by C. A. Harms
We leave and go straight for his house, where we share a much-needed beer in the middle of the morning.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Danielle
I sit on the edge of the pool, with my legs hanging over the sides. My phone lays on the concrete at my side, displaying the time of six forty-two.
A text from Jonah came through an hour ago telling me he'd pick up dinner on the way home, and he is sorry for being so late, but he'd had a busy day at the office. Something about patients needing to reschedule for later appointments and then paperwork he had to catch up on.
All of that would have been fine had I not called his office earlier this morning, to wish him luck on his lunch with Tony, only to have Betty tell me he'd been out all morning. When he left this morning, he told me he was going to the office, so somewhere along the way, something shifted.
To make matters worse, when I talked to Addison just after one, she casually mentioned she'd just left Tony's office where the two of them had a little afternoon delight over his lunch hour. She proceeded to tell me more details than I needed to know, but honestly, I can't tell you much about it considering I was too focused on the fact Tony was with her and not Jonah, which, last I heard, wasn't the plan.
My day started terrifically, and after Jonah left, it got even better. I was so excited and a little scared, but mostly thrilled. I had to stop myself from rushing after him and barging into his office to share the news, so instead, I called.
That's where my excitement plummeted, and the longer the day went on, the more defeated I felt.
"Babe?" Jonah's voice flows out from the back door and over the patio. I don't turn around, but I don't have to, to know he's near. I can feel him, my body reacting as it always does.
He crouches down at my side, but I don't turn to face him.
"Hey, you okay?"
"You tell me," are we okay? I want to ask.
"Baby," I cringe at the one single word and feel my chest tighten. Sitting down at my side, he places one hand on my thigh and the other around my back. "Look at me," I do, and instantly I regret it. He's so incredibly handsome, and the want in me outweighs that question. I lean into him and allow my cheek to rest upon his chest. His lips leave a sweet kiss on the top of my head, and I close my eyes to fight the tears.
I'm an emotional wreck, and honestly, it's not fair. Am I irrational?
"What's going on?"
"How was your lunch with Tony?" I feel his chest rise and fall against my cheek and as he takes a deep breath. It's a sure sign he's battling something. When he doesn't answer me right away, I lift my head and look at him. "Where did you two end up going?"
His throat bobs as he swallows hard.
"Matthew's office," he says it so low I'm sure I must've heard him wrong. Until he speaks again. “Last night after you went to bed, he sent a text to your phone and I—"
"Matthew, texted my phone?"
"Yeah." I could sense Jonah was nervous. "He was saying he'd made a mistake, and he loved you. Saying shit like he needed to meet up with you, and no one would love you as he loves you." I almost laugh at the last one. Please, that man didn't love me, but the anger mixed with worry in Jonah's eyes was unbearable.
"I told you before I'd protect you. I told you I'd never allow those people to hurt you again, and when I read that shit, I couldn't sit back, Dani. I had to make sure he understood you are mine, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep their hate out of your life. I know I should have—"
I grip his face and press my lips to his. I can feel how he relaxes almost instantly. His hand is cupping the side of my face, and he seeks my tongue with his own.
How could I have doubted this man? The way he loves me, the way he looks at me, there is no way he could ever intentionally hurt me.
"I'm sorry," he whispers.
"Don't ever lie to me again." It is the only part of the entire mess which bothers me. Not how he went to Matthew and felt the need to protect me. It just makes me love him more. It's how he thought he couldn't tell me the truth that upsets me.
"If it makes any difference, Tony did go with me."
"Did he now?"
"I know it's not the same as lunch, but after I left Matthew’s office, we did go back to Tony's to have a beer."
"A mid-morning beer, nice," he smiles and I think of the news I need to tell him, but I decide to wait until a little later. I didn't want my news shadowed by the memory of what Jonah just confessed.
"The idea of anyone hurting you even in the smallest of ways makes me crazy." With his hand still cupping my jaw, he glides his thumb over my lower lip. "You have no idea just how much I love you, Dani. Even I can't comprehend the depth, but what I do know is I feel you so deep inside me it's almost like you are a part of my soul. Like without you, I won't be able to breathe, and the idea of losing you—"
"You will never lose me," I am here to stay.
"I need to show you something," he doesn't wait for me to respond but grips my waist and pulls me to a standing position. Then with my hand in his, he leads me to the bedroom.
Motioning to sit on the bed, he leaves me for a minute while going into his closet. I hear the beeping sound of him putting in a code on the safe, and then he reappears in the doorway.
"I've had this for weeks." He moves in closer and kneels in front of me, still holding on to what he retrieved behind his back. "I told you months ago I had a plan, I knew what I wanted, and it hasn't changed. It's you, Dani; it's always been you. Even when you were fighting me at every turn, when you refused to accept my love, I did know it was you I wanted at my side. Even when we were apart, all I could imagine is having you back. One smile was all it took that night when you paused at the side of the table, and I was on my knees. You are my weakness, Dani. You are the only woman who has ever left me breathless without even speaking one single word. The desire, the connection, it has only grown since that night."
