by Penny Dee
“It’s a big commitment, brother.”
“I don’t care. I want to marry her and be a family.”
“Marry her?” Cade’s eyebrows shot up. “Are you still fucking high?”
Despite the pain, I smiled.
Hell, I grinned like a motherfucker.
Because I had never been so sure of anything in my entire life.
“I’m going to find her, and I’m going to make her my queen.”
HONEY
I sat out on the veranda watching the boats come in off the bay. It was only lunchtime, but it was getting dark because of the approaching storm. Across the water, dark clouds rumbled with thunder. The weather channel said it was going to be a short but ferocious storm, with winds up to forty miles per hour and a lot of rain.
I sat curled up on one of the outdoor deck chairs, a blanket over my lap and a cup of ginger tea in my hands.
I’d already checked to make sure there were enough candles to ride out the stormy night if we lost power, and my cell phone was fully charged.
Wind blew in off the water and tangled in my hair. I sucked in a deep breath to still my chaotic mind and was rewarded with the simple calmness I was looking for. I was happy here. It was the perfect place to process the letter from Dr. Perry’s office.
I leaned forward and rubbed my lower back. As I got closer to my due date I was getting more and more uncomfortable. Parts of me were grumpy. This morning I’d woken up with a persistent lower back pain, which finally went away after I’d been walking around for a while. Last week, the soles of my feet started to complain every time I went barefooted. A few days earlier it was my fingers.
But it was all totally worth it.
All of it.
Because it didn’t matter whose baby this was, I loved her with all of my heart and every morsel of my soul.
I rubbed my big belly and felt consumed with love. Every time I felt her move, I was reminded of the joy I was about to welcome into my life.
And I was grateful for those feelings because it kept things in perspective for me. And also because they pushed back the heartache and longing I felt whenever I thought of Caleb and everything that had happened.
After reading the results from Dr. Perry’s office, I had tried calling him, but he never answered. I wanted to let him know once and for all who the father was, now that there was no doubt.
I picked up my phone and looked at the screen. There were two messages from Charlie wanting to talk. After calling Caleb, I’d called him. And just like I knew he would, he took the news with his usual smugness and condescension.
A sudden rush of wind blew in off the bay and danced with the towering pines that lined the property.
Inside, a door slammed.
I sent Caleb a text.
Me: Call me, please.
Thunder rolled in the storm clouds as they moved across the bay. It was time to go inside and shut the house up for the evening. Light some candles. Heat some soup. Get a fire started. There were still a couple of hours of light left, but I was ready to close the curtains and settle in for the night. Maybe have a bath. Maybe put on my pajamas and curl up with one of the books I’d brought with me.
And try Caleb’s phone again.
I didn’t know if his phone was dead or if he was deliberately avoiding my calls.
But I was going to keep ringing until I got ahold of him.
And if that meant calling Cade or Indy, then I would do that, too.
CALEB
Oh, Christ. They were the biggest set of steps in the world.
I looked out the windshield as Caleb pulled up to the lake house. It was a sprawling, two-story home with a large set of stairs leading up to the wraparound porch. As I climbed out of the car, the relentless throb in my lower leg reminded me that this was going to suck.
Outside, thunder crashed through the clouds and wind whipped around the swaying branches of the cypress and pine trees. A light scatter of rain danced across the leaves on the ground and then stopped.
“Let’s get you inside before it starts to fucking rain,” Cade said, coming around to my side of the car and looking up at the stairs leading up to the porch. “I think this might take a while.”
Using crutches, I hobbled over to the steps where Cade threw my arm over his shoulder and helped me take my first step. Pain like an absolute motherfucker tore up my leg and shot into the very core of me. I gripped the railing and gritted my teeth.
“You okay?” my brother asked.
I nodded, my jaw set, sweat trailing down my temples. Another scattering of rain hit us as I took my second step, growling as the pain rolled through me.
“My wife is going to have my balls if she finds out I’m helping you destroy your ankle like this.”
“I’m not destroying my ankle. I’m coming after the girl I’m in love with. You know, a grand gesture of love and all that.”
“Yeah, well, I hope it’s fucking worth it. Indy will have your balls, too. We’re both going to have to face her after this.”
Again, thunder rattled in the sky above us, and I took a moment to catch my breath.
“She’ll appreciate the gesture. Girls love this shit.”
“Since when has Indy been sucked in by grand gestures?”
I winced with more pain. “She married your sorry ass, didn’t she?”
Cade helped me up another two steps and said, “If I don’t get laid because of your grand gesture, then I’m going to knee you in your balls.”
I glanced at him. “Because clearly I’m not in enough pain as it is.”
Cade hoisted me over the last step and up to the front door.
“Fucking thank Christ!” he said. “You’re an insane motherfucker, you know that?”
He handed me my crutches and I straightened.
“Insane and crazy in love with the girl behind this door,” I said.
“Well, you look like shit. Like you’re about to pass out. You sure you don’t want me to take you back to hospital?”
“You’re fucking kidding me, right? I didn’t climb those stairs for nothing.”
