by Lexy Timms
While he spoke to one of the birthing nurses, Charity let her head fall back on the bed. She closed her eyes and tried to relax, but she was too over-exhausted to stop her brain from running on overdrive. She couldn’t believe what had transpired in the past thirty hours. One moment it was just her and Elijah, then the next she couldn’t imagine how it could only be the two of them. One teeny, tiny little fighting heartbeat had changed her forever.
She wanted to hold her baby again, hating being apart from Jamie and Elijah. As two nurses pushed her bed out of the room, she opened her eyes. “How soon will the anesthetic wear off? I want to go see how Jamie is doing.” She ran her hands over her soft, now smaller belly. “What if she needs to feed? We can’t wait that long, right? I’m going to breastfeed. They won’t feed her a bottle and then she won’t take my breast right? They’ll ask me first?”
The birthing nurse smiled. “We will bring Jamie to you as soon as she is allowed out. You should rest for a bit. You won’t get much sleep when the baby comes home. Let us take care of the extra work.”
Charity lay back a moment, but her brain fired off more questions as she watched the fluorescent hospital lights slide by above her. “Can I call Elijah? Find out how things are going? What if she needs me? What if something’s wrong and I’m lying around waiting? I’m not going to sleep until I see her and know she’s alright.”
Charity wasn’t going to give up, the nurse must have realized it. She sighed. “How about we get you changed and set up in your new room? While they transfer your things, we’ll go see your baby.”
Charity wanted to argue to go there straight away. However, she decided not to push her luck. “Thank you.”
Chapter 18
Miraculously Jamie spent the night in NICU. She did not need any help with breathing, and her sucking/swallowing reflexes kicked in after only a few attempts at breastfeeding. The peeds doctor wanted Jamie under the bilirubin lights since she was such a preemie. It helped keep her warm also while Charity waited for the freezing to wear off.
True to Dr. Govender’s word about her father, Elijah and Charity had a room right beside the NICU main unit. By morning, Jamie was in there with them. Elijah hadn’t left the hospital. He stayed with Jamie when Charity finally had to admit she needed to sleep.
In the morning she woke to Elijah holding Jamie, showing her the view from the window. She grimaced when she rolled onto her back, unaccustomed to the soreness in her abdomen. She turned back to her side and set the bed up so she could sit.
As the bed slowly moved, she wiggled her toes and tested out how much of the anesthetic had worn off. She lifted her knee, loving the feeling coming back.
“Mum’s awake, Jamie.” Elijah smiled, his five o’clock shadow darker, matching his hair now. It gave him a new, sexy look.
Charity wondered how it would feel against her lips, and other parts of her skin. She pushed the thought out of her head. “How’s she doing?”
“Holding strong.” He carefully handed the baby over to Charity. “The pediatrician said if you wanted to try feeding her again to go ahead.”
Charity stared down at the sleeping, little bundle in her arms. Strangely, she wasn’t overwhelmed with a flood of happy emotions, but rather, a sense of incredulousness. She had just gone through the hardest thing in her life and she was exhausted. At least little Jamie felt the same. They had been through it together. She unbuttoned her pajama top and mimicked what the pediatrician had showed her last night.
Jamie stirred and without opening her eyes, she opened her pink mouth and tried to latch onto Charity’s nipple. How could she be so perfect? Teeny tiny and amazingly healthy.
Her father would be on his way to the airport to pick Elijah’s mother up. Last night he had asked Elijah and her if they would consider buying his house. He wanted to move and wasn’t sure if Charity would want to raise her baby where her mother had raised her. They suddenly had the opportunity to own both their childhood homes. It all felt surreal. Like everything was a dream.
She smiled when Jamie’s petite hand rested on her breast. “How did it feel for you to hold your baby for the first time yesterday?” Charity wanted to know if he had a unique moment, or if he had taken everything in and accepted it long before it had happened. He seemed capable of handling everything life threw at him. She knew for her there was love, she just didn’t know what it meant yet.
“You mean that utterly life changing, amazing, scary, happy, humbling, incredibly exhausting moment?”
Charity nodded, too dumbfounded to speak.
Elijah shrugged. “Nah, it didn’t happen.” Then he winked at her.
If she hadn’t been holding Jamie, she’d have thrown a pillow at him.
He came and sat beside her on the hospital bed, kissing her and then the top of their baby’s head. He sighed contently. “I could go on and on. I have two incredible, show-stopping moments in my life; the day you and I got married, and the moment when Jamie was born.” He smiled down at their baby. “All two have led, and will continue to lead, to other awesome moments, but those two, are the best.”
“I love you.”
“It’s a gorgeously, fantastic day.” Elijah kissed her softly on the lips and reached to stroke Jamie’s miniscule hand. He sat quietly watching Jamie open her small mouth against Charity’s breast. “Yesterday, I didn’t know what was going to happen. If you were going to be okay, if our baby was…” He inhaled a sharp breath. “I couldn’t—I can’t lose either of you. Ever.”
