Taylor had laughed at first when I’d grumble about CJ not cleaning up after himself. I laugh too when I think about it now. I never knew the things that I’d have to worry about as a mom. We were bonding as a family though, and the ring on my finger proved it. Taylor had proposed at the July 4th town picnic. He’d pulled me aside as the fireworks were exploding overhead and gotten down on one knee. He pulled out a diamond, and he slipped it on my finger. He promised to always love me and never walk away again. A few weeks later we’d had a small ceremony with his family in the orchard under our tree. It was just what we wanted, and as our son stood beside us, we vowed to be together for the rest of our lives.
I remember thinking that it had to be a dream, but Taylor had proved it was all very real when he made love to me that night. We’d reaffirmed our connection as the night had been filled with loving caresses and soft kisses. Now, I use those memories to help keep me warm as I stand in the kitchen staring out at the snow covered ground. Taylor went out several hours ago to get a tree. We were supposed to decorate it tonight. CJ had been pestering us for days.
“Honey?” I laughed as I heard him at the door.
“In the kitchen,” I called as I sat my mug of tea down on the counter. “What took so long?” I giggled when I rounded the corner and saw him struggling at the front door with one of the biggest trees I’d ever seen. “Is this big enough for ya?” He grinned and I couldn’t help but smile in return. His cheeks and nose were rosy from the cold, and the snow hat he pulled down over his ears was covered in small white flakes. The branches on the lower end were caught on the door jam, and every time he’d tug a few needles would fall off.
“I think you might need to trim it,” I gasped as I covered my mouth. I was trying to hold back my laughter, but he was just too cute.
“Nonsense!” he scoffed as he looked behind himself. “CJ! Give it a shove!” The next thing I knew, the tree came sliding through the door and landed at the base of the stairs.
“Where are we going to put this thing?” My eyes flashed as I watched them maneuver the giant Christmas tree the rest of the way inside and close the door to the blustery weather outside.
“This house has tall ceilings,” Taylor shrugged. “Stop worrying,” he grinned at me and I couldn’t help but back down. It was like looking back fifteen years and seeing him as a child all over again.
By the time evening came, we’d finished decorating the thing, and were now sitting around the living room watching A Christmas Story. CJ was laughing like crazy as he became absorbed in the movie. Taylor and I were cuddled on the couch under a blanket as we took in the scene around us. The tree was twinkling, and gifts I’d purchased the previous week were now piled underneath it.
“Whatcha thinkin’ about?” He pressed a kiss to my temple.
“How different this is,” I murmured. “Last Christmas, I was in Miami with my dad. We were closing a business deal. Christmas dinner was at some restaurant, and other than a ‘good job’ from my dad, there was no family time,” I mused as I turned to stare at where CJ was lying on the floor with a pile pillows. “I always wanted this,” I looked back at Taylor. “A house full of kids, a husband that loves me, carols playing as we sit around the tree…” my voice trailed off. I’d been holding it in for days now as I tried to wait until Christmas morning to tell him, but as I watched his green eyes dance with happiness, I couldn’t hold back anymore. “Tay?” I shifted and placed my hand over his heart. He smiled at me, but then it dropped, and a curiosity rose in its place.
“Something wrong?” he moved to sit up more. “Are you cold? Want some coffee?”
“I’m fine,” I smiled as I reached up to cup his cheek. “You always know what I need.” I leaned in to press a kiss to his lips.
“What’s wrong?” His eyes frantically searched my face, and when the tears started to slip down my cheeks, he nearly bolted from the couch.
“Nothing’s wrong.” I bit my lip as I let my head fall forward and touch his. “I want to give you your present early,” I giggled nervously.
“We have an audience,” he whispered as he wrapped an arm around me.
“That’s ok,” I smiled and lifted my head to look back at my son. “It’s his present too.” I turned back to Taylor as the words burst from my mouth in a rush, “I went to the doctor last week. You’re going need to fix up the room next to ours by next August,” I nibbled on my cheek as I watched a myriad of emotions play over his face.
