Salvaged (Embracing #2)

by Delisa Lynn

  “Of course I will. Go shower. There is body wash and shampoo already in there.”

  “Ahh, I get to smell like sweet peas and sugar.”

  “Shut up and go wash that sexy body so I can snuggle up to it all night. I missed you holding me last night. The kids are with Kaylin in the next room.”

  I call Ashton and he says they will order their own food. He wants Liam and me to work things out because he hates seeing us like this. He has changed so much. I think this is a start to a new friendship with Ashton.

  ***

  “Liam, everything okay? Why aren’t you sleeping?” I ask as I run my hand down his chest.

  “I’m okay, just watching you sleep. You know I love looking at you and watching you make that little purr noise while you sleep. It’s so damn cute. Something is on my mind and I know we aren’t going to hold anything back anymore, so I’ll just get it out. Are you going to or have you told Nikki that baby bean may be Evan’s?”

  “No, I haven’t said anything to her about being pregnant. She doesn’t know that Evan and I slept together unless he told her. She knows I was going to talk to him that night. I called her for the number. She didn’t want to give it to me. Hell, maybe I should have listened to her. Then none of this would be happening. Should I tell her? She is my best friend, but you are my husband and if you don’t want me to, then I won’t.”

  “Babe, if you want to tell her, then that’s your choice. Please don’t think I would want you to keep secrets. Hell, everyone will know you have a baby at the wedding, and if they all put it together, then they will figure it out. I don’t want Evan to know, but I would hope Nikki wouldn’t tell him. She’s your best friend, not his. This weekend, if she mentions it, then just tell her the truth.”

  “I trust her, but what if she tells Brody and he tells Evan? I don’t want him to know. Are we doing the right thing? Liam, what if the tables were turned and I was with him. Wouldn’t you want to know that I may be carrying your child? Isn’t this wrong of us?”

  “It is wrong, Li, but I can’t let him take you and the baby away from me. I won’t let him. That’s my baby, regardless. What if we wait until after he’s born? Then you can tell him. Would you want to do that?”

  “I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do. I know you will love this baby no matter what, but I feel like he should know. You know I want you to be the father and it will kill me if you aren’t, but telling him is the right thing to do. I’ll wait ’til the baby is born to test you.”

  “That’s fine. Whatever you think is best is what we’ll do. Now get some sleep. You’re going to be so tired in the morning. I’m going to take a bath and see if it will help me relax. I love you,” Liam says.

  Chapter Twelve

  Lila

  We all spent the next day at the park. The kids had a blast and so did the adults. I was the only one who couldn’t ride the rides. We were all so tired, we stayed another night.

  We checked out of the hotel this morning. Now we’re heading home.

  I’m so glad to see that Megan and Kade are getting along so well. They would make a cute couple. She always talks about cowboys. Well, Kade fits the bill. He’s a private investigator and a Marine. Even better, he’s an Ellis. All Ellis men are good men, including my new best friend, Ashton. Now I need to find Ashton a new woman. Christa is on drugs; I know she is. That bitch is crazy. I still haven’t told Ashton about the money she asked to borrow.

  After the conversation Liam and I had last night, I’m still confused. I know he doesn’t want Evan to know, but it’s not fair to him or baby bean if he is Evan’s. I’m going to think about it for a few days and get Nikki’s opinion. She will be completely honest with me and that’s what I need. The baby will be a month old when she gets married. I really hope we all can get through this and remain civil. I know Liam doesn’t want me to communicate with Evan, but he moved on, and I can’t just forget about him and everything we shared.

  I’m putting him in my past. Hell, I did it for three years. I thought about him daily all three years, but now I know my place is with Liam. Evan is a friend and will remain a friend no matter what happens with all of us. He saved me when I lost Liam, and I will forever be grateful for him and his friendship.

