Finding Serenity (The Unexpected Love Series Book 2)

by Black, T. E.

  “Sorry, man. Didn’t mean to make ya sweat it. I’m sure it’ll be good, but I gotta get going. Cal’s texted me about five times asking when I’m picking Abby up. So before she kicks my ass, I’m gonna head over there. Good luck, man!”

  “Thanks. I’m gonna need it,” I retort before hanging up.

  “Ya know everything will work out, right?” Ryleigh questions, placing her hand on my shoulder.

  I bow my head, the same feeling of failure creeping in once again.

  “I hope so, Ry. I really do.”

  Justin Bieber – “Purpose”

  “KNOCK, KNOCK, CHICKY!” Callie calls while opening the front door to my apartment.

  “Hey, Cal!” I greet from the couch.

  As promised to Trent, I’m staying put for the day. It’s driving me nuts to be a couch potato, but at least, Abby and I were able to catch up on some of our favorite TV shows.

  “Aunt Callie!” Abby squeals, jumping from my arms to Callie.

  “Hey, munchkin!”

  “Sweetheart, be careful around Aunt Callie’s tummy,” I warn.

  Callie’s starting to show her baby bump, and she looks crazy adorable with it. I can’t help but be a tiny bit envious. When I was pregnant, I didn’t look half as good as she does. It’s almost unfair, but I can’t say I’m not happy for her and Mac. They’re going to make amazing parents. I see the way Mac is with Abby, and he has it down to a science.

  “Sorry, Aunt Callie!” Abby apologizes, treading lightly around her.

  “It’s okay, munchkin. Mommy just doesn’t want you to hurt the baby.”

  At the word baby, Callie’s face lights up immediately.

  “Abby, why don’t you go get the picture you made for Aunt Callie?” I offer and send Abby scurrying to her room.

  Taking a seat on the couch, Callie sighs as her hands move compassionately over her bump.

  “How do you feel?” I chuckle, knowing her answer.

  “Like Mac got me preggo,” she confirms, and I laugh.

  “You’re not even at the worst part yet, but on the upside, you look adorable with that bump!” I smile, and she groans.

  “Don’t remind me! Mac read all of these damn baby books, and he’s driving me crazy with them. I love him for trying to help, but if he makes me practice breathing for Lamaze classes one more time, I might punch him!”

  “It’s cute that he’s trying!” I defend.

  “I know it is. I’m just a hormonal mess. He wants to get married before the baby comes, but what he doesn’t understand is that my dress keeps getting smaller and smaller on me. I’ve had to return it twice already, although one time was due to him seeing it in the bedroom. I swear, he doesn’t listen for shit sometimes.” She laughs, throwing her head back.

  “I swear, the whole bunch of them are as bad as the other. Trent would probably go looking for the dress on purpose,” I joke.

  “Are you guys back together?”

  I blush at the question. “We are. We still have a lot of shit to figure out, but I’m willing to work on it so long as he is, too.”

  “Is it wrong to say I was rooting for the two of you the whole time? Even after Mac called me from jail, I still hoped everything would be okay. You and Trent are made for each other in some screwed up way. He’s not the same with you, and while I didn’t believe it before, I believe it now.”

  Her words cause a small smile to creep up on my lips before I even catch it. She’s right. Trent Wallace and I are made for each other in our own screwed-up way. We’ve always been meant for each other. I know sometimes that things just happen. Sometimes, things just break and fall apart for no reason. But, Trent and I, we had reasons for everything that happened. It was a greater plan in the making. Fate may be a cruel bitch at times, but she showed her kinder side this time around. She may have taken from me, but she also pieced me back together. She gave me Trent Wallace. She gave Abby Trent Wallace. She gave us the missing piece of our family. She gave Abby and me five pieces—Trent, Callie, Mac, Sierra, and Evan.

  “Thank you.” I nod.

  “What happened with Tony and Bruce? I didn’t get to ask you about it.”

  I cringe at the mention of their names, my heart stinging a little.

  “I’m sorry! If it’s too soon … I didn’t mean to upset you, Shay,” she apologizes.

