by Aya Mai
After ending the call with his brother, Grayson hugged Ava tightly, hiding his nose in her neck. It was too damn early to be leaving her embrace, but he had no other choice.
‘’I have to go, honey,’’ Grayson spoke softly.
‘’No,’’ Ava grunted displeased. ‘’Why? It’s still early,’’ she asked, her voice heavy with sleep.
‘’I don’t want to leave, but William called. Our dad is in the hospital. It’s something with his heart. I promised my mom I’d stop by as soon as possible.’’
Ava’s eyes flew open. ‘’That’s awful, do you need me to go with you?’’
‘’No, there’s no need. He’s going to be okay. It’s going take a lot more than a heart problem to kill that old bastard.’’
‘’Are you sure?’’
‘’Yes, I would appreciate it if you’d just stay here and get some more rest.’’
‘’Okay, but call if you need me,’’ Ava mumbled through a yawn.
‘’Alright,’’ Grayson whispered, kissing her lips, drawing a moan from her. The sound made it all the way down to his member that sprung to life. He ignored it and gave Ava another quick kiss. ‘’Sleep tight. I’ll be back as soon as possible. I love you,’’ he said before leaving. Once again, Ava didn’t reply, but it didn’t bother him. He had all the time in the world.
When the hospital was within reach, he drove through a traffic light. The green color in front of him was the last thing he saw before a car plowed into him from the side. Then everything turned black.
Chapter 15 - Ava
‘’Why isn’t he waking up?’’ Ava asked. ‘’Why isn’t he waking up?’’
‘’He will. On his own time,’’ Nicole hushed, hugging her from the side.
It had been hours since Ava had received the horrible phone call from William, telling her there had been a car accident. Fortunately, Grayson wasn’t hurt badly, but he had been unconscious when they had brought him in, which was a state he was still in. The scoundrel didn’t seem to be waking up, and it made Ava’s heart gallop with fear.
‘’Is there still no change?’’ a female voice asked.
Ava looked up and saw Mrs. Montgomery standing in the doorway looking mighty and important. She screamed wealth and spa treatments. She had been walking back and forth between her husband and son who were now both admitted.
Grayson had been on his way to see his dad in the hospital when a drunk driver crashed into him. Eric Montgomery had suffered a minor stroke in his office, but he was already doing much better.
‘’No. No change,’’ Ava responded, bringing her hands up in front of her mouth to stop the sob that was about to break through her lips.
‘’I’m just going to go check on William,’’ Nicole mumbled. ‘’Is he still with his dad?’’ Nicole asked Mrs. Montgomery, who nodded in confirmation.
Mrs. Montgomery took the seat next to Ava that Nicole had just vacated. Her entire demeanor screamed exhaustion, which Ava could relate to, but she refused to rest until Grayson opened his eyes and showed her those blue orbs of his.
‘’Does he love you?’’ Mrs. Montgomery asked, surprising Ava with her personal question.
‘’Yes. Yes, he does,’’ Ava said with conviction, a small smile erupting on her lips at the statement.
‘’Are you sure? Are you sure it’s not just the chase that he enjoys? Are you sure he won’t break your heart? Are you sure he won’t cheat on you every time he goes out of town? Or with his secretary or housekeeper?’’
‘’I am sure. Grayson isn’t like that. What we have is special. He would never tarnish what we have,’’ Ava answered, successfully managing to sound honest and a tad angry at the same time. How dare Mrs. Montgomery insinuate what she had. Did she really think Ava was such a bad match for her son? The thought made Ava sick to her stomach, but she would prove Mrs. Montgomery wrong. Ava and Grayson belonged together. And as soon as he came back to his senses, Ava would tell him as much.
‘’I didn’t mean to hurt you with my questions,’’ Mrs. Montgomery said, grabbing hold of Ava’s free hand, the one that wasn’t holding onto Grayson’s. ‘’Grayson is my son, and I love him dearly. William has always been different regarding intelligence and personality, but Grayson has so much in common with his father. They’re so alike. When Grayson’s football career ended, it broke my heart. I thought that it would have been his saving grace, his way of avoiding turning into his father. I was distressed when Grayson went to Harvard to study business. Him working with his father made him cold, selfish, and uncaring. I get that I haven’t always been the best mother for him, but that doesn’t mean I don't love him. I just didn’t know how to deal with him when he reminded me so much of his father.’’
