Scottish Player: A Hero Club Novel

by Karen Frances

  “I’m not so sure.” I wish I shared Lee’s confidence.

  “Look, today, we’re here to see your baby on the screen for the first time, and nothing, and I mean nothing, will take away from the joy of seeing him or her.”

  I nod, unable to speak, and not for the first time today I’m feeling emotional and teary-eyed. Lee has told me to expect this, something about my hormones. I’m sure she’ll keep me right throughout this pregnancy. She’s even offered to come with me when I break the news to my mum. I’d hate to be a disappointment to her with not being in a relationship.

  As we sit waiting, around us there are couples all looking excited and cosy together, while I’m here with just Lee for support. My heart aches and thunders in my chest. I swallow hard in an attempt to control my emotions. I wish more than anything that Jackson was here with me, but I’ll need to accept he’s not going to be a part of this journey with me.

  I know Lee has said I have the support of my family and friends, and yes, she means well, but I’m going to be a single mum, bringing up my baby on my own. How the hell will I cope? What will I do about my career? Because once a baby is here, there will be no jet-setting around the world.

  Minutes tick away much slower than I anticipated. If we have to wait much longer, I’m going to leave.

  “Samantha Walker.” My name is called, and Lee tugs on my hand, silently telling me it’s time to go in. I smile at her, but it’s weak. “Miss Samantha Walker.”

  “That’s me,” I say, rising to my feet. Lee keeps my hand and we walk towards the woman. She holds open a door and we both enter.

  “Hi, I’m Claire. I’ll be doing your scan today. There’s nothing to be nervous about. Is this your first pregnancy?”

  “Hi, and yes. This is my sister-in-law, Lee.” Well, she’s nearly my sister-in-law.

  “Hi, Lee. Now, if you could sit at the side please, and Samantha, if you could lie on the bed, lowering your leggings and lift your top, we can get started as soon as I enter all your details.”

  It takes me a few minutes to sort myself; I’m all fingers and thumbs. Lee keeps reassuring me that everything is okay, but I’m not sharing her confidence.

  “Okay, so this jelly is a bit cold,” Claire says, squeezing it onto my lower stomach.

  “You weren’t lying,” I say, shocked.

  “Sorry. Now, let’s get a look.” She’s just about to press the scanning wand onto my stomach when I freeze, hearing a commotion outside the room.

  “Where the hell is she?” the voice bellows and I don’t know if I should be happy or not. “Tell me where Sam Walker is?”

  “Do you want me to go and speak to him? Let him in with you?” Lee asks.

  I nod slowly. Lee kisses my cheek before leaving the room.

  “Shall I wait?” Claire asks.

  “Yes, please. I didn’t think he would make it.” I don’t want to tell her anything else. What would I say anyway? The dad wanted nothing to do with the baby.

  Silence fills the room for what seems like hours, but I know it’s only minutes before the door opens and there he stands in the doorway, as handsome as ever, but his eyes are full of sadness.

  “Are you going to stand there all day?” I ask. “Because lying here with a full bladder is not much fun.” I smile, breaking the tension that is filtering through the room. “Claire, this is…”

  “Jackson,” she says. “I know who he is. He plays for my team.”

  Claire’s eyes are on him as he closes the door and enters the room. “If you’d like to take a seat beside Samantha, we’ll get started.”

  Thank heavens, because if she doesn’t scan me soon, I’ll need to run to the toilet.

  Jackson takes my hand in his. I should be looking at the screen, but instead, my eyes are on the man at my side, whose deep blue eyes are filled with unshed tears. What a pair we’re going to make. “I’m sorry,” he mouths to me before placing a kiss in my hand. My body relaxes for the first time today.

  “Okay, here is your baby.” Claire’s words change my focus of attention and I look to the screen. “Baby’s heartbeat is here, and everything looks perfect. Now I’ll take a few measurements to give you your exact due date, then you can get to the bathroom.”

  “That sounds like the best thing anyone has said to me today.”

