by Amy Brent
We had light gray suits with dark blue button-down shirts and silver ties. We were practically twins. I took his hand and we emerged from the bathroom. Then we headed straight for the party that had already begun.
The room was filled. There had to be at least five hundred people here to celebrate. And in the middle of it all, sipping on her glass of water and being doted on by the bigwigs, was Ana.
She looked absolutely breathtaking.
Her royal blue dress had a stitched silver design that flowed down the expanse of the gown. It had small spaghetti straps with fabric that fell off her shoulders, and every time she moved, the gown sashayed with her hips. Her silver jewelry sparkled in the light of the room, and her beautiful blond hair was piled high on her head. Her entire ensemble made her aquamarine eyes pop as she panned her gaze over to us.
When she saw us, she gasped. “Look at my boys!” she exclaimed.
“Surprise,” I said.
“You two match!”
“You look spectacular, Ana.”
“Oh, we have to get a picture of this. Get together! Family photo!”
People started taking pictures as flashes went off everywhere. I held Brody close to me and slipped my arm around Ana’s waist, holding her closer to me than I ever had in my life. I looked down into her eyes, watching her smile bloom across her cheeks.
Then she looked up at me, and I knew tonight would be the perfect night.
The night drew on and people started dancing. Food was eaten and drinks were shot back, but Ana seemed pretty tame considering the occasion. She talked and picked at food, but she didn’t really seem to unleash. It gave me pause before I headed over to the DJ booth.
“Excuse me, everyone? Could I have your attention please?”
Everyone quieted down as Ana’s eyes widened.
“What are you doing?” she whispered.
“I’d like to take this moment to thank everyone for coming out and celebrating this joyous occasion with our family. This is a big moment for Ana Price, and I know she’s got a speech churning inside her to give.”
Are you nuts? she mouthed.
“Yeah! Mom has a speech she wants to give,” Brody said as he took the microphone from me. “But first, I want to tell you guys how awesome she is.”
The crowd let out a collective awww that cascaded around the room.
“My mom is the best. She works hard, and she always gives up what she wants so that my dad and me can have what we want. So, tonight is hers to be happy about what she wants. I’m proud of you, Mom.”
Tears rose in Ana’s eyes as I took the microphone from Brody.
“I couldn't have said it better myself. So, without further delay—Ana?”
The crowd chanted her name as I wiggled the microphone at her. She shook her head and tossed the rest of her water back, then walked up onto the stage. The crowd cheered as she took the microphone, and I stuck my hand into my pocket. I took a step back from her and wrapped my hand around the small box against my thigh. Then I waited for the perfect opening in a speech I knew she had been planning for weeks, though I had known she’d act coy about it.
“I don’t really have a speech fully prepared, but I do have something I want to say. First off, thank you to Bloomingdale’s for taking this step with me. There is a blossoming market for making women of my stature and bigger feel wonderful and beautiful in their skin, and for Bloomingdale’s to be brave enough to take on my daring designs is an honor I can’t describe.”
I pulled the box from my pocket as the audience stood captivated by Ana’s words.
“I also want to thank my son and Tyler for being there for me during this crazy time in my life. A lot has gone on, but without their support, I’m not sure I would have gotten to this point.”
I stepped back up to her side and gazed down at the profile of her face, taking in the beauty of her pride.
“So, this night is for all of us, for all of those who supported this endeavor and the families who put up with the craziness during this time. This launch is for every big girl who got picked on in school and told they weren’t beautiful. This line is for every curvy belle on the planet who can’t find the right jeans to fit them or the right dress for that perfect date. But most of all—”
I got down on one knee and popped the box open as the crowd gasped. They began to cheer as Ana looked down at me. Then her hands flew to her mouth. The crowd went wild. They clapped and whistled and yelled yes. I smiled at Ana with tears in my eyes as Brody walked up beside his mother, slipping his hand into hers.
“But most of all, this launch is for you, Ana, for all your hard work and your dreams, the obstacles you overcame and worked through despite the life that was handed to you. Yes, this launch is for everyone in this room. But most of all, it’s for you, my love.”
Tears fell from her eyes as my hand began to shake.
“I love you, and I love our son. I want us to be a family, and I want to stand at your side while you succeed. I want to help you through every launch and be there for every moment so I can share them all with you. I want us to be the family I dreamed of in college. I want to be the man you know I can be. Ana Elizabeth Price, will you marry me?”
“Marry him! Marry him! Marry him!”
I laughed as the crowd chanted, but they didn’t have to do it for long. Ana nodded her head as tears streaked down her cheeks, and it launched me from the floor. I wrapped my arms around her and crashed my lips to hers, bending her back as Brody yelped with excitement.
“My parents are getting married!”
I laughed against her lips before I settled her on her feet. Then I plucked the ring from the box and slid it onto her finger. I wrapped her up in my arms and kissed her one last time, pulling another cheer from the crowd before the music struck back up. Then I took her hand and the hand of my son and escorted my family off the stage.
