Cherri stood back to stare at the mural she has just finished painting on her child’s wall. Clouds. Colin had suggested a team of little footballers decked in the colors of Manchester United but she vetoed it. She wanted her baby’s room to be happy and peaceful, a place he or she could grow with. It was almost done now, and for some reason Cherri couldn’t identify, she felt pulled to this room. Some days she would just sit in the plush rocking chair Colin had made for her and stare at her surroundings. All the furniture was made or restored by her baby’s father and grandfather, who had both gone a little overboard as she was nearing the end of her pregnancy. Magnus had bought so many toys they could open a store, and Colin … He wouldn’t allow her within three feet of the shop, fearing she would give birth the moment she did any work. But that was okay with her for once. Impending motherhood had been taking up all her free brain cells. It was times like this she wished Baba were around. Yesterday had marked five months without her, and Cherri wished that the old woman could have hung around long enough to see her great-grandchild. But there was no use wishing for things that couldn’t be. Magnus was going to be a wonderful grandfather. Their baby was going to be a child who was dearly loved. Cherri could ask for nothing more.
Serena hadn’t tried to contact Colin again since they had gone away, or at least Cherri didn’t think she had. Maybe she had. She trusted Colin. She did. She knew he had too much honor to sneak around behind her back, but there was still a little doubt in her mind, a little curiosity about him and the woman he used to love. It must have been a great love. It had to have been if she was still calling after all this time. If he was still so affected by her calls.
Maybe Cherri couldn’t blame the woman. If Colin and her had split she would forever think about him, because love that strong doesn’t simply fade away.
Arms wrapped around her as she stared at the wall, and as soon as she felt Colin’s hard chest against her back she sagged against him.
“Mo chuisle,” Colin whispered in her ear, which she learned from his father meant “my pulse” in Gaelic. It was her all-time favorite endearment. “What’re you thinking about?” He kissed her under her ear.
“You. I love you.”
“Charlotte.” He spun her around and kissed her till she tingled to her toes but he never returned the words. “I’m afraid you’ve got me by the bollocks, love. I couldn’t walk away from you if I tried.” He kissed down the side of her neck. “What were you thinking about, my love?”
“Everything,” she answered truthfully. “I’m thinking about being a mother. I couldn’t walk out on my child. I haven’t even met our baby yet and I know I couldn’t do it. I’m just wondering how our mothers could walk out on us.”
“I’ve asked myself that question a thousand times.”
“I found her, you know.”
“Who? Your mother?”
She nodded. “I looked her up on the Internet. She’s a singer in Reno. I have her email address. Sometimes I think about writing her.”
“What would you say?”
“I would tell her about Baba.”
“What else?”
“I’m not sure. What would you say to your mother if she reappeared?”
“Thank you.”
“Thank you?” She blinked at him.
“If it weren’t for her leaving, my life wouldn’t have turned out the way it did. I wouldn’t have come to America and met Mike and met you. Her leaving brought me to you. I wouldn’t change that. I wouldn’t go back.”
“You’re sweet.” She rested her head on his shoulder.
“I’m happy. For me there is no reason to dwell on the past. But if you want to talk to your mum, if you want to see her, we’ll make it happen.”
“I don’t need to. I have all the family I need with you.”
CHAPTER 27
All’s well that ends well …
Colin propped himself up on his elbow and gazed at his wife’s nude body. She was heavily pregnant with his child, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn’t seem to keep his hands off her. Even now he couldn’t stop himself from trailing the tips of his fingers across her chest. Her breasts were so pretty and full, her nipples more sensitive than they had ever been. He ran his palm beneath one breast, then cupped it. Testing its weight.
“You know those aren’t going to belong to you anymore once the baby is born.”
He looked up at her to find her smiling at him. So damn beautiful, his young wife. And she was happy. Half the time she walked around with a tiny smile on her face, for no reason at all. It made getting up in the morning easy. Looking at her made his chest swell to the point it felt like bursting. A year ago he wouldn’t have imagined that his life could be this good. His business was booming. His father was with him. He was going to become a father. It was all because of her.
You sound like a bloody lass, you wanker.
Sod off.
He didn’t care. His wife made him happy.
“I saw them first.” He bent to kiss where her heart beat and then brushed a kiss over both her nipples, causing her to shiver with delight. “Besides, we’ll use them for entirely different purposes.” He ran his hand along her rib cage, over her belly, down her hips, to her thighs, in between her legs.
“I swear there is something wrong with you. I’m as big as a house and you get randy every time you see me.”
It was true. It was just after noon, the sun was blazing into their bedroom window. This lovemaking session had not been planned but she’d accidentally rubbed up against him as she was making lunch in the kitchen. He couldn’t help himself. He pulled her upstairs and made love to her until she was incoherent.
“You can tell me no, Charlotte. It’ll be hard but I can contain myself.”
“Why would I say no? I get to spend a couple of hours every day having a beautiful man worship my super-sized body.”
He grinned at her. “Forgive me, mo chuisle, but I’m afraid you’re going to have to put up with me one more time before I go back to work.”
“Woe is me.” She grinned but opened her arms and welcomed him once more.
