Baby It's You (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Book 6)

by Calhoune, Belle

  As they headed into the banquet room, Kaitlyn let out a sigh at all the fabulous decorations she hadn’t noticed before. A silver disco ball was handing over the dance floor. Tables were adorned with silvery lights and candles sitting in round vases. Fairy lights had been strung up on the walls. Balloons floated gracefully in the air. A hot buffet had been laid out on one side of the room.

  Kaitlyn had no idea if prom back in the day had been this incredible, but she felt blessed to be experiencing it in the here and now. She didn’t think her heart could be any fuller.

  “And this song goes out to Kaitlyn O’Malley,” the dj announced from his booth.

  The strains of “High School Princess” blared from the speakers. It had been her favorite song in high school. Had Wyatt somehow remembered that fact after all these years?

  “Come on. Let’s get out there on the dance floor,” Wyatt said, reaching for her hand. “I’m curious to see if my leg gives me any trouble.”

  “How did you remember that I loved this song?” She was stunned by his attention to detail. Wyatt Donahue was one amazing man! And so far he was spoiling her for any other.

  “I remember lots of things,” he said, a sly smile creeping over his face. “Your favorite soda. Dr. Pepper. The brand of bubble gum you always chewed. Hubba bubba cotton candy. How you said that you wanted to go into a field where you could help others. And now you’re a PT. Mission accomplished.”

  He placed his arms around her waist and began to gently rock her from side to side. One of his hands moved to her lower back.

  “I still can’t believe you did all this for me,” she said, pressing her head against his chest as her hands rested on his arms.

  His low voice rumbled in her ear. “Why not? Look at all the things you do for everyone. And you ask for nothing in return. You’re one of the most selfless people I’ve ever known.”

  Boom! There went her heart.

  Because right here on the dance floor as Wyatt held her in his arms and guided her around the dance floor, she fell head over heels with him a second time around. The first time she’d been a teenager and susceptible to the heady allure of her first love. Over the years she’d looked back on those feelings and dismissed them as puppy love. And maybe she had just been kidding herself. Maybe she’d never stopped loving him. Perhaps she’d carried a piece of him around with her all these years. No man had ever stood a chance with her. Because of Wyatt.

  As the night wound down, Kaitlyn made sure she had pictures to remember this wonderful evening by. She posed for pictures with Rose, Gabrielle, Layla and Tess. There were silly group photos of all the couples. And when Ryder announced Wyatt’s name along with her own as Homecoming King and Queen they posed for a picture with their crowns on. She wanted to remember this evening forever, although she didn’t really need pictures as mementoes. This evening would be indelibly etched on her heart for the rest of her days. There were some moments in your life that were so spectacular, so beautiful and genuine, they became permanently tattooed on your soul. This prom night would be unforgettable.

  “Thanks for including us, Wyatt. This was a blast,” Layla gushed as Nick helped her with her coat.

  “I have to admit, I was skeptical, but it was a lot of fun,” Nick added, placing his arm around Layla. “It was pretty epic.”

  “Thanks for letting us use the Cove,” Wyatt said. “I don’t think I could have pulled it off without it.”

  “Thanks everyone. I’ll never forget tonight,” Kaitlyn said, placing her hand over her heart. “It will always be right here.”

  As everyone said their goodbyes, Rose gave Kaitlyn a tight hug. “You’re really special to Wyatt. I hope things work out between the two of you.”

  Kaitlyn felt the flush of embarrassment warming her cheeks. “That’s nice to hear, Rose. He’s really special to me also. He always has been.”

  “I’ll be praying for the two of you,” Rose whispered. “These Donahue boys can be troublesome at times, but in the end, they are so worth it.”

  “What are you two whispering about over here?” Wyatt asked as he sidled up to them.

  Rose perfected an innocent expression. “Just the usual girl stuff.”

  Wyatt held up his hands. “Enough said,” he teased.

  “Time to say goodnight,” Brandon announced, reaching for Rose’s hand and pulling her close so he could plant a kiss on her lips.

