I could feel her heart beating in her pulse as I held her hand back. The connection between us was sweet and compassionate.
“I had a miscarriage,” I whispered. “I lost our baby. I wasn’t strong enough to keep our baby safe.” My words surprised me. I was admitting the guilt I felt.
“So did I. I was five months pregnant with our little boy. My attacker didn’t care. He killed my baby with his hands and feet as he brutally attacked me. But I know that my little boy is an angel, watching over his little sister.”
As I looked up at her surprised, she continued, “Yes, that’s right. My husband and I have a baby girl, Elizabeth, who is three months old. She has someone watching over her every single minute. As she grows up, we’ll make sure she knows how special she is and how her brother watches over her.
“Alexandra, you will never forget your baby, but you will be able to move on from this in time, and once you do, you may find yourself at the same point as me, able to share your story and help others.”
“And what, magically the light goes on and I forget all this?” I uttered, then immediately wished I could take my spiteful comment back.
“No, sweetie, it doesn’t work that way, it takes time and that helps soften the blow. Look, I have a feeling we’re going to become great friends. They told me you were being discharged in the morning by special arrangements. If you need me tonight, or anytime, please call me. I’m going to call and check in on you, unless you tell me that you don’t want me to.” Tara placed her card on the table beside my bed before quietly leaving.
All alone, my thoughts and fears swarmed around me, closing in on me. I wished I could wake up and find that it was all just a nightmare. Bile rose in my throat as anger rose in my body.
Grayson finally made his way back to the room and just like he promised, he’d found hot chocolate for me, my favorite. He also carried a gift sack, since someone in the family went shopping and bought an outfit for me to wear home. I was pretty certain the shopping was Cooper’s doing. Idle time on that man’s hands meant shopping, for sure.
Grayson crawled back in bed with me.
Searching his eyes, I said, “I love you. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“I have something for you,” he said as he reached into his pocket and brought out my ring. “The FBI agents gave this to your dad. Normally, they hold items for evidence, but they took photos and released it and said that was all they needed. Can I put it back on you?”
“Yes, you can. And I want what you want, for us to get married like we had originally planned, with a destination wedding.”
His eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Do you have a time frame in mind?”
“Hmm, what are you doing next month for Thanksgiving? Our family can join us somewhere warm for a wedding over the holidays. It will probably be the best time to get everyone together, and I don’t want to wait till Christmas.”
“I love you. I want us to be together as soon as possible. We could get married tomorrow if you want.” I saw a devilish gleam in his eyes when he came closer to kiss me tenderly.
“I love you, honey. You’re my world. I don’t know what I would do without you, but I think Daddy would kill you if he heard you wanted to get married tomorrow.” I gently stroked his cheek. I craved the close connection to him. He and the baby, my little family, were all I could think about while I was being held captive.
When he raised his arm to stroke my cheek, I touched the tattoo on the back side of his forearm. When I’d asked him about it before, he said it was a long story for another time. “We have plenty of time. Why don’t you tell me the story of this tattoo?”
“It’s not a happy story. We’ve had enough sadness for today. Why don’t we talk about it later?” He put his face in my hair and drew in a deep breath, scooting close to me.
We settled in to sleep together in my hospital bed. It wasn’t exactly built for two, but I didn’t want to be alone. I only felt safe with Grayson next to me. I could feel his heart beating up against my back, and I fell asleep thinking about how my Mom always said, “The heartbeat has two sides to it.”
I couldn’t appreciate that saying when I was young, but now I knew what it truly meant. The heart gave life to the body every times it beat, filling the tired blood with oxygen. It was like each heartbeat was a fresh start… A do-over.
The next morning, I woke up to the sun just beginning to come up through my window. It was still quiet, and Grayson was still in my bed, cradling me.
Soon, my room buzzed with activity. Dr. Mason and the nursing staff came in to get me ready to leave the hospital. Grayson was briefed by the authorities facilitating our departure.
I changed my clothes with Grayson’s help, and we said our goodbyes to Dr. Mason and the nurses. Grayson gathered our things, but we were interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Alexandra, Dr. Brooks, this is Jeff, my husband, and baby Elizabeth,” Tara said, coming into the room. “We came by to check on you and to say goodbye. We’re here for you both. Know that it is truly possible to move on from your tragedy and have a special life together. I’m certain that soon you’ll have a baby of your own. Jeff and I want to keep in touch with you and maybe we can visit you in Dallas. We hope you have a safe trip home and an easy recovery, Alexandra.”
We hugged and said our goodbyes. I was grateful to have met Tara. It took extreme strength to share her story with people, and she did so with great confidence. Knowing I had someone to talk to who knew my story and felt it from the inside out was comforting. I didn’t know what God had in store for me regarding my future, but I knew that He’d sent Tara to light my path.
CHAPTER THREE
The trip home was uneventful, thank goodness. I slept most of the way, thanks to the medicine Dr. Mason had provided. When we got to the apartment, Grayson helped me into the living room and settled me on the sofa. It felt like it had been weeks since I’d left, not just a few days. Dad and Gretchen left to get settled at the hotel, Zoe went home to Brent, leaving Harrison hanging out with us for the time being.
