by Lucy Rinaldi
I smile. “No, baby, thank you.” I kiss her head. I don't need to tell her for what, she knows I mean every damn thing. “I love you, beautiful.”
“I love you, too.”
I turn her in my arms, hers come around my neck as my lips claim hers. There's no better taste in the world than Aimee, whether it's the lips on her mouth or the lips on her... Our tongues battle as our kisses become frenzied. If I don't pull away I'll be pinning her to the damn wall and fucking her through it any second.
I pull her against my raging erection with my hand on her gorgeous ass, she moans into my mouth as she shamelessly rubs against me. I bet you a million bucks she's soaked through her panties.
Fuck, I want her so badly. My pants feel too damn tight with how hard my cock is pressing against them. I grab the hem of her dress ready to lift it high enough to gain access to her soaked pussy when the damn door bell rings.
Talk about shit timing!
She pulls away from me with a giggle. “Sorry, handsome. We'll pick this up later, my parents are here!” She claps her hands together like an excited child, and before I can reply, she's rushing out the door and down the stairs to let them in.
God, help me get through this evening without blowing up in anger. Help me remember that her parents mean well. That they love their daughter, and her father will put me through the ringer over what I put his daughter through. I deserve it all, but please give me the strength to keep my cool.
The Lord knows I'm not a patient man, and he knows only too well what my temper is like when pushed.
* * *
Marcus Lynch has said not one word to me since he walked into my house. Of course, the second he did, he grabbed his daughter, held her close to him. She cried, of course. Always was a daddy's girl.
They laughed through dinner, talked about old times, and I felt like a fucking spare part. What the hell am I even doing here?
Sure, Jenny has spoken to me a little, but I thought both she and Marcus would have more questions for me. I didn't think they'd act like I wasn't even here!
So, it serves me right when he asks if he can speak to me in private.
“Marcus,” Jenny takes his arm from his seat at the table, her tone both warning and worry. Aimee's hand tightens in mine.
Are these women actually worried that he could hurt me? I'd laugh if I wasn't so insulted!
“It's okay, Jen, I just want a word with the boy.” Boy? Jesus, I'm in my thirties! “He's out son-in-law now, surely he can take what his father-in-law has to say.” He eyes me. I nod. I'll listen to what he has to say and take it. “Good.” He kisses his wife and leaves the room.
I turn to Aimee, “I'll be back soon, baby.” She nods right before I kiss her softly. I sense her mother smile. At least she's stopped hating me.
I used to love her like a second mother when I was a child. She was my rock when Roya was abducted. Without Jenny, I don't think any of us would have moved forward. She held my mother up when she couldn't hold herself up. She took care of us kids, cooked for us, cleaned. Marcus was a friend to my father, made sure he ate and didn't run himself into the ground with work.
Stealing their daughter away, marrying her in secret, then making her keep it to herself for six damn years was not only hard on Aimee, it was downright wrong. I hurt everyone I care about because of my own selfishness.
Not selfishness, necessity.
I could have done things very differently. Aimee would have waited for me, she has always been mine.
What's the point of even thinking about this stuff now, it won't change anything. What happened is done with. Over. Gone. Time to put right with Marcus what I fucked up.
I follow him out to the patio in my back garden, through the French doors. He takes a seat at the bistro style table Aimee and I have out here. Not for nights like this, freezing damn cold. Snowing even. Thank god it's only light snow.
Not that that will last long, it'll be tumbling down before the nights out. It is Christmas, after all.
I take a seat opposite him, snow seeping through my pants and freezing the back of my legs. Not to mention my ass.
“I'll get straight to the point, Kory,” Good because I'm freezing my ass off out here. I should have picked up my coat. “What you did, what you made my little girl do, lie to us, to all of us, was wrong. I don't know what possessed you to do it.”
“Because I love her, Marcus. I thought everything would be okay. Sure we shouldn't have married the way we did, but it was spontaneous, spur of the moment. You never had one of those with Jenny? A moment where everything is crazy and wild, and you just grab it with both hands.”
