by Laney Smith
“Dad! Are you coming?” Nathan called.
“Woo!” Ryan said on a heavy exhale as he finally convinced his feet to carry him to the door.
After helping Corlay into the car, Ryan sat beside her, holding her hand as he started driving away from the curb. He hoped he could pull off his plan before Nathan exploded. The boy was so excited to give his mom the ring he picked for her, he kept trying to give Corlay hints as Ryan drove toward their first destination.
On the street, just before the turn off for the house, Corlay cut her eyes at Ryan. She smiled as she studied his face. There was a look of determination unlike any she had ever seen before. She wanted to tell him her secret, but she didn’t want to steal anything from him. She kept her confession, allowing him his moment.
Ryan turned into the driveway of the new home, passing through the gateway. Corlay’s eyes darted around, taking everything in. Ryan couldn’t help but glance at her every chance he got.
When he pulled up in front of the house, he could see the look of recognition on her face. The attempt to duplicate the look of Mae’s old cottage was not lost on her. She fanned her face, unable to breathe. Tears streamed down her face as she looked at Ryan.
“What have you done?”
He smiled and innocently shrugged. “You said you wanted a cottage, right?”
“Ryan! How did you . . . This is beautiful!”
“The yard needs a little work, but getting that flower garden just right was tough. Lucky for me, I know Miss Green Thumb.”
He got out and walked around the car, opening the door for her. She had not seen the inside, yet, and already, she could picture herself here. She wasn’t ready to tell him that. She was sure he already knew.
When he unlocked the door, he and Nathan, both swept their arms through the air from either side of the double doors, inviting her inside. When she stepped inside, she gasped, covering her mouth as tears of happiness streamed down her face. It was beautiful. She spun around and Nathan hugged her as tightly as his arms could manage. Ryan’s hands were shoved down in his pockets as he strolled toward her, coolly kicking one foot in front of the other as his eyes locked on hers.
“What have you done?” she repeated with a wide smile.
“You own my heart, I just want you to know that. This little project was done with you in mind. This is my home,” he said as he casually glanced around. “It came out pretty well, I think.”
“It’s so perfect!”
“Shhhh,” he softly hissed as he smiled. “Don’t take this from me. I’ve been building this moment for a while, now.”
“What moment?”
He stood toe-to-toe with her as he absently stared downward. “I love you so much. I want you to stay here with me. I know you think that if you leave your house, you won’t have anything in your name. So, I’ve got an idea.” His eyes locked on hers and his smile widened. “Let’s get you a different name.”
There, just inside the entryway of his new home, as Nathan covered his mouth, giggling from behind his mother, Ryan pulled his hands out of his pockets and dropped to one knee. He held an elegant engagement ring in his hand.
“Corlay, will you marry me?”
She hugged his head in her arms. As she cried. Nathan rushed to her, hugging her as she tried to catch her breath. He patted her back.
“Uh, Dad, we have tears, here,” Nathan noted as though he was concerned.
Ryan heaved a quick laugh as she released his head from her arms. He stared up at her and winked as he nodded, whispering, “Say yes.”
“Yes! Yes, I will marry you.”
He slid the ringer on her finger. Then, he cut his eyes over at Nathan as he stood to hold Corlay. The two gave each other a high five and Ryan nodded to Nathan as if to grant him permission.
Nathan stepped in front of his mother and went down on one knee, just as Ryan had done. Ryan couldn’t help but laugh.
“What are you doing?” Ryan asked as Nathan struggled to maintain his balance.
“Mom, will you please be my mom?””
Corlay and Ryan both erupted in laughter as Nathan held up the ring he had picked for her. Corlay gave Ryan a questioning look, trying to figure out if this was part of the plan. Ryan shrugged, indicating his surprise.
Again, Ryan whispered to her, “Say yes!”
Corlay glanced down at her son, batting his eyes for added effect. “Yes! Of course, I’ll be your mother, silly!”
Though Nathan tried his hardest to positon the ring on her right ring finger, he needed a little help. Once the ring was secured, the three hugged as though they had always been the happiest family on the planet. Everything felt so natural as though this was the way things were always meant to be.
She held her hands out, staring at the new rings on both hands. She clasped her hands to her chest, fighting the tears of happiness. No one, not even Mae Wilson, had ever made her feel more loved than she did at this moment.
There was an air of celebration as the little family began to move about. Corlay couldn’t stop staring at everything around her, curious as to what the rest of the house looked like. There wasn’t a sliver of wood or a thread of lint in the home.
“You can pick anything you want to put in this place. Everything I need is already here,” Ryan said with a sincerity.
“This is so blissfully overwhelming,” she beamed. “I can’t believe you did this.”
“I really hope you like it. If not, we can work on anything you’d change. I just had to have a shell, at least.”
“You know, I think this house is really close to where the green house is,” she hinted.