  All of Wyatt’s brothers were living the dream with their wives, Kaitlyn thought. The romantic gestures. The sweet exchanges. The love radiating in the air between them. This is what she wanted for herself. A sweet, tender love that would last for all time. A man who would be by her side no matter what.

  Had God sent Wyatt back into her life for that purpose? Was Wyatt the one whom she was destined to marry? Have kids with?

  Kaitlyn cuddled against Wyatt as they walked outside to the waiting limousine. Wyatt’s arm encircled her, drawing her ever closer to his chest. Kaitlyn couldn’t imagine a better place for her to be after the events of this evening. She felt safe and protected and cherished.

  Way before she was ready to end this perfect night, the limo reached her house. Wyatt walked her to her door, waiting as she fumbled in her clutch for her house key. She felt all fluttery inside. All she could think about was whether or not Wyatt would be kissing her goodnight. And if he hesitated, would it be nervy of her to initiate a kiss?

  “Here it is,” she said nervously, holding the key up in the air. “Thanks for a beautiful evening Wyatt. I’ll never forget it.”

  “I hope it lived up to every prom dream you ever had,” Wyatt said, his eyes like laser beams as they cut right through her.

  She looked up at him, admiring the strong tilt of his jaw and the gorgeous features that never ceased to take her breath away. “It was way more than I could ever have imagined. I don’t know how you did it, but somehow you managed to surpass every fantasy about prom that I’d ever conceived. Wyatt, what you did for me tonight…words cannot express how grateful I am.” She reached up and touched the side of his cheek, her palm resting against his soft skin.

  “Kaitlyn,” he said in a low, husky voice. “Thank you for taking a leap of faith tonight. And for trusting me.” He leaned his head down and skimmed his lips across hers. His lips were warm and inviting. The emotion of the evening made its way into their kiss. As their lips moved against each other Kaitlyn felt as if this kiss was pure magic, unlike any kiss she’d ever experienced. It felt different than the other times she’d been kissed by Wyatt. They drew apart from one another, neither of them saying a word to break the silence.

  For a moment all she could hear was the beating of her own heart. Or was it his? She wasn’t quite sure. All she knew for certain was that she was one hundred percent in love with Wyatt Donahue. And it felt like a little slice of heaven.

  “I’d rather live a life of boldness than one where I never took any chances.”

  Mac Donahue

  Chapter Eight

  The follow morning Wyatt woke up feeling on top of the world. Donal arrived at his house promptly at ten o’clock for an intense session that lasted an hour and a half. Each and every session he was feeling stronger and his knee felt looser and more like normal. Wyatt finished his PT session riding on pure adrenaline. Memories of last night kept intruding on his thoughts, leaving him grinning like a crazy person. The moments they’d shared last night were always going to stay near and dear to his heart. He felt incredibly blessed to have been able to give Kaitlyn such a spectacular evening.

  “What’s up with you today?” Donal asked. “Did you win the lottery or something?”

  “Nope. Even better. There’s nothing like a good woman to make a man feel like he can leap tall buildings in a single bound.”

  Donal clapped him on the back. “Whoa. Sounds serious, Superman.”

  Wyatt scratched his chin. “I don’t usually do serious, but this is starting to feel like the real deal.”

  “No wonder you’r
e grinning like that. Falling in love can be a thrilling ride.”

  Wyatt held up his hands. “I didn’t use the L word. It hasn’t reached that point. At least not yet.” All of a sudden his heart started to beat really fast and his forehead broke out in a sweat. Why did the idea of falling in love give him heart palpitations?

  “Well, I have to move toward my next appointment, but you’re making great progress, Wyatt. You’re going to be back on the roster in no time. Keep up the good work.”

  Donal’s praise left him feeling energized. He was doing it. Step by step he was making his way back to the career he loved so much. And he was going to do some sprints today and a few miles of running on Breezy Beach to supplement his PT work.

  The buzzing sound of his cell phone interrupted his thoughts. He rolled his eyes as his agent’s name flashed across the screen. He pushed a button on his cell phone and put it on speaker.

  “What’s going on, Artie? I was beginning to think you’d gone missing.”

