by Wendy Smith
“I have you in my life. And I have Amelia. And in a few months, I’ll have this one too.” He places his hand on my bump. “I have the life I never dared to dream of. Thanks to you.”
I shrug. “It’s all your fault. Shouldn’t have answered the door half-naked that first day.”
“Is that what did it?” He leans in for a kiss.
“Uh-huh. I just couldn’t stop myself after that.”
“How about after all this, we go home, shower, and we’ll re-enact that moment?”
I laugh. “I like that idea.”
“I like the thought of showering with you. I’m in charge of the sponge.”
Reece leans over me. “Can you two quit with the foreplay?”
“Jealous?” Josh asks.
“You know damn well I am.” He grins.
I lean against Josh as he kisses my temple.
I love my life.
It’s the craziest night of my life.
Reece and Gabby both win their awards, and I’m not surprised.
Their movie is beautiful.
It’s the story of a damaged war veteran who comes home and struggles to settle back into regular life while also dealing with his wife’s infidelity with his best friend while he was away. I cry every time I see it.
And then they get to the award for best actor.
Josh squeezes my hand, letting go only to applaud for each nominee.
“And the Oscar for best actor in a drama is …”
I hold my breath.
“Josh Carter.”
For a moment, it’s like I don’t hear his name. Around us, the room explodes, and I’m dragged into it by Reece grabbing my arm. I slam my hands over my mouth, and turn my head to look at the man I love.
I drop my hands as tears prick my eyes. He’s done it. He’s really done it. All the sweet things he said about being a winner even if he doesn’t win are still so special, but now he really has it all. The family he wanted with me, and the accolade of becoming an Oscar winner.
He leans over, pressing his forehead to mine. Cupping my head with his hands, he gives me a hard kiss that leaves no one in any doubt that he’s mine.
My chest swells with pride as we stand together. He shakes Reece’s hand, but gives me one last lingering kiss before he squeezes my fingers and mounts the stairs to the stage.
I clap until my hands ache.. He’s worked so hard for this, and now he’s been rewarded in front of all his peers.
Tears roll down my cheeks as he takes his award and I sit to watch my husband.
“Wow. This is amazing.” He pauses. “I’ve thought about this moment a million times since I started acting, but never really thought … The first person I’d like to thank is my best buddy, Reece. He found the story, and he really did an insane job of pulling it all together and turning it into what it is now. I couldn’t have done it without you.”
I smile as he reels off a list of people involved in the making of the movie. He’s just shining with pride, and I can’t wait to show Amelia tomorrow morning.
“And last, but most importantly …” Josh fixes his gaze on me. “Eight or so years ago, I met a beautiful girl in a coffee shop who told me to do better. And that’s what I did. I love you, Delaney, and everything I do is for you.”
My heart’s in my throat as he speaks. I really thought if he won, his speech would just be thanks to Reece, his manager and the director. Never for a moment did I think he’d include me the way he has.
Tears prick my eyes, and I turn to my right as Reece nudges my arm.
“Let me guess. You didn’t pack any tissues.”
“I didn’t even think about it.”
“Here.” He produces one from his pocket and hands it to me. I dab my eyes and blow my nose. He grimaces. “I don’t want it back.”
I laugh. “Thank you.”
Josh soon re-joins us, and it’s not long until it’s time for the award for best movie. This is the big one. None of us dared to dream of this moment, but the way things have gone tonight, there’s hopefully a good chance.
“And the Oscar goes to …”
Once again, I hold my breath.
“Coming Home.”
My head spins.
Josh grasps my chin and pulls my face to his. “You okay?”
I nod. “I’m so proud of you.”
He kisses me hard again, and I stand to make way for Reece to get past. Reece hugs me before following Josh and the rest of the cast and crew to make his way to the stage. I clap until my hands tingle, but my heart sings watching them step up and accept the award.
The director speaks. Reece speaks, winking at me as he hands the award to Josh. Josh looks straight at me and just blows me a kiss.
Tears roll down my cheeks, and the tissue Reece gave me is soon soaked and tearing apart.
When they re-join me, I wrap my arms around Josh’s neck and hold tight.
“We did it, baby,” he says.
“You did. What are we doing now?” I ask.
Josh kisses my neck. “Now, we party.”
“Mummy.”
I open one eye. Amelia leans over and places her face so close to mine, I can smell hot chocolate on her breath.