  I’d hoped that once we found Liam, my feelings for Evan would just fade away. Ha, who the hell was I kidding? I spent so much time thinking about him that I think my feelings got even stronger. I missed what was right in front of me. My husband, the man of my life, swept me off my feet so long ago. He’s the man who would give his life for mine. I should have been thinking about him.

  ***

  While waiting for Nikki in the lobby of the San Francisco International Airport, all the memories of waiting for Liam or flying home from New York come flooding back. A single tear streams down my cheek. I was so lost in thought, I didn’t even see Nikki approaching me.

  “Lila, Hello…? What are you daydreaming about?”

  “Nikki! Oh God, I’m so happy to see you. I’ve missed you so much.”

  I hug her tightly. I loved hanging out with her and shopping. She’s the only person, other than Addison, that ever really clicked with me. I had other friends, but not like the two of them.

  “You’re pregnant? When in the hell were you going to tell me? I just saw you, like, three months ago. We talk every day and you didn’t tell me?”

  “Let’s go and I’ll explain. Whatever I tell you has to stay between the two of us. Please do not tell Brody.”

  “Umm…Okay. Just fill me in on what the hell is going on. I will wait ’til we are someplace sitting down. Why the hell did you run away?”

  “There is a lot we need to talk about. You want to go see your nieces first or go someplace and talk?”

  I hope she says talk because I’m ready to get this all out and I know she’s ready to hear it.

  “As much as I love the twins, I need to know what the hell is going on with my best friend.”

  “Okay, let’s grab lunch. I’m starved. Baby bean is giving me all these weird ass cravings. You in the mood for some Coney Dogs?” She looks at me and bursts out laughing “Okay, quit laughing. It’s either that or Japanese noodles. So which is it?”

  “It doesn’t matter, sweets. Whatever you and baby bean want.”

  “Yep, that’s what we are calling him for now. We haven’t decided on a name yet, so he is just baby bean.”

  “How far along are you, anyway? You can’t just be a couple months.”

  “Nope, I’m six months, almost seven. He will be a month old when you get married. Hopefully I will have my figure back by then.”

  “You should have it back. We will just get your dress in your regular size and we can always have it altered if needed, but I’m sure you will go back to your sexy body.” She laughs.

  “Ha ha, thanks, doll. So, Coney’s?”

  “Yes, hot dogs are fine…blah.”

  “You just made me the happiest pregnant woman ever. Baby bean thanks you, too.”

  I drive to the restaurant. I can tell she has all sorts of questions running through her mind. I’m ready to answer them; I haven’t talked about this with anyone other than Liam, so this will help me and my decisions a lot. We pull into the restaurant parking lot. She looks at me and smiles before getting out.

  Once inside, we take a booth in the corner, away from everyone else. The waitress comes and takes our drink orders. I need a sweet tea. I know I shouldn’t, but I order one anyways. Just a little caffeine won’t hurt.

  After we order our food, I look at my friend and, in one breath, blurt, “I slept with Evan when I was in New York. The baby may be his.” I sigh. “Let the drilling begin.”

  “Okay, my first question is, why did you sleep with Evan unprotected? Or at all? When I told you to be careful, I didn’t mean that you should go have an unprotected sex-filled weekend with your ex. Does Liam know?” she asks as she takes a huge gulp of her diet Coke.

  “I’ve told Liam everythin
g. He knows about Evan from day one. I don’t know what I was thinking. I saw Evan and, well, I needed him. I love Liam with everything I am, but I loved Evan also. I say loved because I’ve put him in my past now and that’s where he will stay.”

  “Is the baby Evan’s?”

  “Not sure. I’m not going to have the test done. He is Liam’s; I can feel it.”

  I don’t want her to know that Liam is the one who doesn’t want me to take the test.

  “If the baby is Evan’s, he will want to know. You can’t keep it from him. Were you not taking your pills?”

  “I know, but I can’t tell him right now. No, I stopped taking them because Liam wanted another baby. Well, we both wanted another one, and when I had sex with Evan twice that weekend, I forgot all about not being on the pill.”