He looks at me for a moment before nodding honestly.
“When I married Aimee, I honestly thought my case was a done deal. I was wrong, and I had to make a decision. A decision that meant I either keep my wife safe by forcing her to keep us a secret or I tell the world about her and risk losing her. I chose to keep her safe. Tell me you wouldn't've done the same in my position.”
He scratches his chin with his thumb. “I would have kept her safe by letting her go, Kory. I would have allowed her to move on from me and have the life she deserved.”
“But that's the thing,” I sigh. “I tried. I tried so hard. But I love her so damn much that I couldn't bear it. Stealing moments with my wife here and there, hoping no one would notice anything because it could have led her to danger I couldn't have saved her from. I would rather have died than lose her, Marcus.”
I used to look up to this man when I was a child. He and my father always reminded me of superheroes. So strong and brave. He always looked like a giant compared to my small size as a boy.
Both Marcus and my father would take Greg and me out fishing whenever they could spare the time off work. Greg and I loved it, it was our special time with our father and uncle Marcus.
Of course, Marcus isn't our uncle in any way, and looking back it seems strange that we called him that now. Especially when I'm married to his daughter.
“When you and Jenny found out about us, the way you reacted, it killed Aimee. She may have finally been home with me, but she wasn't really with me.” He shifts uncomfortably, but he has to hear this. “It broke her heart, Marcus. You and Jenny, you mean everything to Aimee. All she's wanted is her parents to forgive her.”
“We have.” He snaps.
I hold my hands up, “I know. But it's been months, Marcus. She couldn't cope without you both, no matter how much she pretended. But you're here now, and I haven't seen her smile the way she has tonight in a very long time.”
He nods.
It's true, I haven't seen Aimee smiling, laughing, at ease the way she is tonight in a long time. Probably not since she was a child. I want to see that smile on her face for the rest of my life. No matter what I have to do, I will do it just to see her happy.
“I'm not going to go on about what you did, what she did. It's over with now. But I do want to ask you one thing.”
“What's that?”
And can you please hurry up before I lose the feeling in my toes completely.
“Have a vow renewal. It's not a real wedding, but seeing as you're already married it will do. My wife had dreamed of nothing since the moment Aimee was born about the day her daughter would get married. The whole big white wedding thing, the hair, makeup, everything leading up to the actual day.
“I know it's a cliché, but these things mean everything to a mother. Just ask yours.” We both chuckle because he's right. “To be honest, I think it will be good not only for Jenny, for Sidney, but for Aimee also. Give my little girl the day she should have had, to begin with. I know how much she loves you, I saw it shining in her eyes each time she looked at you. I see how much you love her also.”
“More than anything, Marcus. That you don't need to doubt.”
He leans forward and squeezes my shoulder. “I don't, son. Not anymore. Everything that happened is behind us. We all move on from this day.”
I nod.<
br />
He's right, there's no need to hold onto the past, it's gone never to return. Aimee deserves the best that I can give her. And I can give her everything. I will give her everything.
Nineteen
Aimee
“I'm worried dad's going to say something to drive Kory away from me.” Crap, I said that out loud!
“You're father would never do anything to hurt you like that, Aimee. He just wants to understand, that's all.”
I guess she's right. I mean, he is my father, he only wants the best for me. Yes, I'm a grown woman, but he's still my daddy. I'm still his little girl. I always will be.
“You're right. Everything will be just fine.”
She takes my hand and smiles. “Don't worry, sweetheart. Your father loves you so much, your husband loves you.” She cups my cheek and I smile. I feel weirdly shy all of a sudden. “I love you, Aimee. One day, God willing, you'll have your own daughter and you will know how precious that gift is. Marcus and I may not have been given the chance twice, but I regret nothing because you are everything I have ever wanted in a daughter.”
Oh, these damn hormones!
