Mine to Lose

by T. K. Rapp

  “I love you,” he says as she pushes. “I’m so proud of you.”

  “Shut up,” she grunts through the contraction and I can’t help the laugh that bursts out. “You, too.” She glares at me. Reid and I exchange teasing glances, but we both fear the wrath of Lang if she catches us.

  “You’re doing great Langley. One more big push and your baby will be here. You ready?” the doctor asks, giving her motivation.

  She’s been at it for a while and she’s exhausted, but if anyone can do it, my sister can. She made us swear not to let them pull the mirror out because she doesn’t want to see her business, as she called it. All she wants is to hold her baby when she comes out. In a few minutes, my beautiful niece will make her entrance, and I can’t wait to meet her.

  “When you’re ready Langley, I want you to give me one more big push, okay?”

  Lang nods and prepares for it, grunting and pushing until she exhales, moaning in exhaustion. We’re so consumed with encouraging her we didn’t notice baby Theron made her grand entrance until we hear her sweet, deafening wail. We all look to see a goo-covered little angel screaming, her jaw chattering as they walk her to a table to clean her up.

  “Is she okay?” Langley asks of no one in particular, but I walk over to look at her flailing arms and legs.

  I look over at my sister and smile so big, my cheeks hurt. “Ten fingers and ten toes. She’s perfect!”

  Lang’s head falls back and she starts crying while Reid and Mom fuss over her. I sneak out of the room, unnoticed, to find Ryan sitting in the waiting room. When he sees me, he gets to his feet and hugs me.

  “You’re an uncle,” I say kissing him in excitement. “She’s beautiful, Ryan. You have to see her.”

  “How’s your sister?”

  “She’s great,” I say as I flop into a seat and slump down, exhausted.

  “Wanna take a walk?”

  “Not really,” I huff out with a laugh.

  “C’mon,” he says, pulling me up. “I’ve been sitting for hours now, I need to move.”

  As we walk, I tell him about Lang’s delivery and how she kept snapping at Reid. Ryan’s shocked that she didn’t hit one of us, because it’s in her nature to be demanding when she’s uncomfortable. We end up in front of the nursery, the same place I stood a year ago when I lost our baby. Only this time, it doesn’t hurt. We stand side by side looking at all of the sweet faces in front of us.

  “You laugh at your sister, but I think you might actually be worse,” he reminds me as he wraps his arm around me.

  “No way,” I argue. “She was pretty awful.”

  “How ‘bout this, when the time comes, I’ll just let your mom and your sister take care of you in there?” He nods back in the direction of the delivery room.

  “Hell no. I fully expect you to be present and accounted for, whispering how awesome and beautiful I am.”

  “Anything else I should know?”

  “Yeah.” I face him and smile. “You have about seven months to get ready.”

  I turn away to go back and check on my sister, leaving Ryan frozen in place with his jaw wide open.

  Totally worth the wait.

  Acknowledgments

  There are so many people I want to thank for helping to make this a reality. First, a huge thanks to the bloggers and readers who have read Being There and Mine to Lose - without you, I’d have no one to share my stories with. Also, to the amazing writers who have bled before me and paved the way for others - thank you for showing a humble and kind spirit that sets an example for us to follow. Madeline Sheehan, Syreeta Jennings, Emmy Montes and Claribel Contreras - you ladies kept it classy and created a place where so many could learn and grow.

  To the Best Peeps Eva, thank you for checking in and helping to keep me on track. Kim Greny, Toria Walker, David Broom, Donna Broom, Autumn Red, Erin Spencer of Southern Belle Book Blog, Lisa Karafa of Penny for My Thoughts Book Blog and Jenn Beach of Back Off My Books - your suggestions, questions, edits and everything in between were exactly what I needed. I am beyond grateful to every single one of you.

  Amy Queau, Claire Riley, Stacey Lynn - you three are rock stars. I just have to say thank you for your critiques and notes. I’m sorry I’m such a bitch, but it still makes me smile. Brittainy C. Cherry - you have an infectious enthusiasm for everything you do and I love it. Kelsie Leverich and A. Meredith Walters - the two of you make me fan-girl, but I also learn so much. Thank you for sharing with the class. I am so blessed to have all these amazing women because they are Bad-Ass.