  “Twice? Jesus, Lila…”

  “Nik, I know. I saw him and all the old memories came flooding back. I couldn’t help myself. I was drinking and I danced with him and inhaled his scent. He sang to me, and that made everything in me want him even more. I needed him, and I knew it was wrong. I can honestly say, at that moment, I was only thinking about fucking him and nothing else mattered. I’m over him for good this time. I’ll talk to him when I see him, but that’s it. Nothing more.”

  “I hope you have learned your lesson. You know I’m on your side, no matter what. I’m not sure what to say. I can’t believe you, of all people, aren’t sure who your baby daddy is. These two men have turned you around completely.”

  “I know. I never thought I would be in this position, but I did what I did and now I have to deal with the consequences. Now, let’s talk about the wedding.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Nikki

  I can’t believe what my best friend just told me. Lila is my best friend and I would do anything for her, but she is asking me to keep a secret from my fiancé’s best friend as well. This baby has to be Liam’s; hearts will be broken and lives changed if the baby isn’t. Evan is happy with Tatum. He finally moved on after Lila crushed him. Brody and I were always worried about him. Now he’s finally happy and this could hurt them all.

  “Okay, my friend, let’s go look at dresses. I hope I find something I like. My mother and I have looked in every bridal shop in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New York. I haven’t had any luck.”

  “New York?” Lila asks. “When did you go there?”

  Shit, do I tell her about Evan? Well, I guess I might as well just get it all out. She says she doesn’t care what he is doing and she’s married, so it shouldn’t bother her.

  “Brody and I spent a week with Evan and Tatum last month. She’s Zander’s sister and Evan’s fiancée. Super sweet lady. She’s been through a lot; she’s always been in love with Evan, but she was in a bad relationship with some psycho.”

  “I know who she is. She’s Audrey’s best friend. I’ve seen pictures of her. I’m really glad he’s happy now. Let’s go to the dress shop, shall we?”

  ***

  Damn it, she’s pissed. I can tell by her demeanor that she doesn’t like that he moved on. I can’t stand either one of them right now. I’m stuck in this awkward position. I have enough problems of my own without having to deal with theirs. But they’re my friends and that’s what friends do, right? We let our shit go to help them. I need to tell her what’s going on with me, but I can’t right now. She can’t handle it.

  Brody and I have been trying to get pregnant and aren’t having any luck. We’ve both been tested to see if his sperm count is good and if I am ovulating regularly. I need to have more tests done. He checked out fine, but I, on the other hand, have some abnormal test results. We will overcome it, just like we have everything else. He is my knight in shining armor or leather, I should say.

  I met Brody when Lila and I were studying at NYU. He and Evan are best friends. I really liked Brody and he was a blast to hang out with, but I still had feelings for my ex-boyfriend, Cam. He was my first love. We broke up when I moved to New York, and I was okay with that. I knew I would meet other people and he would as well. We hadn’t spoken to each other for months and I missed him a lot, but I had already started seeing Brody.

  The time I’d spent with Brody was great, and he was amazing in bed. The things he did to me made my toes curl. Sex had never felt that great with anyone before, not with even Cam. The closer Brody and I got, the less I thought of Cam. Then he started calling more and flew out to visit. That made me miss us.

  My mother was having a hard time paying for my tuition, and I saw that as my ticket back home and back into Cam’s life. I ran. I left poor Brody. He had no clue it was for Cam, though. I know I went about it the wrong way. It was childish and selfish. I should have just been honest with Brody. He’s always been honest with me.

  I’d been back in Ohio for several months and Cam and I were back together, going strong. We were both attending OSU. I lived at home and we spent whatever time we could together. I would text and talk to Brody here and there, but I never mentioned Cam. Well, one weekend Brody decided to surprise me with a little visit, but he was the one who got the surprise when he caught me with Cam.