Ryan slowly blinked as he nodded. “I think it is.”
“You know, you’re really bad about a few things,” she taunted.
Ryan’s eyes shifted as confusion settled on his face. “Such as. . .?”
“Such as you don’t always remember to log out of your email account when you’re on the computer.”
Ryan’s face went blank as his eyes met hers. “Oh, yeah?”
“Mm-hmm! I didn’t mean to read it. You left it open on the screen.”
“Which email?”
Corlay softly laughed, tucking her head. “The one where you told Jetty, your consultant, that you would go to any lengths to keep me from finding out that you were my investor. When the deal came in, I looked up the address in the country records. Would you believe that the land that greenhouse sits on belongs to the one and only Ryan James Priest?”
“Ooo!” he cringed. “When you say my full name, I feel like I’m in trouble.”
“You were, initially. Then, I saw how much trouble you were going through to make my dreams happen and how hard you were trying to make them happen as I wanted them and my heart exploded. You’re a brilliant man, you just really suck at sneaky stuff,” she smiled. “And, I love you for that. Thank you for all of this. I’ve been trying to give you the opportunity to fess up, but you wouldn’t do it. Right now, if I weren’t confessing that I know, you still wouldn’t tell me. I see how difficult I’ve been. I know why. I hope you understand, too. I don’t want to force you into lying to me because of my pride. Thank you for being everything Nathan and I need.”
He slowly blinked as he humbly dipped his chin. “I just want you to be happy. I didn’t want you getting screwed over.”
Corlay looked down at the rings on her hands and smiled. “A different name, huh?”
“My heart is in your name, so don’t ever think you don’t have something in your name.”
“Dad, when are we going to go eat radishes?” Nathan whined.
Ryan cut his eyes at the boy. “That was our next surprise.”
Nathan’s eyes widened as he clenched his teeth and drew his shoulders to his ears. “Oops! But, you have to tell her.”
“Tell her what?”
Nathan cupped his hand around his mouth and he loudly whispered, “About not eating too much for a long time.”
“Ah!” Ryan rapi
dly blinked as he jerked his head to the side and cut his eyes at Corlay. “Nathan and I have had a meeting about this baby making thing,” he grinned. “He’s asked that you not eat too much for a while. He’s not ready for your food to turn into a baby.” Ryan scowled and shook his head. “I’ve gotta say, I’m not super excited about the thought of your food turning into a baby, either. You and that dress . . .” he left the statement hanging in the air as he let a whistle sail between his teeth. “Maybe I’m just more of a traditional baby making kind of guy.”
Corlay pinned her lower lip between her teeth as she smiled, nodding in agreement as she and Ryan shared a playful kiss. “Accidents do happen, sometimes,” she teased.
Ryan’s smile dropped from his face. He jerked his head back and his eyes enlarged. He passionately shook his head.
“No! Uh-uh! I’m not being any part of any accidents. Nathan has already counselled about that, and trust me – no, Ma’am! There will be no accidents of any kind.”
Corlay studied his face, confused, as Ryan shot Nathan a wink. The boy laughed as he held his hand up to give Ryan a high five.
His eyes shifted back to Corlay as he smirked. “Girl, they don’t call me Risky Ryan for nothing. I think I’ve gotten smarter about the whole gambling thing.”
“Oh really?”
He pursed his lips and stretched his neck. “Well, yeah! This has been my best bet, yet. I just keep winning.”
~FORTY-SIX~
Two months later, Corlay and Ryan married in a private ceremony in their beautifully landscaped yard. Nathan was Ryan’s best man and Rick was a groomsman. Ryan’s nieces were Corlay’s bridesmaids. When it came time for the father-daughter dance, George stepped in for Corlay’s missing family member and Ryan danced with his mother.
Frannie caught a moment to congratulate her son and to tell him how proud he made her. She confessed that she liked Corlay better than “that other woman.” She admitted that he did the best thing by ending things with Scottie.
“I know you’re doing just fine at running your own life,” Frannie said with a sigh. “I love Nathan as though he were my own flesh and blood. I’m just ready to hold a wiggly little baby, again. Work on that for me, would ya?” she smiled.
Ryan squinted one eye as he looked down at his mother. “I’m way ahead of ya,” he slyly grinned. He laid his finger across his lips. “Shh!”
“Are you going to start trying right away, then?”
Ryan’s eyes aimlessly glanced around as he fought a proud smile. He shrugged, tilting his head as his eyes met his mother’s.
“Ryan, is she . . .?”
Ryan glanced over his shoulder at his new bride. “Now that you mention it, she does look especially radiant, doesn’t she?”
“You, risky little devil, you.”
Ryan gave her an incredulous look. “Really?”
She let out a squeaky giggle as she ducked her head. “So, does Nathan know that his mother ate too much?”
