Rescued Hearts
Page 7
“Yes, Baby MacAlister is definitely a boy,” Olivia chuckles.
Mac looks down at me, “I can’t believe it, our son is right here.” He places his hands on my belly. I put my hand over his. “Ours,” I say wanting him to understand that this child is just as much his as he is mine.
We are staring at each other as if frozen in time, but Olivia brings us back to reality. “It is so nice that you were able to make it back for your girlfriend’s ultrasound. I thought we were going to stream it since you are deployed.”
I quickly correct her, “Olivia, I am not his girlfriend. We are just friends.” I can see that she is embarrassed, but she just nods and hands me the picture of our son. I look at Mac and hand him the picture. “I want you to take this back with you.”
Mac looks at the picture and I can see him swallow the lump in his throat. “Are you sure?”
“Of course, I will have more appointments and can get more pictures. I want you to have this one so that you can look at him whenever you want.” Jackson used to tell me that pictures of family members always helped his buddies get through the tough times.
He tucks the picture in his shirt pocket, the pocket of a tight-fitting shirt that is hugging his broad chest and shoulders. Jesus, my freaking body is on fire just looking at him.
“Emily are you ready to go?”
Oh shit, I hope he did not catch me eye fucking him. Get ahold of yourself girlfriend.
“Yeah, let me just set up my next appointment.” I give the receptionist my information and get the next ultrasound booked. I am trying to concentrate on the questions that she is asking me but my mind is wandering.
“Does your Dad know you are home?” I ask.
“Yeah, he picked me up at the airport,” he says as we walk out to our cars.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you were coming? I would have picked you up.”
Mac looks at me for a minute and I can tell he is contemplating his answer. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want me to come.”
My heart sinks. “I would never tell you that if you truly wanted to be here.” I say as I lean up against my car.
“Look Emily, I think we should talk about some things before I go back. Seeing our son just now has really brought some questions to my mind and I hope we can come to some agreements.”
“Of course, um, I have to show a house in two hours but after that I am free. Do you want to come over and we can order out dinner?” I wasn’t sure if maybe he would rather meet on neutral ground.
“Sounds like a plan. Text me when you get home and I will come over.”
I start to turn around to get in my car and Mac pulls me to him. I gasp at how quickly he moves. His lips are so close to me, I want to lean in and take his mouth to mine but I don’t.
“I have missed you so much.” He whispers and then lets me go. He walks to his Dad’s car, gets in without looking back and drives away. I am left standing with my mouth open, wondering what tonight will bring.
If I thought that I was attracted to Emily before, holy shit, seeing her carrying my son has me all worked up. All I want to do is strip her clothes off and tie her to the bed for the next few days. I mean her curves are even curvier now and I love it.
Something seems a little different about her other than the obvious. It is almost as if she looks at me as more than just a friend. Of course, that could just be me hoping that someday she will feel the same way that I do.
I pull into the bar parking lot thinking about what I am going to ask for tonight. I want Emily to share custody of the baby with me. Even if I can’t have joint physical custody due to my deployment I hope she will agree to joint legal custody. I also want my son to have my name no matter if she marries. I will not allow another man to raise my son as his own.
I have been debating whether I should re-enlist in two years. I had always planned on staying in for my twenty but now I am questioning it. If I don’t re-up my son will be two and knowing that I will miss his first two years is already weighing heavily on me. I want to hear Emily’s opinion on this even though I know she will support any decision that I make. I don’t want her to feel as if I am making it alone.
I walk in and see my friend Daniel sitting at the bar, so I pull up the stool next to him.
“Hey man, your Dad told me you were in town,” he says with a slap on the back.
“Yeah, Emily had an appointment to find out the sex of the baby and I wanted to be here for it.”
Kenny slides a beer down to me.
“Congrats man, I know how you have felt about her for a long time. Do you think the three of you will be a family?” Daniel asks.
“I guess to a point we will be. I have realized that we can never know what lays ahead, but I am hoping that we will always be a part of each other’s lives,” I tell him.
I know he doesn’t believe that I will be satisfied with that because he just smirks and takes a long swig of his beer.
“How about you?” I say changing the subject. “Is there a lucky lady in your life?”
He snorts, “If there were a lady, I am not so sure she would be lucky. I guess I just haven’t found the person who lights my fire yet.”
We spend the next two hours catching up. Daniel and I are just finishing a game of darts when I get a text from Emily,
Emily: I am on my way home. Should be there in fifteen minutes.
Me: Ok, I will be over soon.
Emily: Ok Daddy.
Me: