Protecting Her: A Romance Bundle

by Mia Ford

  When we pulled up, Tiffany came out front, her hair pulled back halfway, wearing a pair of wide legged, flowy white pants and tucked in button up silk top. She walked carefully in her heels and pulled the hair out of her dangling diamond earrings. She looked at me and smiled as she climbed into the car, pulling her peacoat closed and kissing me on the cheek with her cherry stained lips. She looked amazing, like the woman I had seen so many times walking around the office with confidence and allure. I didn’t know if it were me or just the way time healed all wounds, but for the first time since everything started, she looked like her old self again. Her cheeks glowed in the evening light, and she had even painted her fingernails a light pink. She clutched a bottle of wine she had bought my parents and her clutch that I recognized from the party. She was absolutely stunning in a way I had never thought of a woman before.

  “You think they will freak?” She looked at me, slightly worried.

  “No,” I laughed. “Freaked would be if I brought home a goth girl or someone from the Bronx. Surprised, probably, but no matter what, I want you to know how absolutely beautiful I think you are.”

  She smiled and turned to watch the passing scenery out the window. I wanted to protect everything about this girl, and as far as I knew, my parents were still unaware of who my mystery girl really was. I assumed there was a possibility that Jordan had told them, but I didn’t think he would have. However, I did duly note to myself that there weren’t very many things I could actually trust when it came to my brother anymore. For all I knew, he ran right over to their room after Saturday morning’s explosion and told them what happened. At the same time, he didn’t want them to know why he had divorced Tiffany, so he was probably keeping as much to himself as he could for as long as he could. He knew my parents would chastise him for it. I was almost glad he did what he did, not that Tiffany had gotten hurt but because it gave me the opportunity to be with her, show her what love was really supposed to be like and have her show me the same.

  When we pulled up, my parents were standing on the front steps, holding each other’s hands. They couldn’t see through the tinted windows of the car, and I looked over at Tiffany, grasping her hand, reassuring her that no matter what, everything would be okay. She smiled through the nerves that we were both feeling and grabbed onto her bottle as I stepped from the car and greeted my parents. My mother hugged me and my father shook my hand before turning to the darkened area of the open door.

  “I’d like you to meet my date,” I said as Tiffany emerged smiling at them. “I think you know Tiffany.”

  There was a brief moment of silence where everyone stood stunned.

  “Oh, my God,” my mother said excitedly as she ran forward and hugged Tiffany tightly. “You are the mystery girl! This is beyond amazing. I just love you so much.”

  Relief flew through me, and I let out a deep breath as I read the happiness growing on my father’s face. He walked forward with his arms out, laughing and shaking his head. He embraced her and hugged her tightly.

  “This is just the best surprise,” he said quietly. “Seriously, we missed you so much.”

  My father turned to me as my mother talked and laughed with Tiffany. He shook my hand and slapped me on the shoulder. We both turned and looked at Tiffany and my mother.

  “Does he know?” My father asked the question I’m sure was plaguing his mind since the moment Tiffany stepped from the car.

  “Yeah.” I sighed, and we exchanged a meaningful look. “We never meant to hurt him. It was a hard discovery for him.”

  “Well,” my father said, putting his arm around my shoulder. “Maybe he should have held on tighter and not made rash, unfair decisions about Tiffany. Everyone deserves to be happy. He’ll get over it. Besides, he brought that redhead from the party the other night. She is sitting uncomfortably in the living room. I had forgotten to take that last wedding photo down, and she saw it. It's in the drawer now.”

  My father chuckled as we turned and walked toward the house, my mother and Tiffany trailing behind us. As we entered, I could see the girl stand up and reach for Jordan’s hand. Jordan walked into the light and looked over at me, a stern look on his face. As I approached, he reached out and shook my hand, nodding at Tiffany kindly.

  “Jason,” he said. “This is Rosalie. I don’t think you had a chance to meet before.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I said, shaking her hand. “This is my date, Tiffany.”