"Jonah," I say and cover my mouth when he moves his hand out from behind his back, and I see the ring displayed inside the box.
"I'm so in love with you, so weak in the knees can’t breathe without you, in love. Danielle, marry me."
I can barely breathe. My throat clogged with emotion.
"Let me love you every day for the rest of our lives."
I nod, knowing words are impossible at the moment.
"Is that a yes?” Jonah asks as he’s sliding the beautiful diamond ring onto my finger.
Again I nod and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him in hard against me. "Yes," I whisper, but it's hoarse and is more of a squeak.
I pull him up as I lay back on the bed, and his body hovers over mine. Jonah is the man I'm meant to love. The man I know without a doubt will love me unconditionally. With Jonah, I am safe. With him, I'm free to be me, and he will love me even when I'm wrong.
Chapter Forty-Nine
Jonah
I woke early, lying in bed looking at Dani, who lay sprawled out at my side. The big diamond I'd placed on her finger only hours before displayed proudly.
She said yes.
When I came home to find her sitting at the side of the pool, I felt it in my gut. I knew when I got home I was going to tell her what happened, but I hadn't been sure how. I panicked when I saw the hurt in her eyes. It bothered me that I’d lied to her earlier that morning, I felt terrible all day.
I know she understands why but I still hated that I did it at all.
Leaving her, I go into the bathroom and flip on the shower. Dropping my boxers, I step in beneath the warm water and hurry to wash. Turning off the water, I climb out and towel dry myself before moving over to the sink to finish getting ready.
Searching for my comb, I open the drawer on the left and then the right. Seeing it tucked on the side of a box, I start to reach for it, then I pause. The words on the box are becoming more clear. I read them over and over. My heart races, my palms grow sweaty, and I have to grip the edge of the countertop to keep myself from collapsing
to the floor.
Lifting the box, I find it open, and I reach inside to pull out the contents of the package.
Instantly my vision goes blurry from what I find. I look behind me toward the bedroom, and from this angle, all I can see is Dani's foot hanging over the edge and her bright red toenails against the light gray sheets.
Possessiveness hits me in a rush when I glance back at the contents in my hand. I lay down the box with shaky hands but keep the applicator in my hand and move toward the bedroom. Moving to her side of the bed, I go down on my knees, and I reach out to push away the hair covering her face.
Just the sight of her makes me feel even more raw.
"Hey," her sleep-filled voice gains my attention, and I look up, feeling myself fall apart a little more. "What's wrong?" Suddenly Dani is up and facing me as she slides to the edge of the bed. Gripping my face with her hands, she is looking at me with concern, and I still can't seem to form a word.
"Jonah," she searches my face, and I look down to where her cropped t-shirt shows a tiny sliver of her stomach, and I can't stop myself from reaching out to place my hand there.
I think that is when she realizes everything because she stops asking and lets go of my face. Moving in, I wrap my arms around her waist and lay my head in her lap.
When her fingers begin to comb through my hair, it is my breaking point, and I don't attempt to stop my emotions. "You're gonna be an amazing daddy," she whispers, and I hold on to her a little tighter.
This woman is giving me everything I could ever want and more.
"I took the test yesterday morning," she says, and I can tell she is smiling with happiness in her voice. "It took everything for me not to text you a picture of the test, but I wanted to see your face when you found out."
Tilting my head, I look up at her so she can see me, and I don't even care that tears stain my face.
"Are you happy?" She asks, and an uncontrollable sob escapes me.
"Yes, Dani," my voice doesn't sound anything like me. "I'm so happy, babe, so damn happy." She continues to comb her fingers through my hair, and I remain where I am, holding her tight and accepting just how perfect my life has become.
Hand in hand, we walk into the restaurant and pause at the front desk. After giving our name, the hostess leads us to our table, where most of our friends are already seated. Mine and Dani's, all mixed, mingling and laughing as if they've always known each other. Together we've managed to combine the most incredible group of people we know.
When they see us coming, they stop and start to turn, clapping and hooting as I hold up our joined hands, the one holding Dani's engagement ring. Thankfully, the restaurant owners have placed us outside on an enclosed patio room meant for large groups. Otherwise, there would be a lot of irritated guests. Our friends tend to get a little loud.
Immediately congratulations are being passed around, as well as hugs and cheek kisses. All the ladies are moving in to see her ring, the men making playful comments about once Dani realizes she needs more of a man to send her their way.
Which, of course, is never going to happen because I know better. My girl is happy in all aspects, and I know without a doubt in my mind she's the real deal. She's mine, I'm hers, and no one or anything will ever change that.
We decided not to tell anyone about the baby for now. I didn't need anyone to get the idea planted in their head that this development between us comes shotgun after a positive test. We know better, and so do those closest to us. Not everyone knows our history, and not everyone needed to.
For now, only a few choice people know, and my parents are over the moon with joy. I don't think I have ever heard my mother squeal so loudly. She's already made plans to take Dani shopping which again gave my Dani such joy, I sat back and watched without telling my mother to back off. She's never had that, a mother figure who wanted to spend time with her, not for the simple reason of trying to make her something she's not. My family adores Danielle. They love her tiny ticks, her silliness, and don't judge her. They accept everything about her.