‘’I promise you, Grayson is nothing like his dad,’’ Ava responded with certainty. She had heard enough about Eric Montgomery to know that Grayson no longer was anything like him.
‘’Thank you, Ava.’’
‘’Don’t thank me, I haven’t had anything to do with it. Grayson changed after leaving his father’s company to start Montgomery Inc with William.’’
‘’He did change a bit, but he was still a brutal businessman that went through his share of ladies, refusing to settle down. Him helping William by working as a consultant for Campbell Publishing House changed him a lot, and I think you are the reason why.’’
‘’Grayson is still a brutal businessman,’’ Ava argued. ‘’He’s outstanding in a conference room. But now, instead of destroying people and their companies, selling them off bit by bit like your husband, Grayson is building people and their companies up, helping them to thrive and achieve their dreams. He’s amazing.’’
‘’I’m so happy to hear you say that, and again thank you for capturing his heart. I’m just so glad to hear he isn’t like his father, that he won’t break your heart over and over again.’’
‘’He knows I wouldn’t put up with it,’’ Ava said firmly, giving an apologetic grimace to Mrs. Montgomery, who nodded that it was okay.
‘’Me and Eric’s marriage was a business arrangement,’’ Mrs. Montgomery said, shocking Ava, who gasped in horror. ‘’It’s okay, there’s no need for you to look so disturbed. And believe it or not, but the first couple of years, we were quite content. We were blessed with two beautiful boys. But Eric always wanted more. More of everything. As for me, I have never been strong enough to not put up with his indiscretions. A divorce would mean shame and failure. Not to mention, I have signed a prenup, so in case of divorce, I wouldn’t be getting a cent. Instead of getting a divorce, I have my own indiscretions. Our system is flawed and imperfect, which is why I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t be living under the same system and to convince you that you deserve more and better if that had been the case.’’
‘’I promise you, I’ll never live like that. And I promise you that Grayson isn’t like that. He’s a good man. He loves me and would do anything for me as I would for him.’’
‘’You have no idea how much it means to me to hear you say that,’’ Mrs. Montgomery responded with happy and satisfied tears in her eyes. ‘’Do you love my son, Ava?’’
‘’Yes, I do.’’
‘’He’ll wake up,’’ Mrs. Montgomery said with certainty. ‘’He’s a Montgomery after all. It takes more than a tiny car accident to eradicate us,’’ she said with an upbeat conviction that Ava found rather contagious.
They sat in comfortable silence and watched a sleeping Grayson for a long time. They didn’t exchange any words until Mrs. Montgomery took her leave to go back and check on her husband.
Ava bent forward, grasping Grayson’s hand with both of hers, placing her forehead against their joined hands, praying for him to be okay and for him to wake up.
She was filled with regret and hatred. Here laid the man that had bared his feelings for her several times, telling her he loved her, and she hadn’t had the guts to return the favor. Grayson needed to wake up so she could rectify her mistake.<
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‘’Wake up, honey. You have to wake up now,’’ Ava spoke into the room, not receiving a response.
Another hour flew by, and her eyes started to drop. The news of the accident had drained her of energy. She would love nothing more than to cuddle up against Grayson’s warm body, but it’d be against hospital protocol, and she wouldn’t want to accidentally hurt him.
She laid her head against their intertwined hands again, resting her eyes for a few seconds. She sprung up when she felt his fingers move beneath hers. But when she gazed at him, Grayson still looked peacefully at sleep. For a moment, she thought she had imagined the whole thing, but then his eyes fluttered open, his face cringing in pain as the sharp light in the room assaulted him.
‘’Honey,’’ Ava shouted, happiness and relief overwhelming her. She couldn’t believe she had gotten her second chance to make things right between them. ‘’Take it easy. You’re okay. You’re going to be okay,’’ Ava said, forcing him to remain lying down.