“Let’s order pizza for lunch and find some football to watch!” I said, trying to rally my cheerful voice.
Grayson looked at me with endearing eyes and reached for me, stroking my cheek with his thumb. His eyes spoke to me long before his lips parted. “You don’t have to try so hard. We’re here for you and not going anywhere.”
His loving comment caused my eyes to water. I mouthed, “I love you.”
Cooper, trying to lighten the mood, went to get the menu. “Can I bring you guys a beer?”
Now, that was what I’d call a man after my own heart. Sure, it was early, but if it wasn’t for pain meds, I would’ve taken him up on the offer. “The beer police over here would arrest me, so I’ll pass.”
“Yep.” Grayson handed me the iPad and sat down beside me. The man obviously had a plan. He pulled me into his lap to make room for Harrison on the sofa. “So, where do you want to get married, my pet? Earlier, you mentioned somewhere warm?” He nuzzled my cheeks with his dark scruffy beard. From the looks of it, he hadn’t shaved in days.
I noticed the little things that seemed different about him. He didn’t appear as uptight where Harrison was concerned, the wrinkle between his brows was less noticeable, and his smile was wide and illuminating.
“Well, I thought about St. Kits or St. Lucia, or even Hawaii. Something on the beach without a ton of fuss. Do you have a preference, sweetheart?” I rubbed his nose with mine. I couldn’t refrain from touching him. I needed that physical connection, anything that would stop me from feeling so empty.
“How would you feel about going to Bora Bora? I found a beautiful chapel for weddings online. I was doing research on the plane. I’ve never been there, so it’ll be a new experience for both of us. Although, it is a holiday time, so we may be at the mercy of whatever’s available.”
“I know nothing about Bora Bora, except when the Kardashians went there on their TV show, so I need to l
ook it up!” Grayson raised his eyebrows at me, and I gathered he didn’t know who the Kardashians were.
I researched Bora Bora destination weddings on the internet. The Four Seasons Resort had the Aherenoa Chapel, which was very beautiful, and I loved their over-water bungalows.
I called to see what availability they had, and we were in luck. They could accommodate us with the bungalows, but the wedding chapel only had a few openings left, with beachside as their alternative. They would have the wedding coordinator make contact to start the planning process for the ceremony and reception.
“Cooper, how do you feel about shopping for a wedding gown next week? Looks like we could be getting hitched in Bora Bora at Thanksgiving, so you can help me pull this off in a month, right?” I gave him a wink. I knew he could pull off a wedding in a few days, so I wasn’t worried. Or was I?
“That’s awesome! Bora Bora, here we come. I’m so happy you’re going through with the wedding because I’ve already promised your room to Monica!”
I wouldn’t expect anything less from him, since there had never been a dull moment with him in my life. We all shared in a great laugh. We needed the humor since the quiet time seemed to reek with tension.
“Who’s Monica?” Harrison asked, obviously trying to get his mind around all of our friends who came and went.
“Monica Green, a good friend of Cooper’s.” I gave Harrison a wink. I needed time with him to catch up. Grayson hadn’t filled me in on their reconciliation, but I was certain that eventually the details would emerge when I needed to know. At least they seemed to be getting along, which was all I could ask for.
“Hey, Cooper. I’m single, so don’t forget I’ll be happy to take a look at some of these available ladies you keep talking about.” Apparently, Harrison was trying to get a hook up here in Texas before heading home to Chicago.
Men…
“Hmm, you want us to fix you up? There are some real hotties who come in and out of here. Too bad I’m taken!” Grayson was poking fun at me, but he soothed his jab with a sweet kiss on my lips.
“Monica is a cutie-pie. She has medium length dark hair, big brown eyes, medium height, and is very fit. She likes Krav Maga training, and she might just kick your ass!”
Harrison whirled around and gave me a fun glare, but we all enjoyed ourselves at his expense.
The pizza finally arrived, and I realized I hadn’t eaten much in several days. I couldn’t remember pizza tasting better and stuffed myself. While we were watching the game, I noticed Cooper was texting back and forth with someone.
After a few minutes, Monica arrived.
Aha, I knew what he had done, and Harrison busted him as well. We chatted back and forth about our plans and the apartment. She was excited about moving in with Cooper. Her roommate was getting married in November as well, so the timing was perfect.
The afternoon clicked away while we entertained company. Grayson went to open more wine. “Hey, babe, I’m going to run down to the winery and pick up more wine. Need anything while I’m out?”
“Nope, I’m good.” I reassured him with a gentle smile.
“Grayson, I got it. You stay with Alex. If Harrison will come with me, I can show him where it is, and he can help me carry stuff back.” Monica and Harrison appeared to have instant chemistry.
“Harrison has eyes for her. Did you see that?” I winked at Grayson after the couple walked out the door.
Cooper put his two cents in as well. “She practically drug him out of the chair to go with her. She has the hots for him too.”
Shame on us. We were gossiping about them as soon as they’d left. The idea of them together felt right for some reason.