Ryan shook his head as he cut his eyes as the boy. “Not yet. We’re thinking we’ll wait a little longer. I think he’ll be excited. I just know nine months is a painfully long time for a kid who thinks women are only pregnant for five days. We’re going to shorten his wait time, a little.”
“You better make sure his last name is the same as the rest of you.”
Ryan nodded. “I’m way ahead of you, again. His dad agreed to sign the adoption papers if I would buy him one of those tiny houses. It is funny what motivates people.”
After the dance was done, Ryan’s dad shook his hand and congratulated him, calling him an “old, married guy.” Ryan felt honored to be part of that team. It was the best team he had ever belonged to.
Just before the DJ packed up to leave, Ryan, Corlay, and Nathan shared a “family dance.” Nathan had no interest in a sweet, loving dance. He had contained himself long enough. He was filled with pep and zest. He was spending the night with Nana and “Curious,” while Corlay and Ryan went away for a few days.
“Dad, is it a good time to talk to you?”
This had become Nathan’s favorite catch phrase.
“Sure, Buddy.”
“You will always be my dad, right?”
“You know it!”
“OK. Just checkin’ chicken.”
Ryan smiled at Corlay. “Remind me to thank Uncle Rick for that whole chicken thing.”
Corlay laughed as she rolled her eyes. “It’s so annoying.”
Ryan heaved a short laugh as he shook his head. His eyes locked on Corlay’s.
“Wanna hear something cool?”
“Of course.”
“Corlay Priest. That is one beautiful new name.”
Corlay smiled as she stared up at him. “Can I ask you a question?”
Ryan arched his eyebrows as a devious grin slid over his lips. “Sure!”
“I know I’m a little late, but will you be the dad for Nathan?” she smiled. “And, when my food finishes turning into a baby, will you be the dad for that baby, too?”
Ryan batted his eyes as he heaved a chuckle. “You didn’t eat a bunch of garlic in those radishes, did you? Because that little one . . .” he paused shaking his head. “better not smell funny.”
Corlay laughed as she playfully slapped Ryan’s arm. “Just say yes.”
Ryan stared into her eyes and nodded his head. “Yes! I will be the dad for all of your babies. Nate, this one, the next one – however many you want. I could handle a bunch of little versions of that guy,” Ryan said, pitching his thumb over his shoulder toward Nathan. “He’s pretty incredible.”
“I just hope he’ll be happy about getting to be a big brother,” Corlay nervously offered as she glanced at her son.
“I can hardly wait for that revelation,” Ryan sarcastically offered from behind his smile. “He’ll be fine. You’ll see.”
The End
Note from the Author:
It is my sincerest hopes that you have enjoyed this story and these characters. This book is also available in an “edited” version and it is the first book in the Home Run Series – a two book series that follows Nathan, Corlay, Ryan, and the newcomer, Baby Priest. We will also see more from Sasha, Rick, and Scottie. Be sure to keep your eye out for Safe Bet, coming soon!
In the meantime, if you are not familiar with my other works, I’d like to invite to visit Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com for additional titles, reviews, and additional information on my works. I hope you’ll spend more time with me. It is always an honor to entertain you.
Love,
Laney Smith
Additional Titles, Available Now:
Lock Creek: One Year’s Time
Lock Creek: In Their Own Time
Lock Creek: Derrick’s Time
Lock Creek: Time of Death
The Roses of Dawn Arbor
Threshold
What He’s Done
Ripples
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to send a special thanks to the following:
God, without whom, I’d not be able to do any of this. Thank you, God!
My mom, Jackie. My boys, Brennon and Zac. My brother, Gary and his wife, MY sister, AshLeigh. To my nieces, Kaylie and Brooklynn, thank you, girls! To my dad, Jerry. To Tonya and Cassie – you’re the best. To my God-gifted messenger, Lee, and his beautiful daughter, “Little Egg,” Jessica. To Michelle Rice for being the best editor a girl could have. To R.L.M. To Jo Anna Walker at Just Write Creations for “covering me up.” Jenn Page, Birgitta Thorsen, Yvonne Davis, Leanne Thomas, Tanya Davis, S.J. Hermann, MJ LaBeff, Mark Meiner, Andrea Mouser, Alex Black, Jackie Vaughn, Anna Salamatin, Britney Gosnell, Kris Hansen, Fre Thought (AKA Emmanuel Neal), Karen and John Nichols, Sondra Thompson, Andie Rodenbeck, Beth Rhodes, Stephanie Dalton, Ina Gonzales, Yvette Ramirez, Serena Martinez, Janet Delanghe, Marilyn Langley, Carrie Anne Parker, Lisa Musulman. To the men and women in uniform. To my incredible family and friends. To every person who has given my work a chance – t
hank you! To readers, reviewers and bloggers. I couldn’t do this without all of you! Thank you all so much!