“Are you awake?” she asks.
“I am now.” I groan. I’ve never been so glad to have such a comfortable bed. I feel like I’ve been drinking all night, but it’s just that my very pregnant body is not coping with our very late evening.
“Daddy won.”
“Daddy won big.” I give her a tired smile, as big as I can muster.
“Daddy is the biggest winner of them all.” Josh’s voice comes from behind me. He throws his arm over my belly as he snuggles up. “I have my girls right here. That’s all I need.”
“And the bag with the statues in it that I managed to keep together all night.”
He laughs. “At least one of us was responsible.”
“Yeah, and I’m suffering for it this morning.”
Josh raises his head. “I’ll be down for breakfast soon, Amelia. Is Gran in the kitchen?”
She nods.
“Go on then. I’ll come and see you soon when I’ve woken up properly.”
I sigh as she runs from the room. “So much energy.”
Josh rubs my stomach. “I’ll go and get something to eat for both of us. Do you feel like coffee or tea?”
“Coffee. I think I need a pick-me-up today.”
“Anything you want.” He kisses the back of my neck right as the baby does a back-flip. “I think she’s ready for breakfast, too.”
“She?” We’ve had a very uncooperative baby as far as scans go.
He chuckles. “I don’t know why, but I’ve just got a feeling I’m going to be surrounded by girls. Not that I’m complaining.”
“Better not.”
“Come here.”
I roll over.
“Last night was amazing.”
I grin. “It really was.”
“You had fun?”
“Well, I wouldn’t want to do it all the time, but I enjoyed it.”
He grazes the back of his hand down my cheek, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips. “I’m glad I get to experience all this with you. Wouldn’t be the same by myself.”
“I’m so proud of you.”
“None of it means anything without you, Delaney. You’re my muse. I hope you know that.” He sighs. “Do you think we should get out of bed and join our daughter?”
“Soon.” I slide an arm over his waist. “Your muse could do with more kisses.”
“She can have as many kisses as she wants. Maybe in the shower?”
I smile. “I like the way you think. Might wake me up.”
“Oh, I’ll wake you up alright.”
He leaves me to doze while he gets the shower going. It feels like a second later when he returns to give me a gentle shake.
“Come on. This’ll make you feel better.”
He takes my hand, and helps me out of bed. Manoeuvring isn’t eas
y, and there’s still three more months of pregnancy to go.
I stand in the middle of the bathroom as he strips off my shirt and panties. Taking my hand, he helps me into the shower. I’m capable of doing it all, but this morning, while I feel sorry for myself, I appreciate the help.
The warm water dances on my skin, and I stand with it running over my face in an effort to wake up properly.
Josh wraps his arms around me.
“I love your pregnant body.” He skims his hand, covered in body wash, over my baby bump. “Your breasts looked amazing in that dress last night.”
“I thought I looked amazing—not just my breasts.”
He grins. “Oh, you did, but that’s what caught my eye.”
“You’re such a man.”
Josh presses his cock against my thigh. I don’t miss that he’s hard. It’s impossible to miss.
“What about now?” he asks.
“Definitely. Planning on doing something with that?”
He chuckles. “When we’re out of the shower. I’m not sure shower sex would work too well right now.”
“You mean because of this.” I pat where the baby’s growing. And she or he is really doing a good job of that.
“I know your centre of gravity is a bit screwy. The last thing either of us need is for you to fall in the shower. And you’re slippery after washing.”
“I’m not sure if you’re complimenting or insulting me.”
“It’s always a compliment, Delaney. I value my life far too much to insult you.” He presses a kiss just below my ear and I sigh.
“I wouldn’t kill you if you did. The sex is too good.”
“Glad I’m useful for something.”
I grin, turning my head so he can kiss me again.
“I’ll rinse you off and then help you out of the shower. Meet you in the bedroom?”
He reaches for the showerhead and runs the warm water over me. When he’s finished, he takes my hand and holds it until I step out onto the bathmat and grab a towel from the heated rail.
“Don’t get dressed. I have plans for you,” he calls.
I rub myself dry before wrapping the towel around me and leaving to sit on the bed. I’m still tired, but not feeling quite so awful anymore. A good breakfast should help even more.
I laugh when my husband appears in the doorway, dressed only in a towel slung low around his hips.
“Is this what you like?” he asks.
“Absolutely.”
He walks toward me. “Did thoughts of me keep you warm at night?”
