in perfectly with the night and the stars whizzing by overhead. The spring evening air was cool, but invigorating. It was giving me a second burst of energy, which I hoped to put to use when Aiden and I reached the loft.
“Yeah,” I said as I reached over and grabbed his hand. We held hands in the dark night as we rushed home and I don’t remember ever feeling so content.
“So, what are you thinking about so hard?” Aiden said after a couple of minutes when I didn’t say anything else.
“Oh, how well this all worked out,” I said as I looked at the side of his beautiful head. I still couldn’t believe this handsome, talented, sexy, sweet man was mine and I couldn’t wait until our wedding to tell everyone else too.
“Yeah?” he asked, looking for clarification and I didn’t want to go into all that right then. We would later, we always did, he and I talked constantly, but right then I wanted to enjoy the same feeling I had right before I pulled into that taco place my mother couldn’t remember the name of.
That feeling of lightness, that feeling of freedom, that feeling of putting it all on one spin of the dice and letting it ride. That feeling that comes right before the book ends with the words…
They lived happily ever after.
Epilogue:
That’s it ladies, that’s all she wrote. So what did you think of the story?
Looks like the men folk are coming back in so we’ll end our story time for tonight.
So sweet dreams and may you all find your own happily ever after.
Good night.
About the Author:
I started writing when I was six years old and my first grade teacher stuck a fat pencil into my equally fat fist and said, “Write me a story…”
I’ve written ever since.
As a lifelong reader of romances (started with Harlequin romances when I was twelve), it was natural my writing would lean towards stories of love. However, my stories seem to start, unlike most authors, with ‘what if they don’t’ instead of ‘what if?’.
What I mean is the standard romance tropes don’t usually work for me. Such as boy cheats, begs girlfriend for forgiveness, she give it with more or less effort on his part, and they live happily ever after. My question is, what if she didn’t? What if no matter what he said, their friends said, or anybody said, she stuck to her guns and didn’t forgive him?
Or, a husband gets a girlfriend, tells his wife he’s leaving her and the kids, he leaves, she struggles and finds a new found strength and perhaps a new love, and she lives happily ever after. My question is what if she left first? Left him with the kids and his girlfriend? What happens then?
The one trope that does work for me is ‘happily ever after’. My couples do get there, but they may have to go around the mulberry bush before that happens. So thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.
If you did, please go back to the retailer where you bought this and leave a review. They help, they really do…
If you would like to contact me or be added to my mailing list for new releases, you can do , so at [email protected]. You can also contact/follow or friend me on Goodreads and/or Facebook.
Again, thank you for reading.
Joyia
Other Books by Joyia Marie
Sorry Trilogy
Sorry, Book One of the Sorry Trilogy:
Synopsis:
*This book contains adult content, recommended for readers over 18.
Hi, Diane Miller here, and I’m a graphic artist and live in a little town called Grover’s Corners, Texas. A year ago, my boyfriend, now my ex-boyfriend, Chris Grover, got drunk at a party and cheated on me. Not only did he cheat, but also he got the girl pregnant. Of course, I kicked him to the curb.
Problem is, Chris is not letting it go, nor are our friends. He says he’s sorry. They say he’s sorry. He says the baby’s might not be his. He says I will eventually have to forgive him. Uh, I don’t think so. It doesn’t matter that he’s sorry.
Meanwhile, there’s this guy, my business partner and friend from college, Gabe whose been waiting patiently for years for his shot with me. Now, Gabe is a bit of a hound, another reason other than the fact I was in a relationship, I didn’t take him seriously.
I think it’s time Gabe got his shot…if Chris will just stay out of the picture…
Chapter One
: Diane
“He’s really sorry, you know,” my best friend, Charlise Thompson, said and I sighed inwardly and thought, here we go.
“I know,” I said quickly, eager to get past this part of the program.
I knew Chris was sorry, Charlise knew Chris was sorry, all of our friends knew Chris was sorry and the whole town of Grover’s Corner knew Chris Grover was sorry. However, what they thought he was sorry about and what I thought he was sorry about were two different things. Therein lay the problem.
Therein…always knew those fancy words would come in handy, I thought with satisfaction. That’s one of the things I appreciated about my breakup with Chris, being able to use all of my ridiculously large vocabulary. When I would use them around him, he swore I was trying to be a showoff, but he always said it in this secretly proud kind of way.
I think he liked having an intelligent girlfriend even if I did give him crap. Too bad, he hadn’t been intelligent enough to keep me. Not that Chris’s stupid, far from it, but his philosophy was why use a ten-dollar word when a 50 cent one will do?
About that other thing, the cheating thing, and the reason he and I broke up? I put that off to too much alcohol, too much testosterone, and a man-stealing skank. That’s what everyone else in town thinks he’s sorry for. I don’t happen to agree.
I think he’s sorry he was caught. I think he’s sorry I was still mad about it. I think he’s really sorry he was too drunk to use a condom, but more about that in a minute. You’ll see, it’s a doozy.
“Look, I get it, Chris’s sorry, really sorry, but that doesn’t change the fact. He cheated. Not only cheated, but cheated with that skank who’s been after him for years,” I said when Charlise didn’t say anything.
I hated the fact we had to do this whenever we got together. This little conversation, which I had had with her and every one of our friends, was one of the reasons I questioned my decision to stay in town. Then I sighed as I remembered the reason I stayed.