by M. A. Foster
“O say can you see….” Goose bumps cover my entire body when a familiar smoky voice echoes through the speakers and floats around the stadium.
I’d know my wife’s voice anywhere.
Wait. What?
The crowd cheers. “Dude, look!” Montgomery slaps me on the shoulder and points to the jumbotron, where Jay’s beautiful face appears. Her smile lights up the screen. My heart grows heavy, and I miss her even more.
Then she brings a microphone to her lips as she continues to sing the national anthem.
“O’er the land of the free…” She hits that note and the crowd goes nuts.
The crowd’s screams, cheers, stomping, and clapping are louder than I’ve ever heard before. My heart races as I turn my attention back to the jumbotron. She’s still there—and she’s standing on a football field. Where the hell is she?
“…and the home of the brave.” Tears fill my eyes when she pulls my signature move and presses two fingers to her lips then throws up the rocker sign.
My gaze falls to the men huddled in the middle of the field staring back at me with huge grins. Coach Meyers jerks his head, gesturing toward the far side of the field, and I follow with my eyes.
“Bro!” Quinton points, and I look in that direction. I exhale a deep breath as my eyes land on the most beautiful woman in the world, making her way across the field toward me.
She’s in ripped skinny jeans that sit low on her hips and a tight-fitting cropped football jersey that barely covers her boobs—similar to the ones in the ladies football league—in my team colors with the number six printed on the front. My number.
“Zach, you need to have a serious talk with your wife about her wardrobe,” Cole says, shaking his head.
I agree.
Even though she looks sexy as fuck, I’m either going to burn that jersey or save it for the bedroom. Damn.
“Easton, you’re a lucky motherfucker,” Montgomery yells at me over the deafening roar of the crowd. “That woman is damn sexy.”
Very lucky.
“You guys realize she’s my cousin, right?” Cole reminds them.
“How awkward for you,” Montgomery teases, pulling Cole into a fake headlock.
“What are you doing?” Quinton says. “Go out there and get that hot-ass wife of yours.”
Yeah, he doesn’t need to tell me twice. I shove my helmet into someone’s chest. Whose, I have no clue. Then I race onto the field toward the only girl I have ever and will ever love for the rest of my life.
My girl.
She jumps into my open arms, wrapping her legs around my waist. “God, I’ve missed you,” I breathe into her neck, a sob breaking free as I squeeze her tight.
“I’ve missed you too, Z.”
“Love you.”
“Mean it.”
One year later…
Zach
Dawn’s early light filters into the room as I roll over to find Jay’s side of the bed empty. My gaze flicks to the closed bathroom door and the sliver of light peeking out from the bottom.
We’ve been married just over a year now and are still living in our newlywed bubble, but we also have our occasional struggles between my full class schedule and football and her commitment to King Records, the Mayhem Foundation, and her music. But one day a week, we lock out the rest of the world, and the people living under our roof, and spend the day together, just the two of us. No phones, no friends, no drama. Just us.
After Emerson moved in with Cam, Jay and I moved Grace into Emerson’s old suite. My brother Logan and Zoe took Grace’s apartment, and Olivia is living in Bass’s old apartment with her son, Jacob.
We’re all one big happy-ass family.
The bathroom door opens, and Jay steps out wearing a tank top and sleep shorts.
I raise my brows. “You’re supposed to be naked.”
There’s a twinkle in her eyes as she bites down on the corner of her bottom lip. What is she up to? “I need to tell you something,” she says softly as she crawls into bed and straddles my hips.
I slide my hands up her thighs. “You can tell me anything as long as you do it naked.” I reach for the hem of her tank. “You’re breaking the rules. Take this off.”
She wraps her long fingers around my wrists. “Z,” she warns playfully. “This is important.”
I drop my hands back to her thighs with a frown. “What’s wrong?”
She inhales a deep breath through her nose and blows it out. “Promise you won’t get mad?” she asks in a shaky voice. Her eyes well up with tears.
A chill rolls down my spine. “Jay, you’re freaking me out.” I sit up and wrap my arms around her. “Why are you crying?”
She wipes at the tears on her cheeks, then circles her arms loosely around my neck. “I’m pregnant.”
