He stares into my eyes, looking at me like it is the first time he has ever seen me. “I missed you. I fucked up. We fucked up. I never should have left, and you shouldn’t have let me leave. I understand why you pushed me out the door, but when I got to San Diego, and I didn’t have you…Molly, nothing was the same. I need you. I need you so much. I’m sorry for ever hurting you. I’m sorry for being selfish.”
“You have a right to be selfish, Caden.”
“I only want to be selfish with you. Like you said, my career doesn’t tuck me in at night.”
“That was an awful thing for me to say. I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry. I don’t want to mess up again. I love you. I’m asking if I can come home?”
“I love you, too! Yes! I’m so sorry, too. Never again. I never want to be without you again.”
He picks me up and sways me from side to side, making my stomach turn. “Thank you. God, I missed you. I love you.”
“There’s one more thing.” I bite my lip, turning around over my shoulder to see Kenna watching us like we are on a reality TV show. She nods, shooing me to get on with it.
“What’s that? Whatever it is, I know we can work it out.”
“I’m pregnant. I just found out. Literally, I took a test right before you knocked on the door.”
The biggest smile I have ever seen takes over his face, and when he kisses me this time, I feel our story. I feel our past and our present, and when he lays his hand on my stomach, I feel our future.
Epilogue
Caden
Nine months later…
The sounds of machines beeping would lull me to sleep if it wasn’t for the sleeping angel I hold in my arms. Molly is asleep in the hospital bed, and baby Brandon Nikolai is soundly asleep in my arms. I brush my finger over his plump cheek, wishing Brandon, her brother, could be here to witness this.
Pregnancy has been hard on Molly. She was sick all the way up until her damn due date, and I hated seeing her like that, but now that my son is in my arms, I love her so much more for dealing with it. I appreciate her more, too. The pain, the strength, and the time it takes to give birth to a damn watermelon isn’t easy. But my girl makes labor look like a breeze.
“Hey, Brandon,” I coo at my son. Posie is with Amelia’s father so we can slowly introduce them in a few days. We want Brandon to ourselves for a bit.
It’s been a crazy nine months. I quit my job here, worked in San Diego, came back, and then Dr. Rawlings retired a month ago, and he made me the new Chief of Neuro. Everything worked out. My dreams are made. I always thought I would have to leave to make them happen, but my dream has been in front of me the entire time. For all these years.
Molly and I fought, but now I knew it was because we fought from being together. “We were silly, huh? Man, you’re going to be a good-looking kid. You’re a Jackson, after all.” I situate him in my left arm more comfortably, and I pull an old, crinkled envelope out of my back pocket.
It’s the letter Brandon wrote to me. The one the attorney gave me. “You’ll be with me as I read it, right?” Brandon yawns and smacks his mouth together before settling back down.
I don’t know what made me wait so long to read it. I know that I have been scared to read it because of what happened with the voicemail. I had a lot of pain to work through, and I wanted to read it when I felt healed. With Molly asleep in bed and my son in my arms, it seems like the perfect time.
Carefully, I open the paper, and one sheet is folded inside. When I open it, my breath catches in my throat. It’s short and to the point, but nothing else needed to be said.
“Caden,
Take care of them the way I never got to.
I love you, brother.
B.”
I fold the paper up and put it back in the envelope, staring at my perfect life. I whisper to my sleeping son, “That will never be a problem.”
THE END
Marriage Mistake (Sample)
An Amazon Top 5 Bestseller
*293 Customer Reviews – 4.5 Stars
How did I end up accidentally married to this arrogant jerk?
My memory is a bit hazy, maybe you can tell me…
I had a crush. He's the boy from the other side of town.
Way out of my league.
Rich as sin, and breathtakingly gorgeous.
No way he would ever notice me.
Turns out he did.
The boy I wanted is now a man.
And nothing like the charmer of my teenage fantasies.
He's ruggedly handsome, hot as sin, and knows exactly how to drive me wild.
I can’t control myself around him.
If only I'd listened to reason.
Now, I’m knocked up and married to this domineering billionaire.
Can you tell me how we ended up here?
Prologue
Grant
I push him back further, forcing my body between him and Emma so he can't see her. He doesn't deserve to even look at her. He tries to hold his ground, but he's no match for my size, not to mention the righteous anger coursing through me. I take another step forward, driving him back until he's at the door. One shove pushes the storm door open and sends him stumbling backward onto the porch. The impact seems to snap him out of the shock of my arrival, and he scrambles to his feet to face me. I don't hesitate to step through the door after him. He's out of the house, but I want to make sure he understands he is never welcome back here.
Reaching forward, I grab a handful of his shirt and yank him close to me.
"Get away from here, asshole," I growl.
He hesitates for a moment.
"No," he spits back, shifting his weight to force me down the steps and onto my knees on the sidewalk.
He jumps down the steps behind him, and I turn around just in time to stop him from burying his elbow into the back of my neck. Surging forward, I catch him by his legs, toppling him to the ground.
"Stop it!" Emma shouts from the door.
I ignore her, crawling over to the prone figure on the ground in front of me, and burying my knee in his protruding gut as I pull my fist back and smash it into his face. There's a satisfying crunching sound accompanied by a deep groan, but an instant later, he forces his shoulders up and sends me onto my side. He returns my punch, and finds just enough energy to kick out, hitting me square in the stomach. Suddenly he's on his feet, rushing back to the porch. The wet grass is slippery beneath my feet, but I dig my shoes into the mud and push myself up. I've only taken one step forward when I hear Emma's blood-chilling scream.
End of sample. Click here to continue reading Marriage Mistake.
About the Author
R.S. Lively is a romance writing duo consisting of Ruth Scott and Lauren Lively. With every page you turn, their passion for books and love of romance jumps out. Their novels are guaranteed to bring you laughter, and light up your day/night. If you're looking for a beautiful, sexy, funny, and sweet romance... You'll love their wonderful creations!
Also by R.S. Lively
Her Protector
Lucky Daddy
Married To The Enemy
The Mistake
Marriage Mistake
The Protector
My Billionaire Protector
Not Over You
Hate To Love
Accidentally Royal
Keeping Up With R.S. Lively
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Unexpected Gift Page 25