I Love You More Than

by Kortni Renea

  The light that had just been in Dana’s eyes died a little bit, but she picked up the kitchen phone and called her dad. True to form Mrs. Gentry answered the phone. For David to do so would require him to get his lazy ass up. Dana filled David in on the reason for her call and asked if he would take her to the dance. He was never disappointing as long as you were betting on him to not come through. David came through as expected and told Dana he already had plans that weekend. Lies.

  “H I know every time I make them call to ask David to participate in their lives he’s going to say no and disappoint them. And as much as I hate putting my babies through that, I don’t want it ever to be said that I stopped them from having a relationship.” Felicia explained as she got comfortable in the bed, siting propped up against the headboard by her pillows “Babe can I be real with you right now?” Harrison asked.

  “Always.”

  “You making Dana and Elena confirm over and over that their biological father doesn’t give a fuck is a little harsh. And quite frankly it’s a hard pill for me to swallow. I’m here. Day in and day out. Not because I have to be or feel that you need me. But because I love you and the two little replicas you have. I love you so much that there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. And by default as they are a part of you, there’s no you without them, I would do anything for them as well. I would lay down my life for the three of you Felicia without hesitation.

  “So for you to have them call David and ask when we all know he’s going to disappoint them is like a kick in my nuts each time they call him.”

  Felicia sat in stunned silence. She hadn’t given any thought or consideration to how her actions made Harrison feel. She was so preoccupied with making sure she was fair towards David, she was short changing the man who has done nothing but have her back! One thing became very clear to Felicia, she needed to get her shit and her head together before she lost Harrison. The last thing she wanted was for him to feel unappreciated or as if he didn’t matter. He did, in every way imaginable.

  Truth be told she often found herself wishing that it had been Harrison she was with all those years ago instead of David. That Harrison was the father of her daughters and David didn’t exist in their world. Felicia had given up on fairytales long ago, but Harrison was starting to make her believe again.

  Felicia got onto her knees and swung a leg across Harrison’s lap where she sat, straddling him and looking into his eyes.

  While trying to gather her thoughts and what she wanted to say Felicia started to tear up.

  “Babe…” Harrison kissed away the tear that had escaped. “I didn’t bring it up to hurt you and definitely not to make you cry. That’s the last thing I’d want to do unless they were tears of joy and happiness.” His sweet tender words only turned the water pressure up and more tears fell.

  Harrison sat up and hugged Felicia tightly to him. Felicia wrapped her arms around his back and hugged him tighter than ever before. Felicia didn’t realize until now just how much she truly loved Harrison. Don’t get it twisted, she knew he was a damn good man and loved her kids just as much as they loved him. But what she was feeling for him right now at this moment surpassed anything she had ever felt in her life.

  The thought of hurting Harrison or not having him in her life literally made her want to fall to pieces. He had been there for her in ways that no one else ever had. Felicia was crying so hard, she found herself hiccupping as she tried to get herself together enough to where she could speak.

  She didn’t know how long they sat entwined, content with holding each other in silence.

  “H…” Felicia started, but stopped so she could break their embrace enough so she could see his beautiful face. “I first want to tell you how utterly and completely sorry I am. It was never my intent to slight you, make you feel like an afterthought or worse, you come after David. That is the furthest thing from the truth. I love you Harrison. I love you so much that it scares me. I have never felt this strongly for another human being. I would never make the mistake of comparing you to David, but as far as relationships go, that’s all I have to compare anything to.

  “David almost broke me H. Not once, not twice, hell not even twenty times. That man tried to break my spirit. My soul. Just me as a person every day that we were in each other’s presence. If David could do that to me when the love I’d felt for him had died long ago, what could your actions do to me?” She rushed on to finish as he was about to interrupt.

  “Make no mistake, I know you are not him. He is nowhere your level and you’re much better than that bag of scum. And his daughter’s love you Harrison. And if I can be real with you…” she paused waiting for his consent which he gave her with a nod of his head.

  “I honestly believe with everything thing in me that they love you more than they love their own father. You have had more meaningful interaction with them than their own father ever has. And he’s pretty much lived in the same house with them for all of their lives. You’ve been here the past nine months, you know what I say is true.”

  Silence fell between them as Felicia wondered where this left them and Harrison made sure she didn’t have anything else to add.

  “So you’re telling me all this to say what?” A sweet smile was all she could muster up to give him. She felt drained down to her toes.

  “I’m telling you all this H, to say that I am scared. It’s something that I can’t help, just a little residual from my last relationship. But I promise you from this day on out that I will not allow my fear to be my guiding force from this point on. If David wants to have a relationship with his children, that’s on him. Not me. I won’t let my misplaced guilt make me force a relationship. I will no longer be ruled by my fear of losing you!”

  “Good!” Harrison told her the same time he brought his hand down to connect firmly with her ass. Felicia had stopped her automatic reflex of reaching back to rub the sting away. He always took care of her and rubbed the hurt away.