I inhale sharply and go still. Pregnant?
A million thoughts and emotions run through my mind. We just got married a year ago. I’m still in college. We’re not even old enough to drink. We made a baby.
Holy shit, I’m gonna be a dad.
Breathe, Zach.
My parents had just graduated high school when my mom found out she was pregnant with Logan, and they survived.
“You’re mad,” she states softly, dropping her arms to her sides.
“No. I’m definitely not mad.” I press a reassuring kiss to her lips. “I’m just….” I fall back on the mattress and blow out a breath. “I don’t want you to think I’m not happy. I am. It’s just… well, I’m just a little shocked, that’s all. I didn’t expect us to become parents so soon.”
“Me either,” she admits before dropping to the mattress beside me. She rolls to her side and tucks her hands under her cheek. I roll to my side, facing her, propping up on my elbow with my head resting in my palm. “I’ve always wanted a big family,” she continues, “but I figured it would be in a few years. At least after you’ve finished with school.” She sighs. “I swear I’ve never missed a pill. I don’t know how it happened.”
A smirk tugs at my lips. “It’s my super sperm.”
She snorts a soft laugh. “Yeah, that’s it.” Her smile falls. “I’m scared, Z.”
I lower my head and kiss her cheek. “Me, too,” I whisper.
“What are you scared of?”
I rest my head on the pillow beside hers. “That I’ll be a shitty dad.”
“Impossible. Zoe loves Uncle Zach, and Jacob is awfully fond of you, too.”
I shrug. “I’m worried about how I’m supposed to juggle school, football, and fatherhood. What if he or she doesn’t know me because I’m not around enough? What if I miss his or her first word? Or first step?”
“Slow down, Z. Take a breath. First of all, I would never let you miss out on our baby’s firsts. That’s what videos and FaceTime are for. We’ll find a balance that works for us.”
“Then what are you afraid of?”
“That I’ll fail as a mom.”
“Never. You have a lot of love in your heart, Jay. Our baby will be lucky to have you as their mom.”
She inhales a long, deep breath through her nose and blows it out. “Holy shit, Z. We’re going to be parents.”
Nine years later…
Zach
It’s late when I enter the house through the garage. The pendant lights hanging over the island in the kitchen are dimmed as always when I return home from an away game. And as always, there’s a poster board decorated and propped on the counter from Jay and the kids.
You were awesome tonight, Daddy. Congratulations on the big win. We’re so proud of you.
Love,
Your Family.
Shutting off the lights, I head upstairs. My first stop, my eight-year-old son, Alex, who sleeps with a football every time I have an away game. Alex is shy like I was at his age. But he’s the spitting image of Jay, tall with black hair and light eyes. Pressing a kiss to the top of his head, I switch off his bedside light and head to his twin sister, Bella’s, room.
Annabella is, of course, also a replica of her mother in every way. She’s sassy, funny, and bossy as fuck. She definitely keeps Jay and me on our toes. Bella is also my mother’s favorite grandchild, but like a good grandmother, she would never admit it.
Mackenzie Grace is 100 percent a daddy’s girl and refuses to go to sleep until I kiss her good night. Which is why she’s still awake.
“Hey, Kenz,” I coo, perching on the edge of her bed and pushing her curly blonde hair from her face.
“Hi, Daddy.” She gives me a sleepy grin.
“You don’t have to wait up for me, Kenz. I’ll kiss you good-night even if you’re asleep.”
“I can’t sleep. I have to know you’re safe.”
My heart twists in my chest.
Mackenzie is only six, yet she’s become quite the worrier after we lost Grace, who passed away peacefully in her sleep a few months ago. Needless to say, Jay took it pretty hard, but Emerson took it the hardest.
Now Mackenzie’s afraid everyone is going to die the second they walk out the door. Of course, Jay freaked the hell out and contacted her doctor friend, who assured her that it’s a phase. But that wasn’t enough to pacify Jay, so she got on Amazon and ordered every children’s book ever written about death.
Pulling Mackenzie into my lap, I cuddle her to my chest and press a kiss to her cheek. “I’m safe, baby. Are you gonna go to sleep now?”