I sucked in a deep breath, right into the depths of my lungs in an attempt to force back my pain. I was out of breath and a mess, but I was ready to claim back what was mine.
“Are you ready?” Cade asked.
I nodded. “I was born ready, brother.”
He knocked just as another roll of thunder rumbled in the clouds overhead.
When Honey opened the door, a fierce need to take her in my arms and mash my lips to hers overwhelmed me because it was the first time I’d seen her in days, and my longing for her had me all tied up in knots. Seeing her was a relief. A total fucking relief. I wanted to kiss her more than anything in the entire fucking world.
“Caleb!” She breathed my name as if she was absolutely fucking relieved to see me, too. “You’re here.”
“Can we come in?” I asked, swallowing back the agony in my ankle.
She opened the door wider and I hobbled in, followed by Cade.
“They released you from the hospital?” she asked, closing the door behind her.
“No, I released myself.”
“Are you insane? That’s crazy—”
“Listen,” I took a step toward her. “I think I’ve only got a couple of minutes left in me before I pass out, because sweet baby Jesus, I’m in the seventh realm of hell with this ankle. But I couldn’t wait another moment, Honey. I had to see you. I had to tell you.” I huffed out a breath. “I’m in love with you. Do you understand me? I’m so crazy in love with you that being with you is all that matters to me. I know you think I can’t love this baby, but I can. And I will. It doesn’t matter that she isn’t mine. I’ve been here from the start. I’ve loved her from the moment I knew she existed. Me. Not him. That’s got to count for something.”
“Caleb—”
“I’ll be the best damn father to her, baby. I promise. And if you’ll have me, I’ll be the best damn husband
to you. Just give me a chance.”
“Caleb—” She went to protest, but the look of shock registered on her face instead. “Wait, you’re asking me to marry you?”
“Baby, I’d marry you today if I didn’t think I was going to pass out from this fucking pain.” I moved closer to her, and leaning all my weight onto one of the crutches, awkwardly took one of her hands in mine. “Let me be the man you deserve. You and Bump.”
Tears sprung to her eyes. “You really want to marry me?”
I nodded. “More than anything.”
She started to cry so I wiped them away with the pad of my thumb. “Please don’t cry, Angel.”
“I love you,” she cried, overwhelmed with the emotion. “I love you so much.”
She pressed her lips to mine and emotion spiraled through me.
This woman.
She was everything.
She pulled away and looked up at me, her eyes sparkling with tears. “I’ve been trying to call you.”
“My phone is dead.”
“I lied to you,” she said, her face crumpled. “When I said I had the paternity results back. I lied because I didn’t want Brandi to hurt you. I didn’t have them back then, but I have them now.”
I followed her gaze to the open letter on the dining table. Cade moved across the room and picked it up, bringing it over to me. I could barely swallow over the lump in my throat as I read it.
The words danced before my eyes.
And I huffed out a deep, relieved breath.
“I’m the father?” I raised my eyes and looked at her in wonder. “Bump is my baby?”
She started to cry as she nodded. “Yes. She is.”
I re-read the words on the letter, confirming my paternity of the pregnancy, and a love as fierce as a wild fire burned through me. I wrapped my free arm around Honey and pulled her to my chest where my heart beat wildly.
My baby.
She was my baby.
Not Charlie’s.
“I love you so much,” I breathed into her hair, happiness and relief momentarily easing the torment in my ankle and every other cell in my body.
“I love you, too. I’m so sorry. I made so many foolish decisions.”
“Don’t be sorry. Just say you’ll marry me.”
I felt her nod against me. “Yes, I will marry you.”
I pulled away, but my smile suddenly faded because I really was about to pass out. “Whoa.”
“Are you okay?” Honey looked alarmed.
“I think I need to sit down.”
I felt clammy and sick.
“That’s it, Romeo, I’m taking you back to the hospital,” Cade said.
“I just need to sit down.”
Cade put my arm around his shoulders and guided me over to the dining table, easing me down onto a chair.
“Should I call an ambulance?” Honey asked.
“I’m sure they’ll come out here real quick when they find out he checked himself out of the hospital less than an hour ago.”
“I just need a minute and I’ll be fine,” I insisted.
“You’re going back. You need bed rest and drugs.” Cade was adamant and I was starting to feel like he might be right. Being in this much pain was exhausting. His phone buzzed and he pulled it out of his cut. “It’s Indy. She’s probably found out about you. Hope you’re ready for an ass kicking.”
Sure enough, she had. And she had a very strong opinion about it.
After listening to his wife for a minute, Cade handed me the phone.
“Are you insane, Caleb Calley?” she exclaimed into my ear.
“You’re like the third person to ask me that in the last hour. So, I don’t know, maybe?”
“You know you’re doing all kinds of damage to yourself right now. You need to get your ass back to the hospital immediately. Don’t make me come out there and drag your sorry ass back myself.”
“Okay, boss. I’m on my way.”
“Don’t say that and not mean it. You’ve got an hour to get back here before I call your mom!”
I handed the phone back to Cade. “She pulled out the big guns. She’s threatening to involve Mom.”