  Tiffany smiled kindly and nodded her head at Rosalie who crinkled her forehead, confused. She looked up at Jordan and back at Tiffany, not understanding at all why his ex-wife was standing in front of her. Tiffany took in a deep breath and winked at Jordan, walking forward and taking Rosalie’s hands in hers.

  “I know it’s strange,” she whispered. “But don’t feel uncomfortable. Jordan and I were never meant to be together. And yes, I’m dating his brother. Just let it all out. You’ll feel better about the situation once you accept it.”

  I watched as Tiffany tried to console Jordan’s date and thought about how adorable it was. It was just another example of how amazing of a woman she really was, always looking out for other people’s feelings. She sat down next to Rosalie and poured her a shot of whiskey, handing it to her and watching as she took it back. When Rosalie had swallowed, she looked at Tiffany and burst out in laughter. I had to admit, if I were here, I’d probably have reacted the same exact way. Jordan rolled his eyes and shook his head, walking over to the mantle and looking at the pictures of us as kids that lined the shelves. I turned toward the dining area as my mother cleared her throat. It really was impressive, the amazing amount of food she had spent all day cooking.

  I sat down next to Tiffany, and we stared across the table at Jordan and Rosalie. There was a slightly awkward moment, but just like Tiffany always did, she poured some wine and broke into the conversation, trying to make Rosalie feel comfortable. If anyone knew how nerve-racking it could be there for the first time, it was Tiffany. She hadn’t come from an affluent background so just sitting at the huge mahogany table in the grand dining room of my parent's mansion could be extremely overwhelming, not to mention that the situation wasn’t quite normal these days. My mother smiled and winked at me as she passed the potatoes, knowing I was happy for the first time in a very long time.

  I gazed over at Tiffany as she laughed loudly and talked about life with the other people at the table. Her fair skin and rosy cheeks sparkled in the dim lights of the chandelier, and I couldn’t help but notice just how amazing she looked. She turned and caught me staring at her as I sat back from the table to listen to everyone. She winked at me and squeezed my hand before turning back to Jordan and Rosalie who were telling the story of how they met. We hadn’t realized that the night in the bar when he’d left with her wasn’t the first time they had met. Either way, I didn’t care, I was mesmerized by the beautiful woman sitting next to me, laughing loudly as Rosalie talked about my brother’s clumsiness. She really could make anyone feel comfortable in any situation. She was the light that lit up every room she walked into. I squeezed her hand as they continued to talk through the evening, so glad that everything had turned out the way that I wanted.

  There was no shaking it, I was falling in love with this girl. Head over heels in love.

  Chapter Twenty

  Tiffany

  I always hated doctor’s offices, and especially with the rash of news that completely turned my life upside down recently. I knew that turning my life on end was a good thing since I had realized I shouldn’t have ever been with Jordan, but the baby things were still really numb in my chest. I had spent so much time over the last month dealing with the end of my marriage and the beginning of whatever it was Jason and I had, that I had put the fact that I couldn’t have children in the back of my mind. However, sitting here in this paper gown with my feet dangling over the edge of the paper-covered doctor’s chair, brought a striking feeling to my heart. I always thought by now, I would be pregnant, getti
ng ready to start a family with my husband, but instead, I was divorced and I didn’t even know if I’d ever have my own child. I looked around the room at all the pictures on the walls, staring at the happy mothers, staring at the happy fathers, and looking past them to the baby that always seemed so perfect. In reality, those women were the lucky ones, the ones who got to enjoy their time with their families, enjoy getting pregnant, prancing in and out of doctor’s appointments, in awe at the life dancing across the sonogram screen.

