“I’m not Milly West, yet.”
“No, but soon.” He got up, went to find his jeans, and then rifled through his pockets, pulling out his phone.
He looked at me with a grin and made a call. “She said yes.”
The call was on speaker and it was his mom. “Thank God. I didn’t know what I was going to do with you if she sent you back here.”
“Guess what else, Mom?”
“What?”
“We’re pregnant with twins!”
“You too?”
“Yeah, and she’s agreed to come back to New York.”
“Rick, she’s coming back and they’re having twins,” Paige yelled. “Better get some baby things ready,” he yelled back. “Oh, God, Hudson. We have a lot of work to do.”
“Yeah, Mom, I know. We’re going to need your help, which is why I’m calling. I don’t want Milly lifting a finger.”
“Hudson, Milly will only supervise. That poor girl has been through enough. Alone and pregnant without you there to help her.”
Paige doesn’t know. He never told her how I’d hurt him. But she had to know how Wiley felt. Was she just that forgiving?
Then he aimed his penetrating gaze at me and said, “I haven’t told her this yet, but I’ve decided to stay here until she comes back with me. I won’t leave her alone again.”
Chapter Forty-Four
Hudson
Mom and I finished our conversation as Milly gaped at me. When I ended the call, I calmly asked her if she could take me shopping.
“Shopping?”
“Yep. I’m going to need some clothes to get me through the next few days until we get back to Manhattan.”
“How can you just take off of work?”
I reminded her of the new doctor that was in the practice now. “It’s a great relief to have the added help.” I made another quick call as Milly eyed me.
“Dottie, hey, it’s Hudson. I need a favor.” I explained the situation and she assured me she’d handle it. When I hung up, I told Milly, “Dottie says congratulations.”
She slowly nodded as she stared.
“So?”
“Huh?”
“Shopping?”
“Oh, right. There are several places nearby. Do you want to go right now or tomorrow?”
“Can we grab something now because I have nothing with me.”
“Sure, and then we can get some dinner.”
She took me to a fancy mall where I purchased two pairs of jeans, a couple of shirts, a sweater, and some boxers. She threw in a couple pairs of socks too. It was nice having her with me so she could approve of what I bought.
“You’re a big help. But I’m going to need more than this unless you move in a couple of days.”
“About that. It will take longer than that if we get married here, I think. But I’ll talk to Mom tomorrow.”
We stopped to eat at a local barbecue joint. She said I was not visiting Atlanta without trying some of their southern food. It was outstanding. She didn’t eat much, and I questioned her about that.
“It’s the heartburn. I have to eat small amounts these days.”
“Is it bad?”
“Awful. I’d never had heartburn before and I hope to never have it again.”
“Can you take something for it?”
“Nothing works, unfortunately. The doctor says it’s because of the babies pressing on my stomach. Or something like that.” Then her mouth turned down and her eyes darkened. The worry lines around them deepened and I knew she was thinking about what happened to Simon. I wished there were something I could say that would ease her mind, but I didn’t have any magic tricks up my sleeve.
“Milly, give me your hand.” They were under the table, where I imagined she was twisting them together, and I couldn’t reach them. She handed me one and I took it, entwining our fingers together. “I know how frightened you are. I don’t have any super mojo to send your way to make it any better. All I know is I have a feeling right here” —I pounded my chest with a fist— “that everything is going to be fine. You, A, and B are going to make it through this with flying colors. And I’ll be there for the rest of this journey with you.”
She squeezed my hand and said, “Thank you. I try hard not to think of it, but I can’t help it.”
“I understand. Do me a favor.”
“What?”
“Whenever you find yourself in this situation, tell me so I can help you. Don’t keep this bottled inside of you, okay?”
“Okay.”
We left the restaurant, hand in hand, and went home. Grace called and said she could have movers there on Wednesday. She checked into us getting married and all we’d need to get a marriage license was a driver’s license or passport and our divorce decrees.
“I could have Pearson send mine down since I’m not home to get them.”
“I have mine here,” Milly said.
“I have my driver’s license with me,” I said.
“Same here.” Then we stared at each other.
“I need something else too,” I said.
“What?”
“A ring.”
“No, I don’t want a ring now because my fingers are so swollen. You can get me one later.”
“No. We won’t get married without rings. We’ll go shopping for those tomorrow or Monday.”
Grace was on speaker phone and said, “Will you two stop bickering for a second. I have an important question for you. Hudson, would you like your parents to be here for the wedding? The reason I’m asking is I thought it would be nice if we could go out to a nice dinner afterward.”
“Yes, I would like that very much.”
“What about your brothers and Marin?” Milly asked.
“I doubt Grey and Marin could come with all the kids. Marin would never leave the newborns and Grey would never leave her alone with the four kids.”
“True. I hadn’t thought of that. Pearson?”
“I don’t think he could get away on such short notice, but I could ask. Mom, Dad, and Wiley of course, shouldn’t be a problem though.”
“Good. Why don’t you ask them? We’d love to meet them,” Grace said.