‘’Where am I? What happened?’’ Grayson asked, his voice throaty and dry.
‘’You’re in the hospital. You’re okay. The doctor said you might have a concussion, but other than that, you’re fine. A drunk driver speeded through a red light and rammed straight into the side of your car. Oh, and you’re dad had a minor stroke, but he’s doing fine.’’
Ava cried happy tears, repeating that Grayson was fine over and over again until she had the courage to believe the words herself. Grayson softly raised his hand, resting his palm against her jaw.
‘’I’m so sorry,’’ Ava whispered.
‘’What for?’’
‘’Everything. It’s my fault you’re here. I should never have left your apartment. I should never have doubted you and me for a second. I should never have let my stupid insecurities win. If I had stayed put in your apartment, you would have driven another way to the hospital and not gotten hid. So it’s my fault.’’
‘’None of this is your fault, sweetheart’’ Grayson muttered.
‘’Do you still love me?’’ Ava asked.
‘’It’s going to take a whole lot more than a car accident for me to stop loving you, Ava Campbell.’’ Grayson grinned, the motion causing him to wince in pain.
‘’I’m going to fetch a doctor, but before I do, I want you to know that I’m done living my life in fear of what might happen in the future. I'm done living in fear of scary what-ifs. I’m done living with regrets.’’
‘’What do you mean, love?’’
‘’I’m saying that I’m a church mouse who is in love with a scoundrel.’’
‘’What?’’ Grayson raised his gravelly voice. ‘’Am I hallucinating or am I still dreaming, because this can’t possibly be real.’’
‘’It is very real. And you better get used to it because I love you, Grayson Montgomery,’’ Ava said, placing an unyielding kiss on his lips.
Chapter 16 - One year later
Ava
Ava gazed out over the horizon, leaning against the railing on the pier, inhaling the salty sea air. The sun shined down on her, giving her body a soft glow.
Two muscular arms wrapped around her from behind, holding her captive. Grayson kissed her neck and nuzzled his nose in her hair, his beard scratching her throat. Ava moaned. Being in Grayson’s arms was the best feeling in the world. She felt treasured and safe and loved. She still couldn’t believe this was her life. After a year, her and Grayson were still together, going strong as ever. Nothing could tear them apart.
Grayson’s car accident had been an eye-opening experience for Ava. She had decided right there and then that she would never live her life with regrets. Too many people lived with them, but she wouldn’t, not anymore, not when she had the power, ability, and opportunity to do something about it. His accident had changed her view on life. She had realized how lucky she had been to experience love, and she was done chasing it away and ignoring it. She was going to dive right in. Even if it ended with heartbreak, it would be worth it.
As she stood and watched the waves crash against the shore, she remembered her sister’s words from long ago. Love is uncontrollable. You don’t see it coming until it’s right there high-fiving you in the face with a baseball bat. Truer words had never been spoken.
‘’How many days has it been?’’ Ava asked, enjoying the feel of Grayson’s body wrapped around hers in a protective and loving embrace.
‘’699 days,’’ Grayson mumbled into her neck, sucking her skin into his mouth, letting it go with a pop as soon as he was satisfied with his work. Ava shook her head at her scoundrel. She wouldn’t change anything about him for the world.
‘’It’s impressive you can still remember the first time we met.’’
‘’Not really, it’s just math. All you have to do…’’
‘’Stop!’’ Ava shouted, halting Grayson in his explanation. ‘’Don’t ruin this romantic moment by talking math. Let me stay in my fantasy where you are the perfect romantic whose heart simply knows how many days we’ve been together without using math, you math nerd.’’
Grayson pinched her sides, making her jump a foot in the air. ‘’I am a lot of things, I’m an expert in knowing what will give a company profit, but I am not a math nerd, darling.’’
Ava laughed at Grayson’s childish behavior, tears streaming down her face. Her love for him overwhelmed her at times like this.
‘’Don’t cry, love,’’ Grayson said, his gaze worried, leaning in and placing a kiss on her cheek, removing some of her salty tears with his lips.