When they returned, Monica told me she’d asked Harrison if she could personally show him around town.
Hmm, this meant Harrison was staying in town for a while, which was good. It was a peaceful feeling that the family was coming together.
We all bantered back and forth about the football game, but it was a pleasant diversion having a full house of people. It took my mind off of the pain and heartache we’d just suffered, even if it was only for a few stolen moments of normal. I knew what our friends and family were doing. They were surrounding us with love and comfort. Their presence kept me from the fear of being alone, and I loved that about them.
Dad and Gretchen stopped by for a brief visit, but they left to enjoy a quiet dinner. Grayson and I made plans to have dinner with them at Sambuca’s. We needed time for just the four of us to settle in and discuss wedding plans.
The guys were paying attention to the game, which gave me time to bounce wedding ideas around with Monica. Cooper left to go out with Mark, leaving just the four of us together.
When the guys made a trip to the market to pick up some things to make pasta and salad for dinner, I finally had a chance to spend girlfriend time with Monica.
"I saw Harrison touching your hand. You like him, don’t you?”
“Hmm. I’ll never tell,” she teased.
“I’m glad he’s staying around for a while. He’s a really nice guy. It would mean the world to me if he and Grayson could mend fences.”
“They seem fine. Do they not like each other?”
“There’s history there, and I don’t know the whole story, but part of it has to do with competition over the years.”
“I’m an only child, so I wouldn’t know much about that.” She shared with me how she once wanted to go into medicine, but she became addicted to fashion in college and changed her major.
She had only been in Dallas for a couple of years. She talked about how she loved her job and got to visit miraculous sites around the world, and she worked with a good deal of men. That was how she’d become familiar with mixed martial arts fighting and Krav Maga training. She promised to show me a few things when I was completely healed.
“Is it tough dealing with temperamental models?”
“Yes, some of them are dragons. In a perfect world, they would all be like Cooper. He’s so easy, always rolls with the flow. He’s gorgeous, too bad he’s not straight.”
“I know, right?” Then I changed the subject. “I’m glad Harrison went with you down to the winery. The thought of crazy people around this world makes me shudder. Why can’t we just live our lives without fear of creeps? It’s just not fair!” I spread my arms out in a bit of angry body language and knocked over her wine glass, sending shattered shards everywhere. The noise grabbed me, and for a moment, I felt like I was back in Florida in that cell again.
“Let me help you, Alex.”
“No, I can take care of it myself. You don’t have to baby me!”
We almost bumped heads, trying to pick up the mess from the floor. Her eyes were big, and her face had a blank expression, almost ashen.
I realized what I had done. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to bitch at you.”
“You’re entitled, Alex. I’ve got two ears and a big heart, if you want to talk.” She touched my arm gingerly.
“I’d rather talk about Harrison. I think he likes you,” I said, as I cleaned up the last bit of glass and wine.
“I like him too. Hey, how do you tell them apart?” She giggled and shook her head.
“Yes, they look alike, but they are very different personality wise. It took me some time studying them to tell them apart, but I didn’t have the pleasure of having them together at first. It was always one or the other. Anything you want to ask me before they get back? I don’t know their life story, but maybe I can fill you in on some of the blanks.”
“For starters, I think Harrison may be too old for me. I won’t turn thirty until the spring. Also, does he live in Chicago or just travel in and out of there? And finally, has he been married or have kids?” She was giving me reasonable questions, trying to find excuses why he couldn’t be perfect.
“Well, no ex-wives or children that I know of. Only Zoe, the sister that lives here, whom you’ve met. Their parents passed away. He has a fabulous
penthouse in Chicago. He’s a true Bears fanatic like me. He even gave me his season tickets, but I’ll be giving them back since I won’t be able to go. He’s an attorney and a venture capitalist, providing funding to start-up businesses. Money is no problem. He’s thirty-seven, that’s not too old for you, is it?”
I heard the door, and we both stopped the 20/20 on Harrison for the time being. We joined the guys in the kitchen. My handsome guy opened the wine and handed me half a glass, but not before he gave me a delicious kiss.
“Keep that up, bro’, and you’re gonna need a room!” Harrison said, smirking at Grayson.
“Hey, I got one on stand-by right around the corner!” He gave me a wink while pulling me close to him.
The guys changed our menu to steaks instead of pasta since it was a beautiful evening to grill out. Monica and I worked on the potatoes and salad while the guys tended to the grill. It was fun and lively having friends to hang out with. We had a good time watching the twins argue over who had the best grilling chops. Secretly, my heart was full of love for both of them and what it meant to have them together at last, acting normal. The sight brought tears to my eyes just as Grayson walked back in to the kitchen. I tried to turn and cover, but he busted me.
“What happened? What’s wrong?” With tight arms, he grabbed me by the shoulders and turned my face up to his. When I didn’t answer right away, he kissed the corner of my eye and then my lips. “You can tell me anything. Something happened.” He drew in a deep breath. “Care to share?” He pulled me to his chest, and I could feel his heart beating very fast.
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