“I will and thanks for all the footwork you’ve done.”
When that conversation ended, I made three calls. I was right about Grey and Marin. Them coming was an impossibility, but they were totally excited for us. Pearson couldn’t get away either, but would send my divorce document first thing Monday morning. And Mom and Dad would catch a flight on Tuesday, bringing Wiley with them. We could get married on Wednesday.
“Since the puzzle pieces seem to be falling into place so nicely, how about moving on Thursday? Your Mom indicated that would work.”
“Sounds like a plan. Can your parents keep Wiley or will he be with us?”
“No, I’ll ask them to take him back with them. He would be bored on the drive back.”
The next morning we’d slept in late—absurdly late. I can’t remember sleeping past ten in ages. It must’ve been the decompression of not having to stress over Milly anymore combined with not having a six-year-old around, not to mention we’d stayed up late catching up on the sex we’d missed.
If it hadn’t been for the annoying pounding on the door—the relentless noise that wouldn’t cease—we might have slept until noon.
“Who is that?” I asked.
Milly moaned. It made my dick stiff because it reminded me of last night. Then she stretched like a cat, arching her back. The banging on the door wouldn’t stop.
“Is that your neighbor?”
“No idea, but I better check it out.”
She rolled out of bed and rubbed her back. She complained that it ached from time to time. I would have to take care of that later. After she put on a nightgown which was covered in penguins, she waddled out of the room. I didn’t know she liked penguins. I guess there was a lot about her I didn’t know and was going to enjoy finding everything out about her I could.
I needed to witness this. I checked the room for my clothes and it dawned on me that we’d undressed in the living room and all the new things I bought were still in the shopping bags we’d deposited there, on the floor. Jumping out of bed, I rummaged through Milly’s closet and found a robe. I threw it on and ran into the living room to rescue my girl.
“Hello, Ellerie.”
“Oh, my, God.” Then she burst out laughing. Milly did too.
I guess I should’ve paid closer attention to what I was wearing. It was a pink robe covered in kittens. But the problem was, it barely covered my junk. My eyes pinged all over the room until they landed on my jeans. I snatched them up and said, “I’ll be right back.” Their howls echoed in my ears.
When I returned, Ellerie said, “I liked your other get up much better.”
“I’m sure you did,” I answered sourly.
“So, you decided to show your face.”
Now that pissed me off. “You wouldn’t tell me where she was.”
“She wouldn’t let me.”
Milly stepped in and said, “Enough. Ellerie, we’re getting married on Wednesday. We’d love for you to be there. I’m moving back to Manhattan on Thursday.”
Ellerie scowled. “You can’t do that. I’m going to be your labor coach.”
“I’m sorry. You can come up for the birth if you want, but I think the father of the babies should be there.”
“What about a doctor?”
“Tomorrow, I’m calling my doctor to see if she can call Dr. Lynch. I’m hoping Dr. Lynch will pick me back up as a patient. If not, I’ll ask for a recommendation. This hasn’t been a difficult pregnancy so I don’t see why she wouldn’t.”
Ellerie nodded. Milly asked, “You’re okay with this?”
“Hell no. I want you here forever. But your place is with your husband and the father of your children, as long as you love each other and as long as that’s what you want.”
“It is.”
The two sisters hugged each other and then Ellerie hugged me too.
“Thank you, Ellerie.”
“If you ever hurt even a hair on her head again, I’ll cut your balls off.”
“Ells! Stop that.”
“I’m serious, Mills. Now, have you two figured out names for these babies because I am so over calling them A and B.”
* * *
On Tuesday, we borrowed Ellerie’s SUV, which was much larger than mine, to pick up Mom, Dad, and Wiley from the airport. They brought a suit for me to wear too. I wouldn’t have to get married in jeans or a pink robe with kittens on it.
When we met them at baggage claim, Wiley ran out screaming at the top of his lungs, “Milly, Milly, Milly, Milly.” Then he stopped and said, “You got fat. Big Dick and Chester miss you and Flimsy, Roscoe, and Scooter say hi.”
Then she asked, “What did you call me?”
“Fat?”
“No, say my name.”
“Milly?”
“You can say your L’s now.”
“Huh?”
“Never mind.”
He stared at her a second and then said, “I still like your butt. It’s big.”
She hugged him hard.
He ran over to Mom and Dad while they waited for the one suitcase that housed my suit.
Milly whispered, “Why didn’t you tell me he learned to pronounce his L’s.”
I shrugged. “I was so intent on getting my girl, I guess I forgot.”
“Don’t forget those things. Those are important milestones.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
When their suitcase arrived, we went out to the car. After we were situated—Wiley had insisted Milly sit next to him in the back—we were driving home when he asked, “Milly, are you gonna be my MillyMom now?”
“I guess I am. Is that okay?”
“Yeah. It’s about time. But are you gonna stay fat like that forever?”
“Only until the babies get here. Then I won’t be fat anymore. Like Marnie.”