I wrap my arms around my mother and cry into her neck as she strokes my hair. “You mean everything to me, Mommy. I never want to lose you.”
“Oh, my baby,” She laughs lightly. “You will never lose me. I will always be here for you.”
I don't doubt that for a moment.
The doorbell rings. I pull away from my mother and smile. “That will be Sidney and Keller.” She narrows her eyes curiously. “I asked them to come over. Kory and I need to talk to you altogether.”
“Baby, is something wrong?”
I don't answer her with words just a slight smile before getting out of my seat and walking away. I hear my dad and Kory come in through the French doors as I get to the front door. I don't turn to look at them, though, I just open the door and smile at Sidney and Keller.
“Please, come in.” I step aside for them to enter, then motion with my hand for them to go through to the living room.
My beautiful mother greets her best friend with a hug and a laugh at the fact they're dressed pretty much the same. Both in elegant, on the knee dresses. My mother's cream in color, Sidney's red. They've always been this way, dressing similar, ever since before I can remember.
Our fathers greet each other, both dressed in suit pants and button down shirts. Both handsome for men of their ages. Both men in their early fifties.
I wrap my arms around my husband's waist just as soon as he's finished handing out glasses of wine to our parents. “Wanna tell me just why my parents are here?”
I lean into him and whisper in his ear, “I sent them a text asking them to come because it's time to tell them. I don't want to wait any longer.”
He nods and kisses my head.
“We have something to tell you all.” All four parents attention is on us. “It's something we've been keeping from you, from everyone for the past few months.”
“Something else? Jesus, Kory, what else is there?!”
I swallow hard. Keller is so annoyed. And by the look on my father's face, I can see he is too. God, this is going to blow up in our faces again. They're going to hate me all over again!
Oh god, I can't do this again, I can't loose my parents again. I'm panicking, I can't breathe. I can't breathe!
I feel hands on me, pushing me toward the couch. My ass hits it. Hands are on my face, calming hands. “Shh. Shh, baby. Breathe for me, in and out, that's a good girl.”
I follow my husband's advice, in and out slowly. The pain in my head eases, my chest loosens. I close my eyes for a second. When I open them, Sidney hands me a glass of water and tells me to sip it. I do slowly, but my tears are drowning me all of a sudden.
I cannot take this again. I can't take losing my parents because I kept something else from them. I didn't do it to be malicious, I did it because they wouldn't talk to me.
“It's okay, baby.”
“No, it isn't, Kory.” Tears stream down my face as I look at him. I'm aware that our parents are staring right at us, but I can't take my eyes off Kory. If I look at my mom and dad right now, I'm not sure I won't break completely.
Kory strokes the tears from my cheeks with his thumbs. “Sweetheart, they aren't going to push you away again.” He always could read my mind.
“Yes, they are. We'll tell them and then my parents will be angry because we didn't tell them right away, but I didn't because they wouldn't talk to me. I wanted to tell them. I can't do it again, Kory.” I'm practically sobbing, tears are blinding me. “I can't carry on my life if they don't...”
“If we don't what, Aimee?” My daddy crouches down in front of me, next to Kory, and takes my hand. “Princess, tell daddy what secret you've been keeping. Is something wrong, are sick?” I shake my head and hang it while sobbing to myself.
I am so tired right now, I don't know why. I wasn't tired twenty minutes ago.
“Kory, what's going on?”
I don't look up, I just hold my daddy's hand close to my chest and cry, his free hand strokes the back of my head gently.
“I'm just gonna come out and say it because it seems everyone is getting the wrong impression. Aimee is pregnant,” I hear both our mothers gasp. “We're having a baby. We only didn't say anything because we needed to make sure everything was okay with the baby first. I also needed Jenny and Marcus to come around to us being married before we said anything.”
I'm suddenly lifted off the couch. Literally with my feet dangling off the ground. My arms wrap around my fifty-one-year-old father's neck as he holds me close to him. God, he's strong for his age. But then, he still works out at the gym three times a week with Keller.