  To my SIPs, I love you and every acronym so much. Lisa - you started a dialog with me and it has grown into a friendship I value more than I can express. Jenn - I laugh everyday, because intentional or not, you do that to me and I love you for it. My wifey, Kim Stedronsky - we have Elvis, Viv and Top Gun. You are my Kimotherapy and I’m pretty sure you are the writing soul mate I didn’t know existed.

  Kari Gardner, the bestest bestie that ever bestied, I love you so much and I’m glad you came into my life all those years ago. (FYI, there are no squirrels in these parts.) To Naomi Ashwood - thank you for pushing me to do what I’ve always wanted. Had you not put a book in my hand two years ago, I might have just kept dreaming. And to the fellas at The Herb Café (Slim & Walt) - you made me blush, even when no one could see it. (Gotta love the Rap-Special-Wednesday.) To my editor, Jenny Sims, you can be my person.

  To my family, the T-10, I love you all! Dea - I look forward to our dates, and FYI, you are my Lang. I have the most amazing and supportive parents, ever. I am truly blessed. Thank you Mieshaw and Da for reading my books and telling me what you think. Your opinion means the world to me. Always and forever.

  To my precious angels, my daughters, you are my dream and I love you both so much. You are the reasons I was put on this earth and I’m happy God gave me the girls I always wanted.

  And last, but never least, my husband Spence I love you more than words. You get me, quirks and all and I love growing old with you. I am the luckiest girl in the world. By the way, you are Ryan, Drew and all the others, rolled into one. I don’t need a book boyfriend because I have you.

  Coming Soon…

  Mine to Steal

  In life and business, Trey Miller has always been the good guy. Nothing wrong with that, since it’s gotten him everywhere he has needed to be. His startup company is a success and growing so much that he is gaining the attention of larger corporations.

  By all accounts, Trey has it all, but the one place he fails is love.

  He thought he might have had something with Emogen Kane, but she was taken before he even had a chance. Now, he hides behind work, unwilling to take any risks in the love department.

  When Trey finds himself vying for a huge account against Faith Young, he knows he’s going to have to play it tough to win. Faith is smart, attractive and rumor has it, she lands every account she goes after.

  When Faith is thrown into his path at every turn, Trey starts to feel that it is more than a coincidence. Seeing Faith with her boyfriend douses the flame that he was starting to feel, until he realizes that the guy might not at all be what he seems.

  Trey let go once, but he’s determined to win it all this time. Does he have it in him to roll up his sleeves and get dirty? And if he does, will he finally end up with the girl?

  Other Titles by T.K. Rapp

  Being There

  When Cass Howard was young, she never dreamed she would have the perfect job, living in New York, with an amazing man by her side.

  That’s a good thing…because none of that ever happened.

  Drew Alexander was the one person who knew Cass better than almost anyone, and the friendship that developed in high school carried them to college. Despite the distance, their bond grew stronger, revealing to each of them what they meant to each other. A series of fleeting moments and a string of failed relationships helped them realize that what they really wanted, what they needed, was each other.

  B
ut that was five years ago, and sometimes things just don’t work out.

  Now twenty-five, Cass finds herself living in Houston, working at a small publishing house as an editor. By most accounts, she appears happy, however she has managed to avoid a true relationship, opting to channel all of her energy on work, despite protests from her best friend.

  The only thing that can drag her away is the annual girls’ weekend, which comes at the best possible time, because Cass has just learned life-altering news. With the most recent blow to her life looming overhead, will the getaway with her closest friends change her outlook on life? Or will her inability to put the past behind her stifle any chance she has of moving on? Will she ever be able to open up and let those who love her be there for her?

  Available on Amazon

  About the Author

  T.K. Rapp is a Texas girl born and raised. She earned a B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M and it was there that she met the love of her life. He had a contract with the U.S. Navy that would take them across both coasts, and ultimately land them back home in Texas.

  Upon finally settling in Texas, T.K. worked as a graphic designer and photographer for the family business that her mom started years earlier. She was able to infuse her creativity and passion, into something she enjoyed, but something was still missing. There was a voice in the back of her head that told her to write, so write, she did. And, somewhere on an external hard drive, are several stories she started and never finished.

  Now at home, raising her two daughters, T.K. has more time to do the things she loves, which includes photography and writing. When she’s not doing one of those, she can be found with her family, which keeps her busy. She enjoys watching her kids in their various sporting activities (i.e. doing the soccer mom thing), having Sunday breakfast at her parent’s house, singing out loud and out of key or dancing like a fool. She loves raunchy humor, gossip blogs and a good book.