“Really?” He grinned and hugged me tighter. “We’re gonna have a baby?”
“Yes!” I squeaked. “Does this mean you’re happy?”
“We’re gonna have a baby!” he hooted.
“I’m getting a brother?” CJ popped up from where he was lying on the floor.
“Or sister,” I smiled as he scrambled over to hug us.
“When?” he bounced excitedly.
“Next summer,” I laughed as I watched the two of them. They looked so much alike, and as much as I’d love to have another little version of Taylor running around, I kinda hoped this time I’d get a daughter. A little girl with Taylor’s personality and golden hair like me. She’d be the perfect mix of sweet and sass.
“Wait until I tell Mikey,” CJ bounced where he was sitting, and before we could say anything else the doorbell rang.
“I wonder who that could be? It’s kinda late for visitors,” Taylor mused. “You stay here; I’ll get it.” He rose, unfolding himself from the couch and disappearing around the corner.
“FUCKETY, FUCKETY, FUCK!!!” I hissed under my breath as I wrestled my bag over to my rental car. I hadn’t been back here in five years, and I still couldn’t believe that I’d been cursed with coming in the winter. I’d forgotten over the years how much snow this part of New York got. In the city, it was cold, but the snowfall was nowhere near like this. “Damn you lakes and your stupid lake effect snow!” I shouted into the darkness as I wrenched the driver side door open.
I tossed my luggage in the backseat, and went to work cleaning the windshield off with a snow brush. As I rounded the passenger side my phone vibrated in my pocket. “What!” I barked into it.
“So you did leave town?” Gavin, one of my best friends, laughed on the other end.
“Fuck you!” I growled. “I didn’t have much of a choice. “She’s crazy, and I’m not screwing anything else at work up. I’ve only been partner for a little over six months. Christina is not ruining that for me,” I sighed as I finished cleaning the snow off my windshield, and climbed in the Malibu I had rented.
“So where are you?” Gavin chuckled.
“I’m in bum fucking nowhere,” I groaned.
“No seriously. Where are you?” he muttered.
“Cherryville. I came to see my brothers and sisters-in-law,” I cranked the car up, hoping to get some heat soon.
“You know,” he chuckled. “I heard from Daniel that Mia went home for the holidays, too. Something about an ankle injury. You have fun with that. K?”
“Shut up,” I grumbled. “Mia wrote me off years ago. I don’t care if she’s here or not. I want nothing to do with her,” I snapped. “Listen. I’ll call you in a few days. I gotta drive in this crap, and it’s not easy.”
“Sure dude, later.” Gavin clicked off the line and I tossed my phone over onto the passenger seat. This was fucking great. Mia was in town. Not only was I going to have to avoid work now I was going to have to avoid her, too.
When I reached Tay’s and Morgan’s place, I pulled into the driveway, and stared at the house. There weren’t any lights on inside that I could see, and I wondered if they were even awake. It wasn’t that late for most people, but here in Cherryville, it was pretty dead at night in the winter.
I climbed from the car, grabbed my suitcase, and dragged it along with myself up their front steps. I rang the doorbell and waited. It didn’t take long before I could hear the laughter of my brother coming from the inside. The door flew open, and he stood there staring at me.
“What the hell, Ty?” He shook his head.
“Nice to see you, too,” I grumbled as I began to kick snow off my shoes.
“What are you doing here?” he scowled as he ran his hand through his messy hair. He must have either been asleep on the couch or wearing a snow hat.
“I wanted to come for a visit. I figured now was as good a time as any,” I shrugged as I noticed a shadow from the corner of my eye. It was Morgan, and as soon as she saw it was me, she smiled.
“It’s about time you came back here,” she grinned as she reached for my luggage. “Let him in, Tay. It’s cold out there.” She pushed the suitcase over by the stairs before turning back to face me. “Come in here and have a seat. I’ll get you some coffee or tea,” she pointed toward what I assumed was the living room as I began unwinding the scarf around my neck and unbuttoning my coat.