‘’I’m sorry. It’s just that I love you so much, Grayson. You broke down all my walls and made me break all my rules.’’
‘’Love you too, sweetheart. But I haven’t broken all of your rules, not yet at least,’’ Grayson replied with his standard smirk, throwing a wink her way.
‘’Yes, you have,’’ Ava argued. ‘’You made me fall in love with you, and six months ago, you asked me to marry you, which I for some insane reason have agreed to,’’ she said with joy and pride, looking down on their linked hands, watching her engagement sparkle in the sun.
‘’There’s still a week until the wedding, you have time to change your mind,’’ Grayson huffed out in a joke, but Ava thought she heard a hint of real fear in his voice of her doing exactly that.
She moved around in his arms so they were standing face to face. She turned her back on the beautiful horizon, but the sight she had now was her own personal horizon, her future.
‘’I will under no circumstances change my mind about marrying you, Mr. Montgomery. I have said it before, and I’ll say it again - you are stuck with me.’’
‘’That makes me very happy.’’ Grayson leaned down and kissed her ring before kissing her on the mouth. Ava willingly surrendered to his demanding lips.
After a minute, Ava forced Grayson away, pushing her palms against his chest. She laughed when she saw the annoyed look on his face. He looked like a puppy that wasn’t getting the attention it wanted.
‘’But I mean what I said, Grayson.’’
‘’Which was?’’ Grayson whispered, leaning in again, stealing another kiss that left Ava breathless.
‘’That you have successfully broken all of my rules,’’ Ava replied. Grayson stilled in her arms, his eyes widening in confusion. ‘’You made me fall in love with you. You put your ring on my finger. And you…’’
‘’And I what?’’ Grayson’s throaty voice demanded to know, not daring to remove his gaze form hers.
Ava took their joined hands and placed them on her flat stomach. ‘’And you put a child in my belly,’’ Ava grinned at herself, the words had sounded far less corny in her head.
Grayson didn’t react the way Ava had expected or hoped. She had thought he would be happy about the surprise, but Grayson didn’t react at all. He remained completely still, his body tensing and his jaw setting tightly.
‘’Grayson?’’ Ava said quietly, alarm bells going off in her
head. ‘’Honey,’’ Ava called louder, but that still didn’t get her a response.
Ava counted the seconds, thinking he just needed a few of them to come back to his senses and to her. But after a minute, he was still lost, his eyes and body unresponsive. It wasn’t until she tried to untangle her hands from his that were still resting on her stomach that Grayson came back to her.
‘’What?’’ he croaked out, his voice filled with emotion. ‘’What did you just say?’’
‘’I said that I’m pregnant. We’re going to have a baby. You broke all my rules, you stupid muscular scoundrel.’’ Ava grinned, standing up on the tip of her toes, kissing her man.
Grayson instantly responded this time and kissed her back, but when she felt salty tears on her tongue, she pulled back and looked up at him, watching his eyes brimming with more unshed tears.
‘’Are you okay? Are you mad that I’m pregnant?’’ Ava asked, her eyes narrowing and forehead scrunching together, creating unwanted wrinkles.
‘’No.’’ Grayson shook his head. ‘’I mean yes, I’m okay. More than okay. I’m so happy I don’t know what to do with myself,’’ Grayson exclaimed, his entire body shaking with joy.
‘’Thank gosh, you had me worried there for a moment.’’
‘’I’m sorry,’’ Grayson said, kissing her again. Ava wondered if she would ever tire of Grayson’s mouth on hers, but she reckoned that would be humanly impossible.
Slowly Grayson pulled his lips off hers and got down on his knees, his arms banding around her waist, softly placing his forehead against her still flat stomach.
Ava ran her fingers through his hair, her nails scraping his skull in the way she knew he liked. She let out a tiny whimper when Grayson moaned against her tummy, the sound sending vibrations down to her core.
She didn’t care that the other people on the pier looked at them, some with envious glances, others with loving and happy ones. All Ava cared about was the man on his knees, kissing her tummy, whispering sweet words to their unborn baby.