“Are you moving in now?” Brody asked.
“I think so, Son.”
“Can we have movie nights every night?”
“Of course we can,” I said.
“Can we camp in the backyard and have sleepovers, too?”
“I bet we can even convince your Mom to go camping in a national park with us,” I said.
“Will you, Mom? Will you come camping with Daddy and me?” Brody asked.
“I suppose it depends on when you want to go,” Ana said.
“We can go anytime you want,” I said.
“As long as it’s within the next three months, we’re good. Otherwise, it might not be a good idea,” Ana said.
“I think we can make within three months happen. What do you say, Brody?”
“Yeah! Camping with Mom and Dad!”
Ana wrapped her hand around my wrist and guided my hand down her body. It graced her chest and slid down her stomach, then stopped right at her belly button. I furrowed my brow as my eyes caught hers, and then everything slowly fell into place. The water. Picking at her food. The sleep in her eyes that had kept her from dancing.
The next three months.
“Oh my gosh,” I whispered.
“I think this one’s going to be a little harder on me this time,” Ana said.
“Oh my gosh,” I said.
“What is it, Daddy?” Brody asked.
“Are you really?” I asked.
“Is Mom what? What’s going on?” Brody asked.
“Sweetheart, how would you like to have a little brother or sister?” Ana asked.
My jaw hit the floor as her eyes fell to Brody.
“You’re going to have a baby?” he asked.
“I am. Is that okay?” Ana asked.
Tears filled my eyes as I drew her into my arms. I couldn't believe it. Ana was pregnant. Our family was growing and we were getting married. I laughed into the crook of her neck and spun her around, kissing her shoulder as my tears dropped onto her skin.
“You’re pregnant,” I whispered.
“We’re pregnant,” Ana said.
“We’re going to do it right this time,” I said.
“I know,” Ana said.
“We’re going to do it right from here on out.”
“It’s going to be perfect, Tyler.”
I settled her back down on her feet before I hoisted my son into the crook of my arm.
“We’re going to do this right,” I said.
“I’m gonna be a big brother?” Brody asked.
“You are, sweet boy,” Ana said.
“And Daddy’s gonna live with us?” he asked.
“I am,” I said.
The second Brody wrapped his arms around both of us, my life finally fell into place. I had my son, I had my business, and I had the woman I loved. We were creating a family. We were creating a legacy. We were creating a history I had always known we would.
It was everything I could have ever wanted, everything I had dreamed of in college.
And then, even though I didn’t think it could, it got better.
“I love you guys,” I said breathlessly.
“We love you too,” Brody said.
I looked into my son’s face as a smile crossed his cheeks.
“You love me?” I asked.
“You’re my dad. Of course I love you,” he said.
Hearing my son tell me he loved me for the first time made an already perfect moment even better. The only thing I knew to do was celebrate, to commit every single moment of this night to memory. So, I pulled my family out onto the dance floor and put Brody on my shoulders as people clapped and smiled, cheering us on.
It was time to create some true family memories.
***The End***
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed Tyler and Ana’s story.
Would you like to read some more Alpha Male Romances?
Check out the SEDUCTION Box Set here.
A SEVEN book collection of Amy Brent’s Alpha Male Novels!
Books included in this collection:
Show Stopper
Office Fling
No Limits
Pretend Daddy
The Baby Contract
My Best Friend’s Dad
Baby Fever
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Each one of these books is between 60-80k words, and all end in a very satisfying HEA. Enjoy!
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Redemption (Sneak Peek)
Ben
I watched him walk in, jealous of my best friend. He always had that swagger that made him look masculine and suave. Did he practice it over and over, so he'd look super-cool? Paul was my best friend in the whole world. He radiated the very essence of who we both were, who we'd been, and what we wanted to become. It was all wrapped up in that walk of his. We were going to help people with our camp. Get them fit, help them learn to fight, make them understand that discipline and success go hand in hand. We knew we could do it because that's what Navy SEALs were all about. We'd done it, lived it, and we both knew we could make a difference in my hometown.
“Hey man,” he said, giving his usual, pristine smile. “Fuck, I need a coffee. I had a rough night.”
I laughed. “Did you spend time with a woman? That'll do it every single time.”
He smiled. “Nah, Bridget kept stealing the covers. I never realized golden retrievers could be so annoying. She does everything just to piss me off sometimes. I’m sure of it.”
My mind was trying not to think about Lucy. She'd run from our marriage, and I still felt sick about it. Paul had been my friend throughout the ordeal, and he’d helped me to decide to leave the SEALs, so we could do something in my hometown in Colorado. Kinda like a new beginning where I could focus my energy on this new scenario of ours. Fuck her, anyway. I gave her everything, and she left us. My son and me. I was beginning to wonder what I ever saw in her, and in a way, it put me off women in general. Women who were only friends; fine. But anything that involved a commitment greater than a friendly chat, and they could kiss my ass goodbye. I was amazed at how raw it still felt. Three months without her and I still felt like my insides had been ripped out and my heart stomped on by a stampede of wild cattle.