  Artie’s gravelly voice came across the line like nails on a chalkboard. “You’re pretty funny kid, considering you told me not to bother you for a few months. You said if I bothered you again about finding a physical therapist to work with you’d fire me.”

  Had he said that? It sounded vaguely familiar. But those had been some dark days right after the accident. He hadn’t been in his right mind.

  “Yeah, well I didn’t expect you to do a complete vanishing act,” he grumbled. “After all, you’re still on the payroll.”

  Artie let out a rich chuckle. “Okay, Wyatt. Point taken. I was just giving you some space until you sorted out the physical therapy issues.”

  “Like I said in my message, the PT is going very well. I’m itching to get back to the team.”

  “I understand. Here’s the deal. I just got off the phone with the team doctor. They want to conduct a physical so they can see about clearing you for the season.”

  “A physical? By their doctor?”

  “Yes. It’s nothing to worry about. They want you to come up to Boston and run through a few tests to make sure you’re ready,” Artie said.

  “Why wouldn’t I be ready?” he snapped. “I’m doing well, Artie. Really well. And I want to be back on the roster. And they should want me back too. The fans are clamoring to see me out there again. And they still have to pay me whether I’m on the field or not.”

  Although Wyatt wasn’t complaining about the terms of his contract that still allowed him to receive fat checks even while he was injured, his pride felt a little compromised by taking money that he hadn’t earned on the field.

  “Take it easy. It’s just a formality. And you could time your visit around the celebration for Finch. Make the most of it.”

  Artie had a point. He’d received the official invitation for the event weeks ago for Coach Finch, but he hadn’t yet given his rsvp. The Bay State Bombers’ organization was celebrating Coach’s thirty year affiliation with the team. It might be fun to head to Boston and stay fora few days so he could honor Coach and undergo the team physical that would enable him to get back on the roster. He was sick of seeing his name pop up on the disabled list. Nothing would feel right in his world until he was back in uniform.

  And maybe he could kill a few birds with the same stone. He’d love to invite Kaitlyn to come to Boston with him. And hadn’t Mac been talking about tracking down Mrs. Worther? Her last known address had been in Boston. Wyatt owned a three bedroom apartment in Back Bay that could fit all of them comfortably. At the moment it was just sitting unoccupied.

  “Okay, Artie. Schedule the physical for the morning after the celebration. It’ll be nice to spend a few days in Beantown.”

  “That’s the Wyatt I know and love. I’ll make the arrangements and get back to you.”

  “Take it easy, Artie.” As Wyatt hung up the call he felt a groundswell of excitement building up inside him. Experiencing Boston with Kaitlyn would be wonderful. If he could help his brother track down their guardian angel it might help Mac have some closure about his past. He needed to move past his Callie obsession. And it would be a huge step toward going to Spring Training with the team and getting back in the groove.

  Yes! Boston was now high on his agenda. A feeling of triumph surged through him. It had taken him a long time, but finally he was putting the pieces of his life back together. And hopefully, Kaitlyn would be by his side for the last leg of his journey.

  He pressed his eyes closed. Thank you Lord for not giving up on me, even though at times I gave up on myself. Thanks for bringing Kaitlyn back into my life. She encourages me, nurtures me and feeds my soul. And even though it scares me a little bit, I think I’m falling in love with her.

  **

  “Surprise!” Kaitlyn greeted Wyatt as he opened up the door to his house. The stunned look on his face was well worth her unannounced visit.

  “Hey. I wasn’t expecting to see you tonight. I thought you had a patient tonight. What’s that you’ve got there?” he asked, reaching for some of the brown bags in her hand.

  “Groceries,” she said as he walked into his house. “I’m making dinner for you.”

  “Dinner? How’d I get so lucky?” Wyatt asked, closing the door behind him.

  “Well, my patient had to cancel and I figured it was a good time to say thank you for the other night. I’ve been humming “High School Princess” for days.”

  She walked toward his kitchen, placing her bag down on the counter. Wyatt was walking toward her, his gait off balance and stiff.

  “Are you limping?” she asked, immediately concerned about a setback.