  I was jealous, there was no two ways about it. These women had everything they ever wanted, and I was struggling to even think about having a child at all. I hopped down from the chair and walked around the room, the tiled floor cold underneath my bare feet. I looked at the different pictures on the walls depicting a woman’s uterus. I ran my finger down to the ovaries and thought about the disease that plagued mine. I had been healthy my whole life. Nothing even as much as a strong cold ever kept me down. My mother hadn’t become a junkie until after I was born, so I’d managed to skirt any complications from her drug use, except for the occasional emotional issue that I had being left without a family. It was times like these, I wish I had a mother to run to, to talk to, and to feel comforted by. Sure, Lily would be more than happy to be there for me, but until I knew Jason and I were going to be long-term, I didn’t want to get close with her again. I knew if I had no real ties to the family, eventually, they would lose interest in me, and I didn’t want to feel that heartbreak all over again. I sat back down on the chair and looked up as the doctor walked back in.

  “Okay, Tiffany,” he said with a kind smile. “I got all your tests entered in, and now, we wait. It should only take a day or two to get the results, and then we can go from there. You are free to go, and we will call you as soon as we get the results.”

  “Thank you,” I said with a shy smile. “So, what does that mean? Do you think there’s a chance I will have options?”

  “I think that if your blood work comes back clean,” he said, shrugging, “we will have a ton of options to discuss. I've seen cases much worse than yours end up happy in the end. Just relax, breathe deeply, and let’s wait for the results. Once I have those in my hands, I’ll be able to really give you a definitive answer.”

  “Okay,” I said, forcing a smile.

  “I’ll see you in a couple of days.” He left the room, shutting the door behind him to give me privacy.

  I wanted to get dressed, but I couldn’t seem to force myself to move from the spot where I was. There were so many things to think about, and my mind was all over the place. What if I could have children? What would Jason say? What would Jordan say? I knew I didn’t want him back. I had already decided we weren’t right for each other, but I still couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened if he had taken the time to look up doctors, do research, and wait for this amazing second opinion. Just the thought of it made me realize even more that Jordan wasn’t right for me. He gave up before there was any definitive proof of anything. He ran without a thought in his mind, and honestly, it might have been the best thing in the entire world for me. But now that I had options but no husband, it was kind of a moot point. I mean, I could have a child on my own, but I didn’t want to. I wanted a family with someone I loved. I guess having the knowledge that I could even have children when I was ready was enough peace of mind to fully move on from all of this and look forward toward the future. That’s exactly what Jason wanted for me, and that was what I was going to take from all of this.

  I got dressed quickly, not wanting to spend any more time in the doctor’s office than I had to. I texted Jason that I was done, and he asked to meet me at the café by work for lunch. I smiled at the thought of drinking a hot coffee, snuggled up in a booth next to him. I pulled on my jacket and left the office, grabbing a cab and heading toward the café. The entire time in the cab, I thought about the tests. Would this doctor tell me the same things everyone else had? My biggest fear was that all of this was for nothing, and I would have gotten my hopes up just to have them shot down. I guess knowing was better than going the rest of my life wondering, but I wasn’t sure if I could take another blow, especially for something I hadn’t really come to terms with yet. I took in a deep breath and pushed the thought from my mind, deciding that I needed to be positive. And for God’s sake, I had taken a long enough break from life. It was time to jump back in and move forward instead of just standing still.

  When I arrived, Jason was waiting and he opened the cab door for, taking my hand and helping me up onto the curb. I wrapped my arms around him and buried my face in his neck, taking in a deep breath of his cologne, which calmed my nerves. He pulled back and smiled, kissing me on the forehead and looking deep in my eyes for some kind of answers. I smiled softly at him, letting him know I was okay. He took my hand, and we walked into the café, grabbed a table at the back, and waited for our lunch to be ready.

  “So,” he said smiling. “How did it go?”

  “He seems to think that as long as my tests come back the same as before, there are options for me to get pregnant when I’m ready,” I said excitedly. “I mean I’m trying not to get too ahead of myself, but this is just such amazing news.”

  “That is amazing news,” Jason said, clinking his coffee cup against mine.