Charity didn’t think her heart could get any fuller. “I’d like to save this moment and tuck it away. Keep it locked safe in my heart and remember it forever.”
They sat silent, savoring the moment, already into the best chapter of their lives.
THE END
NOTE FROM AUTHOR
To Saving Forever’s readers;
I can’t believe I’m writing the last note of Elijah and Charity’s story! I never thought you would love their journey as much as I have. Thank you for letting me write, not only one or two parts, but continue it on. I never imagined I would have a book published, let alone a shirtless man on the cover and then a pregnant mommy!
I hope you will continue to stay in touch with me through social media and keep reading! It’s been an incredible journey thus far!!
I have a new “Bosses” series coming out soon, and am currently working on my College Sport Romance series. Check through the next pages for covers and samples of them!
Thank you for making my dream come true,
Lexy Timms
https://www.facebook.com/SavingForever
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The Recruiting Trip
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Excerpt included!
The Recruiting Trip
Aspiring college athlete Aileen Nessa is finding the recruiting process beyond daunting. Being ranked #10 in the world for the 100m hurdles at the age of eighteen is not a fluke, even though she believes that one race, where everything clinked magically together, might be. American universities don’t seem to think so. Letters are pouring in from all over the country.
As she faces the challenge of differentiating between a college’s genuine commitment to her or just empty promises from talent-seeking coaches, Aileen heads to the University of Gatica, a Division One school, on a recruiting trip. Her best friend dares who to go just to see the cute guys on the school’s brochure.
The university’s athletic program boasts one of the top hurdlers in the country. Tyler Jensen is the school’s NCAA champion in the hurdles and Jim Thorpe recipient for to
p defensive back in football. His incredible blue-green eyes, confident smile and rock hard six pack abs mess with Aileen’s concentration.
His offer to take her under his wing, should she choose to come to Gatica, is a tempting proposition that has her wondering if she might be with an angel or making a deal with the devil himself.
The Recruiting Trip
By
Lexy Timms
Copyright 2014 by Lexy Timms
UNIVERSITY of GATICA SERIES
The Recruiting Trip
Faster
Higher
Stronger
Dominate
Citius, Altius, Fortius
Prologue
From: Coach Anderson ([email protected])
Date: Sat, November 1, 2015 at 12:34PM EST
Subject: GO REDCOATS!
To: Aileen Nessa ([email protected])
Hi Aileen,
I am so excited to contact you again. Since we last spoke in September, I have been looking forward to this chance to get to know more about you. You’re an amazing athlete, extremely talented and fun to watch. You have a great attitude, work ethic and passion for our sport. I know you would be a great fit with our program. I hope you know how excited I am about you as a potential student-athlete at University of Gatica.
I know you are getting tons of pressure from other universities, most of which want an early verbal commitment but I hope you hang in there with us and that you give yourself the time you need to make the best possible decision for yourself. I believe you have the talent and ability to not only gain admission to Gatica, but be a future leader in our program and an impact performer on our team.
As we discussed early in September, the best weekend for an unofficial visit to campus would be February 10-12. We are hosting an indoor meet that weekend and would love it if you had a chance to see the Red Coats in action. Of course, if that doesn’t work we will host you any time that’s convenient for you.
Coach Maves, the sprint coach will be communicating with you regularly via email to share information about Gatica. If you have any questions or would like to chat, I am always available by email or phone.
I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best wishes,
Coach Anderson
Coach Anderson
Head Coach, Woman + Men’s Track and Field
[email protected]
The Recruiting Trip Sample
Chapter 1
“Aileen… N-Nessa?”
She nodded as she swung her back pack over her shoulder. “That’s me.” A guy jostled past her mumbling something about baggage claim sucking.
The chauffer driver tucked the sign with her name printed on it under his arm and took her small carryon suitcase. “First time coming to Gatica?”
“It is.” She glanced around the airport wondering why one of the coaches at the University of Gatica hadn’t come to greet her. It seemed weird. Sort of. She had no idea what proper protocol was. Were coaches required to meet recruits when they arrived? Or was a shuttle service completely legit?
She had been on four other recruiting trips, the last on two months ago in Miami. The sprint coach there had picked her up from the airport, but the university was about fifteen minutes away from the school.
The chauffer led her outside. She dug through her bag and slipped her sunglasses on against the bright sun.
“You here on a recruiting trip?” The chauffer glanced at her. “Volleyball?”
She shook her head. “Track.”
“Cool.” He loaded the ‘U of G Travellers’ van. “The memo says to drop you off Wavertree Fieldhouse. It holds the indoor track and the girls’ volleyball gym. They have a gym off the track and then a court set up in the middle of the track for games. It’s pretty impressive to watch a game courtside or up in the bleachers above the track.”