  I felt so bad, and that’s when I realized how much Brody loved me. What I had with Cam could never measure up to the time I had with Brody. I learned that Brody was my happily-ever-after. I broke things off with Cam, but of course it was too late.

  When I left, Brody resorted to screwing every whore at NYU. He was honest and told me about them. I decided I would do whatever it took to get my man back, and, though it took me a while, I won him back. After being back together for about a year, he moved to Ohio. Then he took me to Hawaii and proposed. It was super romantic.

  I had no clue he was going to propose. Hell, I thought we were just going to live together forever. When he moved to Ohio, I knew he was serious about us. He loves his family and being in New York was hard on him. Moving to Ohio was a huge step for him. He is working for a great law firm and is actually getting ready to start his own firm. I’m content teaching at OSU. I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

  ***

  “Nikki, this is the dress shop I was telling you about. It’s called Jewels. They have every designer from here to Paris. Anything you want, they have it. I’m so excited even though my belly is going to get in the way of me trying on anything.”

  “You can still try stuff on. I want your dress to be different than the other girls. Maybe yours will be purple and theirs yellow. Will that work?”

  “Sounds good to me. I don’t want to look like big bird.”

  “Oh hush, you would not look like big bird. You will have your figure back by that time anyway.”

  We look through all the dresses and I find the one I want. I knew, as soon as I saw it, it was for me. It’s white, trimmed in a soft lilac, and strapless with a short train. The front is gathered around the bust area and has very fine lilac pearls. The matching veil is trimmed in the same color. It’s so beautiful, I gasp when I take it off the rack.

  “Li, this is it. I have to try this on. Come help me.”

  “Oh, Nik. It’s beautiful. The girls will think their aunt is a princess. Which you are, my friend. I love it. Brody is going to cry when he sees you in it.”

  I try it on and model it for Lila. “I love it. Oh my God! I have to get it! What does it look like on me? Are my boobs too big for it?”

  “Not at all, sweets. You look amazing. Damn it, I’m sorry. These are happy tears, I promise.”

  “Why are you crying?”

  “You just look so happy and beautiful.”

  I lean in and give her a hug. She’s so sweet. Although she is going through so much, she still wants to help me with the wedding.

  We are getting married here, in California. There’s a vineyard that I’ve always been fond of and when Brody said he didn’t care which state we get married in, I knew it had be here. The vineyard sits on a mountain. It’s surrounded by acres of beautiful land and there’s a gazebo that the entire wedding party will
be standing under. The reception will be at the vineyard as well.

  “I love you, Li,” I say as I kiss her cheek.

  “I love you more, bitch bag,” she snorts.

  “Now I need to find the perfect shoes and you need to try some dresses on. I saw the one I wanted for the bridal party too.”

  The wedding party is going to be small. Lila is my matron of honor, and my sisters, Casey and Carina, are my bridesmaids. Evan is the best man, and Zander and Mason will be Brody’s groomsmen. We aren’t sure how everything will play out with the whole Lila, Liam and Evan, Tatum situation, but they are our best friends. They have to behave on our special day.

  We plan to have our bachelor and bachelorette parties the night before the wedding. I hope Brody will be able to get Liam, Ashton, and Evan all together. Brody knows that Ashton was my first. He isn’t too thrilled with the idea of including him, but Ashton has changed and he and I are friends now.

  “Lila, this color looks great with your complexion. I can’t believe you are having another baby.” I can feel tears welling in my eyes.

  “Aww, what’s wrong? Why are you crying?”

  “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just remembering seeing you in that hospital bed, not knowing if and when you would wake up. We are so lucky that you are here.”

  I’m so thankful for my friend. I don’t know what I would have done without her. I can’t let her know what’s going on with me, not now. I will tell her when the time is right. I don’t need her to get upset and ask questions that I have no answers for. Hell, I haven’t even told Brody all of it. I hope it turns out that nothing’s wrong and I won’t have to tell them at all.