  “I just don’t want to be let down,” I said with a sigh. “So, I am trying to keep my mind busy. I decided that I am coming back to work. I want to start back tomorrow and hit the ground running. I’ve had too much time off, and I’m ready.”

  “Well, I will be more than happy to have you back,” he said, kissing my cheek. “I just want to know that you’re doing everything at your own pace.”

  “I am.” I smiled. “You are always looking out for what’s best. You are so good to me.”

  “You deserve it.” He looked like he wanted to say something else, but he stopped himself and took a sip of his coffee instead.

  We spent his lunch hour talking about me coming back to work, what that meant for me, and what that meant for the company. He was genuinely excited to have me back at the office, and to be honest, I was just as excited to be back. I still needed to call John and let him know, but there was no way he would argue with it, especially with the piles of files that seemed to be increasing every time I walked into the office. Not only would this get everything off my mind, but I would also get to see Jason every day, which was a really awesome bonus to all of this. He had been my rock, and I hadn’t even expected it. Each time he looked at me, touched me, or was even in the same room as me, I immediately felt better. A crazy calm would roll over me like a wave, and I loved every second of it. He reached over and touched my hand, sending chills down my back, and I smiled, feeling safe and secure. When he looked down at his watch, signaling he was running out of time, my stomach almost dropped, but I told myself it was okay. I just needed to make it through the night, and I would be back in action, lots of things to keep my mind busy.

  “I have to get back,” Jason said with disappointment in his voice. “We have meetings today, and now that you aren’t the mystery girl anymore, they aren’t really cutting me any slack.”

  “Aw.” I stuck out my bottom lip. “I understand. Text me later if you aren’t busy.”

  “Of course.” He stood and leaned over to kiss my forehead. “Do you want me to get you a cab?”

  “No,” I said, looking down at my coffee. “I’m going to hang out here for a little bit and enjoy my last afternoon of freedom before it’s back to the grind. I have to call your father anyway and tell him.”

  “I can tell him for you,” he said, smiling.

  “No, I better be the one to make that call,” I said. “We have to at least give the illusion that we’re going to try to be professional at work.”

  “Pfft,” Jason laughed. “No problem.”

  He kissed me again and walked out of the door. Once he was no longer in sight, I picked up my phone and dialed Mona, wanting to let her know how the doctor
’s appointment went. I knew she was waiting for my phone call, almost as excited as I was to know that I had options.

  “Hey,” I said when she answered.

  “So,” she said impatiently. “How did it go?”

  “It looks like there is a good chance I might still be able to have a baby,” I said excitedly. “The doc is going to call me as soon as the test results come back.”

  “Oh, Tiff, that is so amazing,” she said with a deep breath releasing from her lungs. “Are you happy?”

  “Yeah.” I sighed, part relief and part exhaustion. “It’s a lot to process.”

  “Do you think you will get back with Jordan if babies are possible?”

  “What? No.” I laughed. “I realized very quickly that Jordan and I weren’t meant to be in any shape or form. If I can have children, they will not be his. He lost that shot when he walked away before he even tried to see if anything could be done.”

  “I understand,” she said.

  “To be honest,” I said with a pause. “I am pretty positive that I’ve fallen in love with Jason.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Jason

  I got to work extra early, setting up Tiffany’s desk and putting a dozen white roses on her desk. I made sure the dust had been removed, the trash can was empty, and her pictures of Jordan in them were replaced with pictures of cute dogs and cats. I knew the last thing she needed when she came to work was to stare down at her past and feel like it was haunting her everywhere she went. I went back to my office and sat at my desk, looking up anytime anyone walked past in the hallway. Her office sat diagonally from mine, and I could see right into her desk. I was looking forward to having her distract me all day long and flirting across interoffice messaging. I felt like I was back in school passing notes back and forth and trying not to get caught by the teacher, who would be either my father or my brother in this circumstance. I was more scared of my dad than my brother, though the former was more like a hall monitor than a teacher.