Forty-five minutes later they reemerged, lunch still forgotten on the kitchen counter. Colin was supposed to be heading back to the shop but he didn’t feel like working much today. They had just a few weeks until their son came, until their lives changed forever, and while he was more excited than he had ever been, he knew they would never be like this again. He wanted to spend as much time with his wife as possible.
He led her outside into the warm August day, stuck his head into the shop, and yelled, “Pop, cover for me here. I’m going to take Charlotte for ice cream.”
“Bring me back a triple-thick chocolate milk shake.”
“Aye.” He slapped his leg as he took the leash off the hook next to the door. “Come, Rufus. We’ll get you a cone, too.”
“Ice cream.” Cherri’s face lit up as Rufus happily trotted up to them. “Can I have hot fudge and whipped cream and a cherry?”
“Of course, love.”
“On a cone?”
“We’ll ask for it on the side.” He grinned at her.
“Mmm. Heaven. Let’s walk there. I’m going to need to burn off all the ice cream.”
He locked his fingers with hers and started down their driveway as a black BMW pulled in. He paused only to tell whoever it was that parking for the shop was around the back. But the person who got out of the car didn’t need directions.
Serena emerged from the car, looking nearly the same as the last time he’d seen her. He’d honestly never thought he would see her again. Never thought she would have the nerve to show up at the home he and his wife shared.
“Hello, Colin.” She gave him a sunny smile. It was as if all the past had somehow melted away—as if she’d forgotten that she’d betrayed his trust. That he never wanted to see her again. That he was married to his love with a baby on the way.
“Why are you here? No.” He shook his head. “I do
n’t care why you are here. Just go. I don’t want to see you. I made that perfectly clear the last time.” He looked down at Cherri, whose eyes had gone as big as saucers. “I’m so sorry, love.” What must she be thinking? He scrambled to find the words, but even he didn’t know how to explain the reemergence of his ex. “She’s my ex. I…”
Serena walked up to Cherri and touched her belly. “Look at you! You’re gorgeous and about ready to pop.”
Colin yanked Serena away from his wife. He didn’t like seeing Serena near her. He didn’t want Serena to corrupt his wife with her touch. “Don’t go near her.”
“Why not? You told me about her. I think it’s fair that she knows about me, about us.”
“There is no us. And she does know about you and your phone calls. I don’t keep anything from my wife. So if you think you’re going to show up here and try to shock her with your presence you’re wrong.” He turned to look at Cherri, who was staring at Serena wide eyes.
Fuck.
She looked hurt.
His past was haunting her. And it was time he put a stop to it once and for all. “It’s okay, love.” He gently cupped her face in his hands and kissed her. “She won’t be bothering you anymore.” He kissed her again and turned to Serena, giving her a little push toward the shop.
“I can’t believe you have the bollocks to show up at my house. You know I’m married. You know I want nothing to do with you. Have you lost your bloody fucking mind?”
“You wouldn’t see me,” Serena said in that huffy tone of voice he did not miss. “I wanted to talk to you.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” He yanked open the door, dragging Serena inside. “I’ll not have you upsetting Charlotte. Do you understand that? I got married. I don’t want you!”
“Lad?” Magnus called. “What the hell’s going on … Hey, isn’t she the slag who slept with half of the city?”
“Pop! Not now.”
Magnus frowned. “Does your wife know you’re in here with her?”
“Of course she does,” Colin snapped. “Please go outside and see to Cherri. Hopefully she hasn’t started packing her bags yet.”
Magnus scowled at him. “I’ll not tolerate you disrespecting your wife, boy. I’ll smack you right in the mouth if you do. You get her out of here fast.” He walked out, the door slamming behind him.
Before Colin could speak again, Serena reached out and draped her lean arms around him. He went rigid, unable to stand her touch. Two years and she still left a bad taste in his mouth. “Get off me.”
“I’ve missed you, Col.” She tightened her hold on him. “I miss your kisses. I miss the way you look when you get up in the morning. I miss the sex. I still love you. Just talk to me.”
He pushed her away, folding his arms across his chest. “I’m not having this conversation. It’s over. There is nothing left to say.”
“Your wife’s adorable and she’ll give you a busload of kids. She’s exactly the kind of woman you need.”
“That’s why I married her,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Yes, but she’s not all you need. I know you. I know you need excitement and busy weekends and wild sex. I can provide that for you. Cherri can’t satisfy all your needs. That’s why I came here—to suggest a little proposition. Actually that’s not why I came here at first. I was sure I was going to get you to leave her, but after seeing the girl, I know that’s never going to happen. So I’m willing to share if she is. We would only spend every other weekend together. At my place of course. I would never disrespect your wife in her home. And I understand if you can’t commit to entire weekends at first. You’ll want to spend time with your baby. But we can work out all the details later.”
Serena smiled at him as if she had it all figured out. And maybe she did. Maybe in her head this was the only way she could maintain a relationship. She was the most self-centered person in the world. She hadn’t changed a bit.
Colin shook his head. He was sad for her. That’s all he felt for her. None of the anger was present. None of the bitterness or the pain was left over. He just felt stupid for wasting any energy on this woman. “You’re cracked.”