Paul brought the coffees back from the counter. I appreciated him and our new venture right now. A much-needed distraction. My son and I kept each other company, but he asked where mommy was a lot of the time. What kind of woman leaves her own son? I had missed him so much when I'd been away in the Navy. But she left him for good, escaping Colorado for another man. Fuck, I hope “Bradley” was worth it.
“I've been thinking about the classes a lot,” said Paul, thankfully derailing my train of thought.
“Okay, tell me.”
“Well, I know it seems a bit unusual, but if we put them in groups after they've learned the technique, I think it will give them room for discussion as well as practice. That will help them to really think about the reason they're doing the camp and get critical feedback from peers.”
I had the unpacking of my things whirling around in my mind. Did I need that light to go there? And what about the kitchen, there had to be a better way to organize that.
“Hey, Earth to Ben!”
“Sorry, I was unpacking boxes in my mind.”
“Oh, how is it all going? I can help if you want.”
“Nah, Jacob is having fun opening them all up. We're taking the slow road and working out where everything should go. He loves it. Thinks it's like 'moving Christmas' as he described it.”
“He seems pretty smart for a four-year-old.”
“He is.” I tried to move my mind back to Paul's idea. “Groups, you say? That could be good, and they'll give each other more support that way, too.”
“Yes, and we'll be able to walk around and keep an eye on what they're developing in terms of execution. I think their bonds will grow from knowledge sharing.”
“Okay, so will that be after the forty-five-minute lesson?” I asked.
“Yes. Then we can watch the recruits for half an hour in their groups. It will extend each class by fifteen minutes, but I think we can take fifteen off of the reflection time at the end of the day. They'll automatically do that after the day anyway,” said Paul.
I was glad we were doing this camp. My mind needed to fix on something other than Lucy and her untoward, disgusting behavior. I had the rest of my life to realize that she was a cheating, narcissistic, money-hungry bitch. I didn't need to keep filling my soul with the thought of her and her behaviors. She was like a massive bomb in my mind. Full of deadly poison and leaking into my conscious from my subconscious. Fuck her and the cock she rode out on. That was not my fault she decided to cheat.
“Ben, I think I'll get another coffee, do you want one?”
“Nah, I'm good. I can't believe the camp is next week. What a lucky break that the recreation room is ours for the next five years. I still can't believe how great the facilities are.”
“I know, and the fact that there's the well-kept field close by is like a miracle. A meant-to-be factor.”
I smiled. I'd always felt more like a brother with Paul. He had this awesome air about him that could make anyone feel at ease. If you were taking your last breath on the battlefield, then he'd be the one you needed to stay by your side and tell you it was going to be alright.
“I'm a bit worried about Jacob. He's been asking about Lucy every day.”
“There's no easy solution to it. She didn't even realize that she was going to break his heart, did she?” Paul asked, giving a look of concern.
“She was too busy working out how much money ‘jerk-off Brad’ was going to give her.”
“I think he'll be fine, given time. Is the new preschool any good?”
“Yeah, thankfully. That's been the biggest distraction for him which has been great. He has a new friend called Sammy the same age. He’s staying with Grandma Beryl tonight.”
“That's great to hear. He'll be better
off in the long run without her, anyway.”
“Damn straight.”
“I think you will find it great. I mean, this whole new venture will keep us both busy. She'll fade away in no time.”
“Thanks, man. You always know what to say. I'm actually looking forward to the camp next week.”
“I know; we have twenty booked in.”
“Shit, really?”
“Yep, and it might get to thirty with the promotion codes going out into the land of social media.”
“You gotta love social media. I mean, it enables you to get your info out to so many people so quickly. I'm so stoked now.”
“I don't know why we didn't think of it earlier than this.”
“I know,” I said. “We're so gonna rock people's worlds. I’m really excited to do this.”
We sat and talked for a while and Paul got me out of my funk. I laughed at some of his jokes about women, knowing they'd make me see the lighter side of relationships without their explosive damage. He told a few blonde jokes too. Lucy was a blonde who dyed her hair brunette, so I found it funny. I needed funny. My life had always been so damned serious with my job as a Navy SEAL, and my marriage to Lucy. We'd started out as two people who fell madly in love with one another, and then we'd drifted apart.
She'd always had a love for the finer things in life. Most of our arguments were money based. She earned zero and looked after our son, which was the way we'd planned it to be. That had been the only thing we'd agreed upon. But then she'd placed him in care and went out and lived it up, somewhat. Which is okay on the weekend, but she got to the point where her looks and her girl's nights out were the most important thing ever. I thought she was depressed. In fact, I got it totally wrong. She had been fucking Bradley. Yep, he was the guy with way too much money for his own good. He’s a CEO of some weird company, Cluella or some shit like it. They sell shampoo and conditioner, worldwide. Asshole.