“Maybe.” When he reaches me, he bends over and plants a hard kiss against my lips. I grin. “Okay, yes. It wasn’t Ryan Reynolds I thought of when I was alone. Except for that one time …”
I laugh as Josh pushes me backward on the bed and drops the towel. “I’ll make you forget he even exists.”
“We’re supposed to go down for breakfast.”
He grins. “Oh, I’m going down alright. But breakfast can wait.”
“You promised me a foot rub.”
His eyes glisten with happiness. “Oh, baby. You’re getting so much more than that.”
Three months later to the day of Josh’s Oscar win, my water breaks, and when my contractions reach the point where I need to go to the hospital, we leave Amelia with her grandparents and Josh drives me to Valley Presbyterian Hospital.
Or rather, he intends to.
“I can’t believe you got us lost. Again. Why can’t you just use the GPS on your phone?” I grimace as another contraction hits. He needs to sort his shit out.
“I know where the hospital is, Delaney.”
“Clearly, you don’t.” I pull my phone out of my bag. “We’re on Addison Street. We’re so naming this baby Addison if it’s a girl.”
Josh laughs.
“It’s not funny, Josh. If you don’t get us to the right place, I’m having this baby in the car.”
I bark out directions as we finally head toward the hospital, and by the time we get there, I’m so over him that I’ll be happy to leave him behind in the car.
I immediately change my mind after taking two steps.
Waves of pain hit me, and my knees buckle underneath me.
“I’ve got you.” Josh scoops me up into his arms and carries me into the hospital.
“I love you.” I wail.
“I know.”
He murmurs the words in my ear and I relax as best I can until we’re in the delivery room. Nothing else matters right now—just this baby.
She doesn’t muck around, and she’s born with just a couple of pushes. I shake, the shock of how quickly she’s born leaving me a weeping mess.
She’s here.
She.
Josh was right. He is surrounded by girls.
I look at my husband. Sharing this with him just makes my heart beat faster. He never got to do this with Amelia, never got the chance to see the moment she was born. With this baby, he’ll get to do everything.
“Did you want to cut the cord?” the doctor asks.
Josh grins. “Yes, please.”
Watching the joy on his face makes this day even more exciting.
After the baby’s placed on my chest, I stroke the fuzz on the top of her head and hold my husband’s hand as we revel in an experience we didn’t get to do together the first time around.
It means everything.
“What are we going to call her?” he asks.
“I told you in the car. Her name is Addison.”
He strokes her cheek. “Addison. I like it.”
I widen my eyes. “I know. Addison Montgomery Carter.”
He gives me the side-eye. “Why does that sound familiar?”
“Addison Montgomery was a character on Grey’s Anatomy. McDreamy’s first wife. You know how much I love that show.”
He nods like he knows what I’m talking about, but he really doesn’t.
“If you love it that much, maybe I should see if I could land an episode or two on it.”
I grin. “I might watch you if you were on TV.”
He laughs. “Just for you, Delaney. Always for you.”
The look in his eyes shows me just how much he loves me. He’s been like that ever since the night we got back together, and I hope I express my love for him in the same way.
“I think when she’s a little older, we’ll have to go on a trip to Glenderry. So she can meet everyone back there.”
I smile. “I love that idea.” We’ve been back once for a holiday after a year of living in Los Angeles, but not since then. I can’t wait.
The thought of going home causes a swell in my emotions and I tear up. “You’re making me cry.”
“Only happy tears.” He kisses my temple. “Only ever happy tears.”
And I know, despite everything, that’s all there’ll ever be.
Only happiness forever.
Also by Wendy Smith
Coming Home
Doctor’s Orders
Baker’s Dozen
Hunter’s Mark
Teacher’s Pet
Fall and Rise Duet
Falling
Rising
Fall and Rise - The Complete Duet
The Aeon Series
Game On
Build a Nerd
Bar None
Coming 2021 Love on Site
Coming 2020 Common Ground
Coming 2020 For the Love of Chloe
Coming 2020 Lost and Found
The Friends Duet
Loving Rowan
Three Days
The Forever Series
Something Real
The Right One
Unexpected
Chances Series
Another Chance
Taking Chances
Lifetime Series
In a Lifetime
In an Instant
In a Heartbeat
In the End
At the Start
About the Author
Find me online
www.wendysmith.co.nz
[email protected]