I cry into his neck and hold on for dear life. “My beautiful little girl.” Is my dad crying? He sets me on my feet and cups my face, a smile like I've never seen on his face before. “My baby is having a baby.” I nod and sob-laugh at the same time.
“I'm going to be a grandma!” My mother yells while hugging me.
“And me!” Sidney yells as she hugs Kory, followed by his father.
This is the reaction I wanted. But I honestly thought it was going to go the other way. I thought they'd be angry and walk away from me again. But they didn't walk away, they're here excited about their future grandchild, still loving me as much as they ever did.
My husband wraps me up in his arms and holds me tight while we talk to our parents about the future. All of our plans for the baby, then Kory drops the bombshell on me about the vow renewal. Not that I think it's a bad idea. I actually think it's a brilliant idea. Our mothers will get what they always wanted, especially mine, the day she can see me walk down the aisle.
I cannot wait.
* * *
“These are soooo good,” I mumble around another cranberry and white chocolate cookie. Callie made them for tonight's Christmas party.
It's been a wonderful day. Sidney invited us for Christmas dinner, my parents too. Roya spent Christmas day with Bryton and Chase's parents. Paige and Enzo, along with Della and Freddy are with Paige and Freddy's parents. Lora with Tommy's parents. Greg with Maya's parents.
Callie and Hudson spent Christmas day with us at Sidney and Keller's. Hudson and Enzo have no parents, so they spend the day with their wives families.
Tonight, it's all round to Sidney and Keller's for a party. Everyone is here, all the Harper kids – Greg drove in with Maya and their son an hour ago – Paige and Enzo, Emilee and Chase. Mia and Jesse aren't here because they're visiting their families. But Paige's mom and dad are here.
Callie baked a hell of a lot of goodie's for us, Della baked a huge Christmas pudding, which I can't stand the smell of. Shame because I love Christmas pudding. But it seems my baby does not.
“You might wanna slow down on those things, Aimz.” Lora laughs.
Sure I do.
“Yeah, you've eaten six already,” Della tells me as I reach for my seventh. I really
shouldn't be reaching for a seventh, I'm going to end up the size of a house! But they're just so good!
I drop the cookie and sit back in my seat at the kitchen table. “You're right.” I nod.
This place is huge, and I mean HUGE. The Harper's are loaded, Keller was a trust fund baby, invested it wisely. Made sure his family will always be taken care of. It's really something when in this small town they own the biggest mansion style home around. The sheriff and his high school principal wife.
They have six kids, each one had their own bedroom. There are eight in this house altogether. Eight bedrooms! Crazy right?
My parents have a nice home, a very nice home, but we only ever had three bedrooms, probably because that's all we ever needed, and their house is nothing like the Harper's. But then like I said, they have the biggest home in town.
It's been a wonderful day, really it has. Kids running around, presents being opened, good food, lots of laughs. The energy in the house is happy and light, yet I'm still keeping my secret from my friends and I hate it.
To be honest, I feel a little dizzy. I'm really hot all of a sudden. I waft my hand in front of my face and get out of my seat, but the room spins and I can't hold myself up. I see the floor coming toward my face, then everything goes black.
* * *
“Aimee? Baby, open your eyes.” I groan deeply. My eyes are so heavy and my mouth feels like it's filled with sand. I open my eyes slowly, the dull thud in my head causes me to wince. “There we are.” I smile at my husband as he looks down at me. I'm on the couch, he must have laid me here after I passed out.
“Aimee, can you sit up slowly for me?” I nod at Paige and Kory helps me sit up. The pressure in my head is intense for a few seconds, but it soon eases. “Drink this for me, sweetheart.”
“What is it?” I've asked but I've already taken it from her hand. Everyone is staring at me from their various places in the den. I'm embarrassed by it all but there's nothing I can do about it.