  “No. It’s okay. It’s still just a sore spot for me right now, but thank you for caring enough to ask.”

  She reaches over from the other end of the sofa, grabbing my hand in hers and looking me right in the eyes.

  “Of course, I care, Shay. You’re one of my best friends. I’ll always be here for you.”

  “Thank you.” I squeeze her hand in a thankful way.

  “Tony and Bruce are going to be going to jail for a long time. Tony got more pinned on him after I told the cops what he was doing to me before the incident. But Bruce got quite a few charges, too. They went a little easier on him since he was being blackmailed by Tony, but still, he won’t be seeing Abby and me for a while.”

  Callie nods her head in understanding, sniffling back tears.

  “Is Abby asking where Bruce is? I know she calls Trent Dad … I was just wondering…”

  “I told Abby an edited version of what happened. I explained that Bruce tried to hurt me because he was upset that Trent and I were together. I didn’t want to lie to her, but I also couldn’t tell her everything. I have to keep some innocence to her. She’s only six,” I admit.

  “She’s a strong little girl,” Callie agrees.

  My face falls when I think about all Abby’s been through. She’s had anything but a normal childhood. I’ve always tried to be a good mom, and I’ve done everything I could for her, but I can’t help but feel like she’s missed out on some things in life. All I ever wanted was for her to have a stable home and a father. And, while Trent is an amazing father, Bruce lacks on that part. She’ll never know what it’s like to have her biological father in her life and it be a good experience.

  “Hey, why don’t we go grab something to eat tonight? Just the two of us? I feel like we’re due for a little girls’ night out,” Callie suggests.

  “I don’t know. I’m not really in the mood to go out yet,” I confide.

  Callie grabs my hand again, giving it a compassionate squeeze. I look up at her, seeing how much she cares for our friendship in her eyes. I got lucky to have a friend like her.

  “It won’t be anything crazy. Just some dinner and some fun. You need it. You’ve been cooped up in this house way too long. Mac can watch Abby for a little while if Trent isn’t home yet. We’ll be an hour tops,” she proposes.

  Maybe she’s right. Maybe I could use a little fresh air. I’ve been staring at these same four walls for what feels like forever now. I haven’t actually got myself ready in way too long, either. I’ve been hiding away in my apartment with Abby, and while I loved every second of it, Callie’s right. I need to get out, even if it’s for an hour. It’s not healthy to be cooped up like this.

  “Okay.”

  “Yeah?”

  “Yeah,” I agree.

  “Let me send Trent a text and let him know what’s going on. He’s with Ryleigh anyway, so I’m sure she has him doing something. Do you think Mac will watch Abby? He won’t care?”

  Callie lets out a loud laugh. “Are you kidding? He loves Abby. He’d never care about watching her for a little while.”

  “Thank you, Cal.”

  “For what?” she questions.

  “For being such a good friend.”

  Jason Derulo - “Vertigo”

  “HERE’S THE LAST piece, then I’m gettin’ outta here.” Ryleigh taunts the black, silk tie in front of me.

  I take it from her hands, having to stifle a laugh. I have no idea how this fucking thing goes on. When I dressed up the night I brought flowers to Shay, I used a damn clip-on. I was pressed for time, and it looked to be my easiest option. But tonight, I’m going all out. I’m going for full
rock star status tonight. I don’t want Shay to even think I did something half-assed. I want her to know I went all out for her.

  “Why are ya looking at me like that, Trent?” she growls.

  “I need one more thing from ya, Ry.”

  “What’s that?”

  I hold up the tie, shoving it toward her. When she doesn’t take it at first, I explain. “I need ya to tie this shit. I have no idea what I’m fucking doing here, Ry! I’m so fucking nervous, and I’m not even asking her to marry me! I’m only asking her to move in, which she’s already agreed to! But she didn’t decide to move in this big-ass house, away from the city. What if she hates it? What if she tells me I’m fucking nuts, Ry? Am I fucking crazy?” I rant.

  Ryleigh laughs infectiously, placing her hands, tie still gripped tight, on my chest. She stares me dead in the eyes, her smile huge.

  “Trent Wallace, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re losing it.”