“What?” Serena looked shocked. “You don’t want to do this? You’d honestly rather be shacked up with your innocent little wife than me. I can’t believe you can’t remember how good we were together.”
“I remember,” Colin answered truthfully. “But Charlotte is … She’s a hell of a lot better than you are.” He turned away from Serena, to spot his wife through the door. She was exactly where he’d left her, only she wasn’t alone. His father had one large arm wrapped around her and his hand on his unborn grandchild. It was foolish to think that his father would try to come on to his wife. Magnus had been nothing but fatherly to her. To him, too. He liked having his father around. “I need to get back to my family.”
* * *
“You have faith in my boy, lass. He’ll not do anything to hurt you. I’ll beat the bloody shit out of him if he does.” He gave Cherri’s belly a rub. “That’s right, wee one. I’ll kick his teeth in.”
“Magnus!” Cherri laughed despite the lump in her chest. “Kick his teeth in if you have to, but don’t tell my baby that.”
“He’s a tough one, girlie. I’m sure he’ll understand.” Magnus grew serious for a moment. “I don’t know why she’s here, Cherri, but I know my boy. He didn’t invite her. I may have screwed up some of this father stuff, but I taught him morals.”
“Yes,” she said absently. “He’s a good man. You did the best you could with him.” She watched the shop door, knowing that her husband would be coming out soon. At first when she saw Serena it felt like her world was going to crash in on her. But it was silly to doubt him. He wouldn’t leave her. Even if he wanted to. He had too much pride. He wouldn’t risk what they had worked so hard to get.
But there was pain in his eyes when he saw Serena. She knew that once he was very much in love with her. But she didn’t know how he felt now. It wasn’t easy to fall out of love with someone once you’d fallen in love with them. She knew. She would never stop loving Colin. She could be angry at him, frustrated with him, want to kill him, but she would never be able to lose all her love. It was impossible.
It might be that way for Colin. He’d kept her pictures buried in the shed for years after they’d broken up. She shouldn’t doubt her husband but it was hard knowing that under different circumstances they may have never gotten married.
“He’s coming now,” Magnus said into her ear. “I wonder what he did with the slag?”
“Would locking her in a trunk be too much to wish for?”
“Ah, lass,” Magnus chuckled. “I thought you would be more bloodthirsty.”
Colin walked toward them, his face an unreadable mask. She knew he’d sent Serena away. But she wondered what he really thought about her proposition. Was that what he really wanted? Did hearing it make him wonder if Cherri could keep him satisfied?
“Thank you, Pop. Could you go see about getting her out of my shop?”
“No problem, boy.” He squeezed Colin’s shoulder before as he went.
“Lass…”
“Do you still love her?” She couldn’t help but to ask what she had wondered for so long.
Colin blinked at her, bewildered. “Come again?”
“Are you still in love with Serena? You don’t have to lie to me, Colin. I won’t be mad. I just need to know.”
He tilted his head to the side and studied her. “And what would you think if I told you I still was?”
“That you would have a mighty hard time finding a new place to live because this is the house I am raising your son in.”
“Is that all?” he asked softly.
“No. I also think I deserve to be the only woman on your mind. The only one you want to crawl into bed with at night. The only one to satisfy you and make you excited and happy. I won’t share you with anybody else, Colin. Even if it’s only in your head, because
I love myself enough to know I’m worthy of being married to a man who wants only me.”
“Anything else, love?”
“No.” She shook her head.
He was silent for a long moment and then he began to laugh. He threw his head back until his shoulders shook with mirth.
“What is so funny?”
“You are, you daft girl.”
“Why?”
“I don’t love Serena.”
Thank you, God.
“I’ve told you that a dozen times.”
“Yeah, but that was before I saw her in person. She’s skinny and she’s got kickass arms, and she’s graceful and she doesn’t trip over her feet and she’s got perfect hair and she’s beautiful and she’s sophisticated. And I can’t blame her for wanting you.”
“You aren’t mad at her for wanting me back?”
“Oh, I could scratch her perfect blue eyes out, but I can’t blame her. I know what’s it like to be in love with you.”
“But you’re willing to leave me if I’m in love with somebody else?”
“If you want to be with her it would break my heart but I can’t hold on to you and make you unhappy if you think you’ll be happier someplace else.”
“I won’t be happier anyplace else. I married my best friend. Charlotte, I love you.”
“Do you?”
“You bloody well know I do!”
She nodded. “I do. Even though you never tell me.”
“Bloody women,” he mumbled. “Need to hear the damn words all the time. I love you, Charlotte O’Connell. I love your big feet and your big bottom and the way your hair stands on end. I love the way you ramble on about nothing and the way you smile at me and the way you get under my skin. I love you even though you don’t know who the Cranberries are. I love you. Hell, I’m obsessed with you. I got you pregnant, Charlotte. Me.” He slapped his chest. “The man who has never been careless in his life couldn’t keep his hands off you. I couldn’t stay away. I can’t stay away because I love you so damn much. It may sound like complete rubbish but seeing you pregnant with my boy makes me so damn proud because it marks you as mine. Because just to know it in here”—he pointed to his chest—“was never enough.”
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