  Wyatt grimaced. “I think I pushed it too hard the last few days,” he admitted.

  “Donal should know your limits. That’s not okay that he pushed you to the point of pain,” she snapped, her anger rising at the idea of Wyatt being pushed by his PT. She felt a tad guilty since she was the one who’d referred Wyatt to Donal.

  Wyatt placed the bags on the counter and let out a huff of air. “It wasn’t Donal’s fault,” he said, a sheepish expression etched on his face. “I did some sprints and then ran a few miles at the beach.”

  She knit her brows together. “After your session this morning?”

  “Yes. I overdid it big-time,” he said, wincing as he sat down on the butcher block stool.

  Kaitlyn took a few steps toward Wyatt. She placed her hand on his shoulder. “You need to put some ice on that leg and rest it. And take some pain reliever.”

  He looked at her with fear emanating from his eyes. “What if I reinjured it?”

  “Most likely you just overused it. Remember, you’re still rehabbing, Wyatt. You can’t expect to rush your recovery, even though I know you’re counting the days till you’re back on the team.”

  “I’m not even going to make any excuses. It was a stupid move.”

  “Not stupid,” she said with a shake of her head. “Just overly ambitious. I know how badly you want your life back, Wyatt, but you have to slow down. You’ve had two back to back injuries with your leg. If your body senses it’s being pushed too hard, it will shut down one way or the other.”

  Kaitlyn went over to the freezer and scooped out some ice, then placed it inside a plastic baggie. She rejoined Wyatt and handed him the ice bag. “Go sit down in your great room. Put the ice on your leg and I’ll bring you a glass of wine and a pain reliever.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Wyatt said, his lips twitching with amusement. He stood up and limped away from the kitchen, his face contorted with pain. A few minutes later she went in search of him. He was sitting on his comfy love seat with his leg propped up on an ottoman. There was something so endearing about seeing him like his with the ice bag pressed against his leg. As stubborn as he tended to be at times, on this occasion he hadn’t given her any objection about taking it easy and resting his leg. He’d even turned on his CD player. Soft, jazzy beats were flowing through the room.

  “I hope you don’t mind that I fished through
your cabinet for a goblet.” She handed him a glass of red wine along with a pain reliever.

  “Are you kidding me? Poke around as much as you like. Mi casa es su casa. Make yourself at home in there.” Wyatt took a sip of the wine and let out a sigh of appreciation.

  It was nice to see him in a relaxed mood and enjoying himself. Too much of the time he seemed to be consumed with thoughts of regaining what he’d lost rather than reveling in what he’d accomplished in his life. Stop and smell the roses. It was one of her grandmother’s sayings that had always stuck in her mind long after her grandmother had gone on to glory. She had a feeling that Wyatt’s drive to excel was part of why he’d been successful as a professional athlete. To climb to the heights of the pro world of sports mandated the highest level of ambition and dedication. And as a person who’d been abandoned by his birth parents as he’d recently confessed, she imagined Wyatt felt the constant need to prove his worth.

  Oh, Wyatt. I wish you could see how amazing you are separate and apart from the Bay State Bombers. Even if you never played another inning, you would still be enough.

  “Dinner will be ready in about an hour,” she said, resisting the urge to tell Wyatt what she was thinking. If she did, she feared he might think she was second guessing his comeback. It was a touchy subject with him.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve had a home-cooked meal. I’ve missed a few dinners at home in the past few months.”

  She let out a laugh. “Well, I’m sure my cooking can’t rival Maggie’s dishes, but I know my way around a kitchen. My Mom made sure of it.”

  He grabbed her hand. “I appreciate your being here, Kaitlyn.”

  “It’s my pleasure. Let me go get started on dinner.”

  For the next hour Kaitlyn prepared the meal. She diced garlic, carrots and green peppers, chopped onions, seasoned the beef for the stir fry and cooked a pot of white rice. The ding from the toaster oven alerted her to the fact that their bread was ready. All she needed now was a salad to make the meal complete. She’d dug around in his cabinets and pulled out cutlery, plates and napkins to set the table. By the hour’s end, dinner was sitting on the table ready to be served.