  “Felicia Montgomery I love you more than…anything. I love you more than I love myself. I am in love with you and have been in love with you for the past seventeen years. I would say that I felt sorry for David losing out on you but that would mean I wouldn’t have you. So I’m not. I’m not sorry that he won’t have you to wake up to every day and be greeted by your smiling face first thing. I’m not sorry that he won’t get to laugh with you until tears are streaming down your face. Or so hard you start snorting.” Felicia opened her mouth to refute the snorting comment, but Harrison just placed his forefinger to her lips and continued.

  “I’m not sorry he won’t have the three of you to snuggle and cuddle up with on the couch while watching a movie marathon on ABC family. I’m not sorry he won’t be able to take Dana to her daddy daughter dance. I get to have that moment and make that memory with her. I’m not sorry he wasn’t able to dry Elena’s tears when she didn’t place in her last gymnastics competition. I was the one she turned to when she needed to be consoled.”

  Harrison lifted Felicia off his lap and placed her on the bed. Turning to his nightstand, he opened the drawer and withdrew a box. Felicia’s heart began to beat triple time. She brought her hands up to her mouth in an effort to try and hold in her overflowing emotions. Harrison walked over to her side of the bed and dropped to his knees before her.

  “And most importantly,” he reached for her left hand which she gave without hesitation. “I’m glad that he never asked you to marry him. I’m the only one who will ever have that honor. Felicia Nichole Montgomery, will you wake up next to me every morning for the rest of your life? Will you allow me to provide for you and your children? Will you be the mother of our children? Are you willing to be with me every step of the way for the rest of my life? And last but not least, I want nothing more than for you to be my wife. Will. You. Marry. Me?”

  Felicia’s entire body was trembling with suppressed emotion. Harrison had to tightly hold her hand just to line the ring up on her finger to where it would go on. Fel
icia stared down at the platinum three karat solitaire that was surrounded with sapphire. Dana and Elena’s birthstone. Tears were free falling nonstop and Felicia was even beginning to feel the first trickle of snot trying to escape. She was about to erupt into a wet ball of mess and it was all his fault.

  “Yes!” She told him laughing through her tears and launched herself full speed ahead at him, knocking them both onto his back. “YES I’LL MARRY YOU!” Harrison smiled so broadly that he showed her both of his dimples.

  “I love you Felicia Montgomery, soon to be Felicia Kincaid.”

  “I love you too Harrison. More than you’ll ever know.”

  “Naw babe, that’s not possible. I know. Trust me I know.” Harrison brought his hand up gripping a handful of hair at the back of her head and crushed her lips to his. They were only a few feet from the bed…but they wouldn’t be making it to the bed tonight.

  Epilogue

  Six Months Later

  When they broke the good news of their engagement to their families everyone seemed to have been on it except Felicia. She later found out that Harrison had actually purchased the ring after the first of the year but had been waiting for the perfect time to pop the question. He’d taken care of everything, when he and her father worked together to get David out of her life for good. They had discussed their future. Harrison let Jacob know that he had no intentions of going anywhere. He was in this for the long haul. He just needed to make sure that Jacob approved, which of course he did.

  Not only had Harrison informed her father of his intentions, asking for his blessing. She later found out that the toughest approval he had to secure was that of their two little angels. He wasn’t prepared for the barrage of questions that they both had prepared for this exact situation. Did he love their mom? Did he love them? What could they call him? Would they have to leave their friends? And last but not least, would he leave them like their daddy did?

  That had been tough for Harrison. He knew as did Felicia that David’s absence was having an effect on them, but they did such a good job at camouflaging them. That question almost broke him down and he had his first father daughter talk.

  “I want you both to know that I will always be here. I am not going anywhere. Even if things didn’t work out between your mom and me, you’d still be my daughters. I couldn’t have asked for a better set of girls to be blessed with. You’re both crazy and wild, but I still love both of you to pieces. I will always be here for you.” After he’d gained their approval after the holidays, he just bid his time until he felt Felicia was ready to take that next step.

  Harrison and Felicia had tied the knot on June second in a private ceremony with their closest friends and family. For them, that ended up being approximately one hundred and fifty guests. Harrison’s family being the majority of the guests in attendance. Felicia elected to keep the wedding party small, she figured it would be less of a headache that way.

  Hailey, Analia and Emma stood up for her. Harrison of course wanted his brothers Stone and Luke to stand up for him, but Luke was currently deployed and was unable to get furlough. So Harrison went with the next thing and asked Vincent and Calvin if they’d be his groomsmen. Felicia approved with the stipulation that they didn’t get too carried away with the bachelor party. Vincent and Calvin gave her their scouts’ honor that they’d be on their best behavior and not get Harrison in trouble…Felicia later found out they’d never been scouts to begin with.

  The ceremony took place outdoors and was an all day celebration. They married at two in the afternoon. Reception immediately following and they partied with their guests until the wee hours of the morning. The Montgomery’s and the Kincaid’s had been waiting years to see their children happy. Felicia and Harrison finding that happiness together, was just icing on the cake.

  Afterwards they went on a family-moon to Florida bringing Harrison’s baby sister Kelley with them to watch the girls when they wanted alone time. They rented a beach house that was equipped with their own personal pool and right by Disney. To say they had a ball would be putting it mildly. Felicia was able to reconnect with Kelley and the girls’ were able to get to know her. Forging a bond with their new aunt.