  “No shit, I’m losing it! I’m laying it all on the line here, and ya think this shit is funny!”

  My breathing speeds up while my palms sweat profusely. The thumping of my heart can be heard a mile away, and this suit suddenly feels like it’s made of fucking wool. I drop down to the mattress of Shay’s and my new king-size bed, scrubbing my face with my hands. This is a mistake. I’m going too fast. We just got back on good terms. This is too soon.

  I pull on the top three buttons of my white, pressed dress shirt, letting the cold air flood in. My black leather dress shoe taps anxiously on the hardwood floor of the room with no sign of stopping anytime soon.

  “Trent! Calm the fuck down, dammit! Ya starting to make me fucking nervous too! Now, stop before I smack ya! Look at me!” Ryleigh snaps.

  I force myself to stop the nervous antics and look up at her with pleading eyes. I need her to bring me back down right now. She’s one of the few people who can actually calm me, and right now, I can’t feel this way. I need to be confident for Shay and myself.

  “I know this is huge for ya. I get it. I really do. Ya being nervous isn’t going to change the outcome. She’s going to be wicked happy when she sees ya steppin’ up. Both of ya idiots may have fucked up in the past, but this is the now. Don’t keep rehashing the past when you can’t change it. The only thing ya can do now is make new memories with each other. The new memories will eventually replace the bad ones. It won’t be like this forever, I promise. You’ll fall back into the Shay and Trent ya used to be before everything blew up in ya faces. So calm down and stop shaking like ya about to get married so I can put your damn tie on. She’s going to be here any minute, and ya have to get ya ass on the front porch before Shay and Callie pull up.”

  She’s right. She’s always fucking right. I need to pull myself together. Shay and I won’t be like this forever. We’ll fall back into our routine, except it’ll be better this time. It won’t be tainted. Everything’s on the table now. No more lies weigh us down.

  “When did ya get so much smarter than me?” I quirk, straightening up so I can finish getting ready.

  She throws the tie around my neck, tying it like a professional without so much as a second glance. I refasten the three buttons I undid just as Ryleigh tightens it under my collar.

  “I’m a bartender, Trent. What do ya expect? We’re known for giving the best advice money can buy. What kind of bartender would I be without wisdom?” she quips. “Perfect! Now, let’s get the last piece of the puzzle on, and you’ll be all set!”

  She walks over to the closed door, retrieving my suit jacket off the back while I stand up and take a deep breath. She holds out the coat, signaling for me to turn around as I shrug into it. She tweaks it where it needs adjusting before spinning me around.

  “Damn, Trent Wallace! Ya look pretty fucking classy right now!” She whistles.

  I shrug, puffing out my chest, and use a tattooed hand to brush the imaginary dust off the shoulder of my jacket.

  “Don’t cha know it, babe,” I retort with an arrogant tone in my voice.

  “Ah! I see the egotistical bastard is back in charge! Whaddya say, ya cocky bastard, you ready to go wait for ya woman?”

  “Let’s do this,” I say without a waver in my voice.

  I move to the bedroom door, opening it for Ry while she walks in front of me, out on the landing and down the steps. Once our feet hit the living room, the nerves try to creep up again, but I tuck them away. Ryleigh’s right. I got this. I’m going to get my family back for good.

  We walk to the front door where the fresh breeze from outside allows me to breathe again. It calms me down and puts me back in the place I need to be.

  Stepping outside, Ryleigh alongside me, she scoots off to the side and waits for her and Callie to get here. Out of instinct, I reach for a smoke in my pocket, forgetting for a moment I’m done with that too. A new beginning, new me.

  The crunching of a gravel road halts me mid-motion. Callie’s car comes into view, and I almost sink to my knees in happiness. This is it. I’m giving it my all. I don’t want a damn thing in this world if Shay isn’t the one to share it with me.

  Ryleigh walks past me, slapping her hand on my shoulder, and whispers, “Good luck,” before darting down the steps to open the car door for Shay.

  My eyes stay locked on her when she steps out looking more beautiful than the day I met her. While she was breathtaking at that moment, right here, right now, something’s different about her. She’s happy. Back then, she was just a shell. Now, she’s so much more. She’s mine.