She looks up at me with her sleepy blue eyes and nods.
I tuck her back into her bed and give her one more kiss before making my way to Max’s room.
Max is a mini version of me and ranks number one as the sweetest kid in this family. Jay wanted a big family, and whatever Jay wants, Jay gets. Here we are, ten years and five beautiful kids later.
When the twins were born, I was a scared, nearly twenty-one-year-old kid. I was a father before I was even old enough to drink. Juggling twins, college, and football wasn’t easy, but with our family’s help, we made it through. When Mackenzie came along, I was well practiced but scared. We had two toddlers and a newborn. Our life was nuts.
By the time Max arrived, we were parenting pros. Jay and I had this parenthood gig down like a couple of bosses.
After checking on Max, I make my way to the master bedroom. Jay and I still sleep in the same master suite so we can be close to the kids. Stopping in the open doorway, I’m met with the most beautiful sight: my wife lying on her side in the middle of the bed, curled up with our baby girl, Emma, who still wakes up once or twice throughout the night.
Emma is on her side, facing Jay, eyes closed and her thumb in her mouth as she strokes Jay’s cheek with her free hand.
“… the Magic Kingdom was filled with lots of princes, but the rock princess only had eyes for one.”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I lean against the doorframe. “Do they live happily ever after?” I ask.
My beautiful wife turns her head toward me and smiles. “The prince and princess always get their happily ever after.”
Acknowledgments
I’m writing this in the middle of the night so bear with me.
When I wrote Jaybird, I had no idea what kind of reception I would get from readers. I knew nothing at all about the book world. Truthfully, I still don’t know much. It changes every day and sometimes I find myself struggling to keep up. But I’m grateful to everyone who helped me along this journey and encouraged me to stay true to myself and my writing.
This book almost didn’t happen. But I decided it was a nice way to wrap up the last three books in a pretty little bow and move the stories along.
There are so many people to thank for accompanying me along this journey. First, thank you to all the readers out there who have taken a chance on me. I write these stories for you.
Thank you to my family for all your support. To my husband, for keeping me fed, caffeinated and hydrated while I’m writing, I love you.
Thank you to Andrea at Bookend Designs and my brother, Ruben Carbonell, for another amazing book cover.
Thank you to the ladies at Hot Tree Editing, Becky, Donna, Kristin, and Mandy. I love you ladies.
A huge thank you to my team, Angie Hallock, Kasey Sullivan, Amy McCoy Crull, Missy Kretschmer, Louise Rogers-Thomas, Polly Heard Smith, Katrina Smith, Dee Shelvey, and Andrea Luna Galante for your support, feedback and laughs along the way.
Thank you to the ladies who are part of my Mayhem reader group for your daily encouragement.
Thank you to my best girls for always being patient with me and not writing me off as your friend, when I’ve been too busy trying to meet deadlines.
Louise Rogers-Thomas, my PA and beautiful swag maker. Thank you for putting up with my squirrel moments and taking care of me, even at the last minute.
To Polly Smith for all the beautiful swag.
To Ramie Kerschen my new PA.
Thank you to my street team, Katrina Smith, Ramie Kerschen, Tawnya Roesner, Toni King, Amy McCoy Crull, and Missy Kretschmer.
Darlene Avery-Ward thank you for just being you. You are the kindest woman with the biggest heart. Thank you for always listening to my mini-meltdowns.
Thank you to all the bloggers who read, reviewed and shared any and all my books. Without you none of this is possible. I’m forever grateful.
And lastly, thank you Abigail Davies with Pink Elephant Designs.
About the Author
M.A Foster is a wife, mother, sister, aunt, cousin, and best friend. She loves chocolate, lattes and all things sparkly. She was born and raised in Tampa, Florida and currently resides in Lutz, Florida with her husband and her fur child, Rocky.
When she’s not reading or writing, she’s either catching up with friends and family or chatting with her readers and fellow author friends on Facebook.
You can connect with her at one of the following:
Facebook
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Email: [email protected]
Also by M.A. Foster
Heritage Bay Series
Jaybird
Mackenzie
Cougar
Voyages of the Heart Anthology: With Love From London
One Night Resolution