  ****

  “Dad can I go over Aunt Emma’s this weekend?” Dana asked as Harrison drove them home after the movies. They had just seen Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It wasn’t anything like what he remembered the original to be, but it was decent. Dana and Elena seemed to enjoy themselves much to his surprise. At the start of the outing Dana had made a case for not going to see another movie for babies only conceding to go when she saw there wasn’t anything else released that she wanted to see.

  “It’s fine with me, but run it past your mom when we get home.” Their quartet had been cut down to a trio. Felicia hadn’t been feeling well lately and Harrison suggested she stay home and rest up. He’d pick up something to eat on the way home and get her some soup from Panera.

  “You staying home with us Doodlebug?” he asked Elena who was busy designing a house on some app on her iPad. She usually piped in to tag along with Dana immediately.

  “No. I want to go stay with Aunt Kelley and CK.” Harrison couldn’t stop the smile that spread across his face if he tried. He loved that his family was blending so well.

  “I don’t know if Kelley’s in town sweetie, you’ll have to call when we get home.”

  A couple of months before the wedding his girls had moved into the warehouse with him. Harrison had almost regretted that decision. Between helping Jenna plan her wedding, work, planning for their wedding and completing the remodel of the warehouse…Felicia’s time and attention had been stretched thin.

  But the end result had been worth the neglect he’d felt. She was now Mrs. Kincaid and their place was amazing. They were now discussing ideas and plans to develop the acres he had behind one of his shops.

  Pulling up in the driveway Harrison saw that the house was lit up, Felicia must be feeling better. Ushering their herd inside and instructing them to get their overnight bags together. Harrison gave them twenty minutes to get ready to ship out. Just enough time to see to his wife.

  “Hey what’s all the commotion and fuss about?” Felicia asked from the couch as Dana and Elena whizzed past her. Harrison just shook his head at all that energy and the oversight they made in their rush to get ready.

  “Dana wants to go stay over Emma’s place tonight and Elena wants to go to Mom and Pops to hang out with Kelley tonight. You good with that?”

  “That’s fine. I’m still feeling a little blah, but not as bad as earlier. Did you want to do something tonight?” Felicia asked as he laid down next to her, pulling her closer to him.

  “Exactly what I’m doing now.” He told her as he muzzled her nape.

  “Great! Just what I wanted to do.” It only took ten minutes for her little minions to come back downstairs with their belongings.

  “We’re ready!”

  Dropping the girls off took a little more time than Harrison intended. Emma just would not shut up talking about the ideas she’d been having for the family getaway she was planning. A Kincaid family vacation has been on the books for the last five years, why she felt this year would be the year they succeeded he had no clue. And frankly could care less at that moment, all he wanted was to get back home to his wife. He still had to stop by his parents to drop off Elena and there was no way he was getting out of there in under ten minutes.

  But if he just dropped Elena off …

  When Harrison returned an hour later, it was to find Felicia soaking in their oversized whirlpool bathtub.

  “Care to join me handsome?” she coyly asked her husband as he stood in the doorway watching her.

  “I’d love to!” Harrison immediately began stripping of his jacket, t-shirt, jeans and boxer briefs.

  “How are you feeling?” He asked as he settled into the warm water facing her.

  “I’m feeling a little better. But I don’t think it’s something I
’ll be fully over for another seven months or so.” Harrison’s expression immediately went to one of concern. Followed by puzzlement and then pure glee!

  “Are you saying what I think you’re saying?” He asked in the most hopeful tone she’d ever heard from him. It made her heart hurt, her husband was happy with their family, but he’d been wanting to experience having a child for so long. She was beyond thankful she was able to give this to him.

  “Yes baby. We’re pregnant!” Felicia confirmed for him giving him a blinding megawatt smile.

  Harrison grabbed her by the ankles and slid her up his lap until they were chest to chest. Harrison looked down and realized his baby was the reason behind her breasts being so plump and full. Harrison was able to tear his gaze away from the luscious site and bore his gaze into her.

  “I love you Felicia Kincaid.”

  “I love you too Harrison Kincaid. You’re going to be a daddy!”

  “I’m going to be a daddy again.” Harrison amended kissing his wife with all the love and emotion that he felt for her. Not surprising, when they broke apart it was to find her crying tears of unsuppressed happiness.

  The End

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Photo by Kevin Foster www.QuickClicksImages.com

  Kortni Renea is the Author of Covered in His Love, her debut novel. Kortni Renea grew up in the Mid-West and now resides just outside of Atlanta GA with her ten year old daughter. Kortni has no pets as of now, but expects that to change around the holidays. Kortni has been an avid book reader since the age of six, when the I Am Sam books were introduced to her in first grade. She hopes to write many, many more novels, so much so that she will in fact become a household name.

  To learn more about Kortni Renea, please visit her website http://www.kortnirenea.com

  Follow her via twitter @ https://twitter.com/Kortni_Renea

  Or feel free to send her an email @ KortniRenea@gmail.com.