“I’m glad you’re home,” Taylor mumbled before moving closer, “but what gives, you weren’t supposed to be here for another two weeks?”
“Let’s just say I will never, EVER,” I stressed, “get involved with someone from the office again.”
“Shit, Bro!” he hissed. “What’d you do?”
“I fucked the wrong person, and now I might lose my job over it.” I hung my head as I removed my shoes, pasted on a smile, and walked in the direction Morgan had pointed with Taylor trailing behind me.
The End
Tyler’s story continues in Beyond the Cherry Trees (A Cook Brothers Novel #2)
Can’t Take My Eyes Off You- Cary Brothers
Belong- Cary Brothers
Ghost Town- Cary Brothers
Unpack Your Heart- Phillip Phillips
Searchlight- Phillip Phillips
Raging Fire- Phillip Phillips
Trigger- Phillip Phillips
Lead On- Phillip Phillips
Alive Again- Phillip Phillips
Open Your Eyes- Phillip Phillips
Fool For You- Phillip Phillips
Thicket- Phillip Phillips
Fly- Phillip Phillips
Face- Phillip Phillips
Midnight Sun- Phillip Phillips
Hunger- Ross Copperman
If Our Timing Is True- Matthew Barber
Rascal Flatts- What Hurts the Most
Other Works by H. D’Agostino
The Second Chances Series
Unbreak Me- book 1
The Boy Next Door- book 2
The One That Got Away- book 3
Inside Out- A Second Chances Novella- book 3.5
Fallen From Grace- book 4
The Family Next Door- book 5
The Shattered Series
Destined (Shattered #0.5)
Shattered (Shattered #1)
Restored (Shattered #2)
Renewed (Shattered #3)
Fated (Shattered #4)
The Broken Series
Irreparably Broken (Broken #1)
Saving Us (Broken #2)
My Broken Angel (Broken #3)
Broken Pieces (Broken #4)- Coming Summer of 2016
The Witness Series
Being Nobody- book 1
Becoming Somebody- book 2
Promise Me Tomorrow- book 3- Coming January 2016
Standalones
Privileged
Acknowledgements
I don’t even know where to start… Thank you to Angie, my ever faithful beta. You worked very hard to keep this book a secret. When I first decided to write this series, I was very particular in who I told. I can count on one hand the number of people that knew about this book before I announced it to the masses.
Thank you Rebecca for your amazing editing skills. I love the little side comments, and hearing your thoughts about my latest babies when I get them back from you.
Thank you Pink Ink Designs for the formatting and amazing cover.
Thank you K Keeton Designs for the awesome cover photo. Dustin and Laura, you make the perfect Taylor and Morgan.
Thank you to Kellie Montgomery for the amazing PR work, daily tweets, FB post, and newsletter pimping. I love being an Eye Candy Author.
Thank you to the Twinsies for setting up the cover reveal and tour blitz for this new series. You guys always do awesome work promoting me, and bringing new blogs to my ever growing list.
Thank you Tabitha for proofing this book. No matter how many times I’ve read it, I always seem to miss a few little details. Your careful attention to details is great.
But most of all…
Thank you Readers!!! I wouldn’t be doing this if it wasn’t for YOU! Thank you for taking a chance on a new series. Thank you for falling in love with the Cook brothers, and thank you for continuing to come back for more from me. If you loved Morgan and Taylor’s story as much I do I encourage you to write a review letting me know this. I can’t wait to share Tyler’s story with you.
About the Author
H. D’Agostino currently resides in Syracuse, NY with her husband, two children, two dogs, and three cats. Originally from Harrisburg, NC she attended UNC Charlotte and received a BA in Elementary Education with a concentration in Math.
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Walking Among the Cherry Trees: The Cook Brothers Series Page 17