“Oh, okay. Where do those babies go?”
“What do you mean?”
“How do they get from your tummy to here?”
“Uh, Hudson?”
“Mom?” This was something a little out of my realm.
“Wiley, Milly will go to the hospital and they will help her have the babies. They’ll help the babies come out of her tummy.”
His mouth squished up like he couldn’t quite figure that one out. “Do only girls have babies?”
“Yes, Wiley, only girls,” Mom said.
“Good, cuz I don’t wanna have a tummy like that. Milly, will my sister make me dance like Kinsley does?”
“I don’t think so and if she tries, we’ll tell her not to, okay?”
“Good, because I’m gonna be a drummer.”
Drummer? Where did that come from.
“Okay, dude, you can grow up to be anything you want.” God help my ears.
Chapter Forty-Five
Milly
Wednesday afternoon at four-thirty, we all traipsed down to the courthouse where Hudson and I were married in front of a magistrate. It was a very short ceremony, but the only people who were important to us, minus a few, were there to witness it. Afterward, we went out to a nice, but not fancy dinner, because we had Wiley, and Ellerie and John had their two kids.
Hudson looked every bit as handsome as the first day I met him. He took my breath away when he said his vows. His ice blue eyes sparkled as heat raced down each of my vertebra. I wanted to tell everyone to leave so we could have a quick roll in the hay—except there was no hay. And rolling around with Hudson was out of the question for the time being.
After dinner, Mom and Dad invited everyone over and we couldn’t get out of it. Paige and Rick had come all this way and I hated to eat and run, but dammit, it was my wedding night after all. What did all these people expect?
Around eight, the doorbell rang, and a man in a uniform stood there.
Everyone glanced at Hudson and me. I had no idea why.
Then Mom, Dad, Paige, and Rick pushed us out the door and said to have fun.
“Do you know what this is all about?” I asked.
“No idea.”
The chauffeur ushered us into the car and drove us to the fanciest hotel in Atlanta. Well, I’ll be damned. He told us a reservation awaited us.
We walked up to the desk, and sure enough, they greeted us like we were best friends. A bellman escorted us to our room—a luxury suite reserved for honeymooners.
“Wow. They really went all out, didn’t they?” I asked. Glancing around, I noticed a fruit platter along with an iced bucket of champagne. But it was the non-alcoholic kind. “Aw, look!” I held it up for Hudson to see. Then there was a card. I opened it to reveal a note.
Our wedding gift to you:
A day at the spa for two
Two days and nights at the hotel
No kid or dogs
Your move will be handled by us, including the delivery of your car
Your flights home (we have checked with your doctor, Milly, and you are cleared to fly back on Friday)
Have fun—The Moms & Dads
This was amazing. “Oh, my God, Hudson. Look. They’ve thought of everything.” Sitting on a luggage rack was a packed bag with, presumably, our belongings.
“Can you believe this?”
“I was really dreading that drive. I kept thinking about my swollen ankles.”
“Let’s call them now.”
They were every bit as excited as we were. “We tried to come up with something unique,” Mom said. “Paige and I put our heads together.”
“You two hit it out of the park. Thank you,” I said. Hudson chimed in from the background.
“Now you two go and enjoy it.”
Then I thought of something
and started to shoot Ellerie a text.
“What are you doing?” Hudson asked.
“I was going to text Ellerie. Since the movers are coming in tomorrow, I wanted her to get there before they did.”
“Why?”
“Because I have things. Valuables.”
“Should we go and get them?”
“Probably. Some jewelry and …”
“And what?”
The words, “My rabbit,” squeaked out of me.
He died laughing. “You can’t possibly let them find that.”
“Nope, never. I would die a painful and humiliating death.”
“Why don’t we go now?”
“Tonight?”
“Yeah. We can take an Uber and be back fairly quickly with no traffic.”
I felt like a thief in my own apartment. We ran in, rummaged through my nightstand and stole my pitiful, almost broken down, worn out old rabbit, whose one ear barely wiggled much less vibrated anymore. Next, I got my less than stellar jewelry collection out and we hopped back in the waiting Uber. We had to bribe him to wait on us with the promise of a huge cash tip, which Hudson prepaid half of. We giggled like two teenagers in the back seat.
On the way back, I made a call.
“Hey, what’s up?” Ava asked.
“Just so you know, I have a new last name.”
“You didn’t.”
“She did,” Hudson said in the background.
“It’s about damn time. Congratulations you two. My big question is when are you coming home?”
“Later this week,” I said.
“I can’t wait to see you. I’ve missed you.”
“Well, you won’t recognize me. I’m a bit larger than when I left.”
“I can still hug you.”
We arranged for a time to have lunch and ended the call.
When we got back to our suite, Hudson chased me around with my poor old bunny as he turned the thing on. When it barely made a hum, he tossed it in the trash.
“I’m taking you shopping tomorrow. We’re buying you a new toy.”
My hands covered my face. “I can’t possibly buy something like that. People will know.”
From Ice to Flames Page 29