  “Well, look at you! You clean up well, handsome man.” She giggles as she approaches me.

  Her long black hair is curled from top to bottom, red streaks playing peekaboo from the underneath while her black maxi dress hugs her breasts and hips with pleasure. She looks stunning. Seeing my Shay back to normal gives me hope. It almost feels like old times again.

  “This is all for you, babe. I don’t dress like this for just anyone.”

  She stops in front of me, her eyes smoldering with desire, and I match it. I wrap an arm around her waist, pulling her in for a kiss when she winces in pain. Fuck.

  “Fuck, babe! I’m sorry! I forgot for a minute! Are ya okay? Do ya need to sit down?” I question nervously.

  “Trent, I'm okay. I’m just a little sore. That’s all. Come on. Let’s get back to that kiss.”

  She wraps her arms around my waist, bringing her lips to mine. I get lost in the sensation of her love, floating away to a place where it’s just her and me. The only place I want to be for the rest of my life.

  We break apart, and I take her hand, leading her through the front door where the rose petals on the floor earn a gasp.

  “Trent, what is this? Did you do all of this?” She gestures around the room to the red candles covering every inch of the living room.

  “Ry helped,” I admit.

  “It’s beautiful, Trent. I’m speechless.”

  I give her hand a little tug, pulling her through the house to where the real surprise is.

  “Come on, babe. There’s more where that came from,” I add.

  We stop in front of the sliding glass door, and when my fingers lace around the handle, I stop to address Shay.

  “I love ya, Shay. I’ve always loved ya more than anything in my life. This is me stepping up. I’m finally owning my fuck-ups. I won’t ever put ya through that again. Ya hear me? I’m a new man, Shay. I’m doing everything right this time around. I won’t ever leave ya hanging again. I swear from the bottom of my heart, I’m going to make ya proud of me.”

  Her eyes go wide, and her face pales momentarily before she smiles. One smile is all it takes to crush all of my doubts. One fucking smile almost blows my cool and turns me into a blubbering mess.

  “I love you too, Trent. It means the world to me. This means the world to me. I’m so lucky to call you mine.”

  I open the back door, revealing the big surprise. The white Christmas lights sparkle in the night, creating the illusion o
f fireflies while the candle lit lanterns hanging from the trees give off a romantic glow of their own. Rose petals outline the stone pathway leading to a round bistro table set for two. A black tablecloth covers the table while a vase filled with red roses sits in the middle. Two silver dome-shaped covers like you see in movies conceals our dinner. I have no idea what they’re called, but I knew if I this was going to be right, then I needed them.

  “Oh, my God, Trent. This is insane. This is beautiful. You did all of this?” Shay whispers in shock.

  “Ryleigh helped, too.”

  “But still … I know this wasn’t her idea. This was your idea, and it’s amazing.”

  “This is just the start of an apology, Shay. I’ll never stop apologizing for what I did, but this is where I make good on all the promises I made before.” I cup her face in my hands, pressing my lips to hers.

  I pull back, and the love in her eyes is a sure sign I’m doing this right. I’ve only seen that look a handful of times from her, but I should’ve seen it every day.

  “Trent, you don’t have to keep apologizing. I did wrong, too. You weren’t alone in this mess we made. Like you said before, all we can do is move on and grow from it. We can’t undo the past, but we can replace it.”

  “I love you,” I whisper before leading her down the path to the table where our dinner sits.

  I pull out Shay’s chair like a gentleman is supposed to do, and it earns me another one of those love-inflicted looks. I love those fucking looks. After helping Shay scoot her chair back in, I get myself situated on the other side of the table.

  I reach for the bottle of champagne chilling in an ice bucket next to the table. I pour one glass for her while I pour a drink for myself from the sparkling water bottle instead. Shay stares at me in astonishment while I hand her glass over and raise mine in a toast. She follows along, holding hers up in the air as I begin.

  “Here’s to love. Here’s to loving someone so much, ya can’t remember ya name. Here’s to being strong enough to forgive, and more importantly, here’s to us. I love you, Shay.”