For the next two hours or more, we laugh with our friends and enjoy the life we've begun to build together. Every so often, she looks over at me and smiles, and when I find her placing her hand over her stomach in such a casual manner, I can't help the possessiveness that instantly fills me. That's my baby in there, our baby. A life we've created together—part of me and part of her. A child I know will be loved to the extreme. He or she will have a family who will stand behind them no matter what. They will have a support system that will accept them without question, and never would we ever make him or her feel inadequate.
The fierce love I feel for Danielle has only tripled since I found the positive test in our bathroom. I didn't think I could love her more than I already did, but I was wrong. Every single day I find I only love her more.
She's meticulous about what she consumes; her desire to ensure she is doing her part to keep our baby healthy and strong, it's adorable. She talks about all the things she wants to teach our child, and I know it's mostly because she never had a mother who cared enough growing up.
Sometimes I find myself imagining her lying in bed next to a little girl who looks so much like her as they read together.
Many of our friends have already left. After I pay our check, we stand fully ready to leave when Dani starts to pull her hand away from mine. "Where are you going?"
"Need to pee," she whispers with a smile and then drops a kiss to the corner of my mouth. "I was trying to be discreet." Poking me in the side, she again attempts to step away, and I don't release her.
"I'll walk you," when she rolls her eyes at me, I can't help but laugh.
"It's the restroom, not Mexico, and I'll be fine." Possessive caveman, as she calls me, is something I can't seem to tame. "Meet me out front in five."
She doesn't wait before sneaking away, and my eyes are glued to her the entire time until I can't see her anymore. That's when the nerves kick in.
I gather her jacket and toss a tip on the table. After a few more goodbyes and a promise for a cookout and big screen at my place during the next big game, I excuse myself and begin walking toward the restaurant's front entrance. The closer I get, the more my heart races when I see a familiar blue dress. There's no mistaking Dani in a crowd. I know every single inch of her by heart.
Irritation and anger rip through me when I see who stands in front of her. Especially the way the fucker is looking over her appreciatively while her sister, very pregnant and oblivious of her douchebag husband, stands at his side talking to Dani. Now, it can go two ways. I can get angry and make a scene, maybe even land myself in jail after I break the little fuckers jaw, or I can drive the stake in a little deeper and make him realize even more how much he's lost.
I step up behind her and immediately lean in to press a kiss to the side of her neck. I possessively wrap my arms around her from behind. I notice how her body stiffens, but I don't let it stop me. I know it has nothing to do with me holding her and everything to do with the company she’s with.
"Hey baby," I look up and notice the way Matthew's nostrils flare like he has some claim on Dani, which makes me chuckle. "What do we have here?" I don't look away from Matthew, my hands still holding on to Dani with purpose.
"You remember my sister and Matthew."
"I do," there is no need for pleasantries. Neither of them deserves my time, or Dani's, for that matter.
"I ran into them as I was getting ready to go outside."
"Did you tell them the news?"
"What news?" Dani gives me a curious look, and I almost laugh at how innocent she looks.
Without looking away from Dani, I press a soft kiss to her lips which again seems to surprise her. "This gorgeous, amazing woman and I are getting married in three weeks." She smiles wide and leans into me when I hold her a little tighter. Sliding my palm over her waist and bringing it to rest on her stomach, I then look away and stare straight at Matthew. "And in less than eight mon
ths, she's giving me the greatest gift."
Glancing back to Dani, I find her eyes wide in surprise. We'd agreed not to share the news yet but come on, how can I not tell this piece of shit that Dani was carrying my baby inside her perfect body.
"I won't lie, I'd love a boy, but then again, a beautiful little girl with her mommy's smile would be pretty damn amazing too." Looking back to Matthew, I dig a little more. "But then again, one day, I know we'll have both. With a woman like Dani in bed next to me, every single night, it's pretty impossible to keep my hands to myself."
At this point, the redness in Matthew's face was the only sign I needed to know he was beyond pissed.
"We gotta go, babe," I start to move her along, and just for added pleasure, I make sure to cup her ass as we step outside and pause in the doorway to kiss her deeply. The knowledge that none of those people will ever hurt her again gives me peace. The sorry sack of shit walked away from the greatest woman, and though her pain pisses me off, I'm glad he was so fucking stupid. They are the ones who are missing out, and they are the ones who've lost the chance to know such a fantastic person. But I'd never let them darken Dani's joy or the joy of my babies. They are mine to protect, and I damn sure will every minute of every day.
Glancing back, I see Matthew looking back over his shoulder as he leads Cathryn away, and I know without a doubt in my mind he is regretting every move he ever made when it came to Danielle. I knew that because if I were in his shoes, I'd be beating the hell out of myself for letting her go.
The difference was I know a good thing when I have it. I also wasn't a fucking punk, so there's that too.
His loss is my gain, and I'll forever treasure the gift or gifts I've been given.
Dani is my dream, she is my everything, and I'll cherish her always.
All the wrong choices led us here, and they led us to each other.