I watched as he put his phone to his ear. “Yeah, baby, we’ll call an ambulance. He’s turned kind of pale. Actually, more of a grey color. That’s what I said. Serves him right, I know. Yeah, he is a dumbass.”
I showed him my middle finger just as he turned away to talk to his wife.
Honey sat down next to me.
“You didn’t need to put yourself through this,” she said gently.
I took her hand in mine. “I couldn’t go a moment longer without letting you know how I felt. I’m sorry I never told you sooner. I’ve loved you for so long and it just seemed so wrong to let another moment tick by without telling you.”
Cade hung up from Indy and walked toward us.
“Indy said there’s been a four-car wreck just out of town, so there’s a delay with the ambulance. It’ll be quicker if I drive.”
Honey was already locking up the house and turning off the lights.
“You don’t need to come to the hospital. Stay here and wait out the storm,” I said.
“You checked yourself out of the hospital, drove out here in a world of pain—not to mention, braved eighteen steps wearing a boot—all so you could ask me to marry you.” She gave me a wink and closed the front door behind her. “You really are insane if you think I’m spending one more moment without you.”
HONEY
As we left the lake house behind us and started the long trip toward Destiny, the heavens really opened up and it started hammering us with rain. Up ahead, lightning danced across the darkening sky.
“How you holding out there, buddy?” Cade asked his brother over the sound of the rain.
“Don’t you worry about me, brother. I’ve got everything I need.” He glanced over his shoulder at me and winked. My heart squeezed with love. This man. This crazy-ass man wanted me to be his wife.
“So your girl said yes. What now?” Cade asked.
“Well, now I’m going to get some kickass drugs into me that’ll hopefully knock me out for the next couple of days. Then, when I wake up I’ll be hoping this wasn’t all a dream and Honey really did agree to marry me.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily, Caleb Calley,” I said from the backseat. “You’re stuck with us now.”
I was rubbing my belly and thinking about marrying the man of my dreams when it happened. The pickup came out of nowhere. One minute we were driving along, and then boom, the black Ford came out of the misty rain and plowed straight into us. All of a sudden it was like being inside a washing machine, the world started spinning and I was bounced about in the backseat. Glass shattered and metal buckled as the pickup crumpled our rear passenger door and sent us whirling off the road.
When we finally came to a halt, I heard Cade let out a string of expletives and I raised my head. Looking out the shattered window, I saw the dust settle and the full extent of what had happened. We were off the side of the road, perched on a small embankment. Across the debris-scattered road from us, steam spewed from the crumpled engine of the Ford pickup.
I moved and realized I was covered in shattered glass.
“Honey!” Caleb exclaimed. He struggled to get the door open but it was too buckled and he growled with frustration.
“I’m okay,” I breathed, slightly dazed.
Cade was able to climb out and rip open the back passenger door to check on me. “Are you sure you’re okay?”
I brushed the glass off me. “Yes. Go get your brother out.”
By the time I was able to climb out of the car, Caleb was out and hobbling frantically toward me.
“Baby, are you okay?” He held my face in his big hands and flooded my face with kisses. “Are you hurt? The baby?”
“I’m okay, I’m okay.” It was a relief to be standing in the cool wind. The rain had dampened and a light, fairy rain fell from the gre
y sky like gentle, comforting kisses against my skin. It was soothing. Cooling. In the distance, lightning slashed through the clouds again.
“I’ll go check on the other driver,” Cade said, disappearing into the dewy rain.
Caleb put his hand on my belly. “Are you sure you’re all right?”
He still looked pale, but I imagined his adrenaline had kicked in and was overriding his ankle pain.
I nodded because my mouth was dry. “Yeah, it was just a shock but I’m—”
I froze.
Startled.
I stayed very still and waited.
Then it happened again.
Motherfucker.
The pain that hit me was like nothing I’d ever felt. It tore into me, biting at my insides and overwhelming me. Goosebumps spread across my skin and my knees went weak.
I keeled over.
“Fuck, baby. What’s happening?” Caleb asked alarmed.
I bit down on my bottom lip.
That was a contraction.
“Braxton Hicks be damned,” I moaned. My hand chewed into his shirt as I looked up at him. “I’m in fucking labor.”
His eyes widened. “Are you sure?”
In response, I doubled over with pain. “You need to call an EMT. And you need to call them now!”
Cade came running over. “The other driver is fine, but I think he has whiplash and a broken wrist. I’ve told him to wait in the car. Whoa, what’s happening here?”
“She’s in labor,” Caleb replied.
I let out a long moan of pain as another contraction squeezed at my insides. “We need an ambulance now.”
While Cade tried to get a signal on his phone, Caleb tried mine.
But we were in the notorious black spot between the lake and Destiny where there was no cell coverage for a few miles.
“Fuuuuuck!” Caleb moved my phone around in front of himself like a water diviner to see if he could get a signal. He hobbled with his booted foot. “I’ve got no signal.”
Cade looked at his screen. “Me neither. Looks like we’re going to have to deal with this one ourselves.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, panicked.