Aileen nodded, pretending to be interested. She couldn’t picture what he meant. Her indoor track was a gym at the high school. Basketball, volleyball, badminton or whatever sport was going on at the time shared the gym with her. Her coach happened to be her high school gym teacher and he was awesome. He wanted her to go to Connecticut or Louisiana, somewhere with a strong woman’s track program. She agreed.
U of G had been a last minute choice for her final recruiting trip because of their near Ivy League status – and the fact that the super-hot looking male NCAA champion happened to attend the school.
Aileen’s best friend, Becky, had dared her to go. She had gone through all the brochures at Aileen’s house and said she needed to go on one recruiting trip based on something other than track. Becky had insisted U of G because of the hot guys. Aileen had said yes because of Tyler Jensen.
She had watched him race at the USTAF championships last summer. He had this amazing physique, all muscle with no fat and a six pack which really should be referred to as a twelve pack. However it wasn’t his body that always had her staring at him, it was his face. The short, perfectly cropped hair against his naturally tanned skin and those unbelievable eyes.
She had picked U of G in the hopes of talking to him close up just so she could figure out what his eye color really was.
It was ridiculous. Stupid. She knew it, but nobody knew the real reason she had come to Gatica except Becky, and she only knew half of it. Aileen had never voiced her silly crush out loud. Nobody knew, and she planned to keep it that way.
“Ms Nessa?” The grandfather aged chauffeur lifted his foot off the gas. “Are you alright?”
She tuned back into the present and realized they were on the highway. “Sorry, pardon?”
“I was just wondering if you needed a drink. We’ve got about an hour and a half before we reach Gatica. Do you need anything?”
“No thanks. I’ve got a bottle of water here.” She could feel the heat in her cheeks but refused to acknowledge it. She stuffed her ear buds in and turned her iPod on, hoping it would defer monsieur chauffeur from chatting.
It didn’t work.
“So, where are you from?”
She paused hoping he would think she couldn’t hear him. When he repeated the question louder, she imagined her mother sitting beside her giving her the look. “From Ohio. Bucyrus.”
“What event do you do?”
“Hurdles.”
“Sprint or four hundred?”
“Sprint.”
“Are you any good?”
Aileen shrugged. “Pretty good for high school. Not so sure about university level.” She had spent the past year and half comparing her times to NCAA students. If she compared her personal best to last year’s outdoor rankings she would be second. Her indoor times this year weren’t so great, only because her coach wanted to focus on the upcoming summer and trying to make the World Junior Championships. However she wasn’t going to brag to a total stranger. She had to believe in herself, not make other people believe.
“Well you’ve got five years to find out.” His walkie talkie two-way radio buzzed and a woman’s voice came through the line. Mr. Chauffeur replied.
Aileen leaned back against the bench and closed her eyes. Her flight had been early this morning. She was tired but could never sleep while travelling. She went over her high school coach’s instructions for training. They usually planned a hard workout for Fridays so she could take Saturday easy.
He hadn’t been impressed with her decision to use her last recruiting trip on U of G and made today’s workout tougher than usual. When she moaned about it, his only sympathy came by saying she could do the workout Saturday instead. She still had to do it.
It sucked having to call the coach here in Gatica the day before she left and ask if she would be able to use the weight room and possibly the track. At least Coach Anderson had been totally understanding and said it wouldn’t be a problem. With the track meet tomorrow she could use it today or possibly early tomorrow morning.
Guess it all depended on what she would be doing on the trip. She didn’t think
tonight would be late. The athletes had their meet tomorrow. Doing the workout in the morning seemed easier than trying to squeeze it in today. Coach Anderson had mentioned a campus tour today before practice at three o’clock.
She peeked at her watch. If the chauffeur drove at least the speed limit, they would arrive just before lunch.
“Did you know we have a good hurdler here already?” The chauffeur turned the radio down and looked at her in the review mirror.
Aileen blinked and ran the question over in her head. She thought she knew who all the hurdlers were. Gatica had a good multi eventer who could hurdle, but no strong female sprint hurdlers. “Who?”
“Tyler Jensen.” He nodded. “That boy’s extremely talented. Athletically, and I read in the paper the other day he’s up for making the dean’s list in academics. He’s taking some kind of sport major.”
She nodded. She knew exactly who Tyler Jensen was. His beautiful, chiselled face graced the cover of the track brochure and his long, muscular body hovered over a hurdle on the inside. He had these amazing coloured eyes. They looked green, or blue, or grey. She couldn’t decide from the picture or from the times she had watched him race this summer.
They had both competed at nationals. She was a nobody junior and he the NCAA champion. She had watched all his races at nationals and felt his disappointment when he finished fourth in the finals. It was a good, clean race until the last hurdle when he stumbled slightly and lost a placing from it. Third would have meant a trip to the World Championships.
She didn’t even make the finals. She came ninth, one place away from the finals. Last summer she turned eighteen while at nationals. Her mom and dad had come to watch her race and taken her out for ice cream afterwards. She hadn’t cared, two weeks before she had placed fourth at junior nationals and missed making the Can-Am international meet.