  Jackson laughs lightly beside me, but I don’t think he realises I’ll be running to the bathroom to pee. I stare at the image of our baby on the screen. I didn’t imagine the picture would be so clear. There really is a baby in my tummy.

  “Part of me and you,” Jackson says softly, his eyes still on the screen, taking in the view of our baby.

  “Okay, that’s us all done for today,” Claire says, wiping off the gel on my stomach. “I’ve printed off a few pictures for you. Now, I know you have already seen the consultant and your next appointment has been made, so you are free to leave.”

  “Thank you,” I say, standing and sorting my clothes. Claire hands Jackson the scan pictures before we leave the room. Lee is sitting in the waiting area, but I rush off to the bathroom.

  Lee is standing with Jackson, looking on as he proudly shows her the pictures of our baby. “Are you going to find out what you’re having?” she asks as I approach them.

  “No, I’d like a surprise. What about you?” I ask Jackson.

  “As long as baby is healthy and we’re together, I’ll be happy.”

  The tears that have been threatening all day now trickle down my face and Lee is standing beside me, smiling. “I’ll take that as my cue to leave. Jackson will you make sure she gets home safely otherwise…”

  “You don’t need to say it. Of course I’ll get her home safely. We have precious cargo to look after.”

  “See that you do. Now you.” She wraps her arms around me in a huge embrace and I’m so grateful to her for everything. Jackson steps away to the side. “I told you things would work out. You two have a lot to talk about, and remember he’s a man and they do make mistakes, and lots of them, but he loves you.” I shake my head at her. “He does, otherwise he wouldn’t be here. I’ll call you tomorrow and I’ll tell that brother of yours not to interfere.”

  “Thank you.”

  “As I said earlier, no need for thanks. Bye, Jackson,” Lee shouts and walks away from the waiting area.

  “Is she in a hurry? We could’ve walked out together.”

  “That’s Lee’s way of giving us space.”

  “She didn’t have to.”

  “No, but she did.”

  “Can we go to your flat to talk?” he asks nervously.

  “Yes, and I can call in for food later,” I say, holding out my hand to him. He glances down and takes my hand.

  It’s a start. We have issues to deal with, but I’m certain we’ll work them out. Maybe if we can at least be honest about our feelings for each other.

  “Can I get you anything?” I ask him, suddenly feeling nervous as I close the door to my flat behind us.

  “No. I’ll go and get us both some water while you go and sit down. Relax and put your feet up.”

  He wanders through to the kitchen and I’m more than slightly confused; Jackson Taylor appears to be as anxious as I feel. The living room is how I left it earlier today with some of Chloe’s toys on the sofa. I pick up the pink soft doll that I was playing with with her this morning. I smile, remembering that she didn’t have a clue what I was doing, although she did smile at me while I was singing to her. It will be months before she even realises what toys are. With the doll in my hand, my thoughts travel to what we’ll have; a boy or a girl. I really don’t have a preference as long as he or she is healthy.

  “Here you go,” Jackson says, handing me a glass of water as he catches me off-guard. I never heard him entering the room. “Is that Chloe’s?” he asks.

  “Yes. She was here this morning with Lee before Logan picked her up.”

  He sits down beside me, and God, I want to reassure him that everything is okay. He look
s so lost and nervous as his eyes drift around the room and his right leg bounces. “Sam, I fucked up.”

  “You’re a guy. Isn’t that what you do?” I say, trying to stop the growing tension in the room.

  “No, I don’t fuck up, but I have with you. My initial reaction to the news of our baby was shocking, and if you didn’t forgive me, I’d only have myself to blame. I’m sorry.”

  I focus on the words, ‘our baby.’ A warmth flutters in my stomach. “It came as a shock to me too, but I didn’t have the option to walk away.”

  He takes my hand in his and his eyes are glazed as he stares me straight in the eyes. “If I could take back my reaction, I would, but now we have to find a way forward and move on, hopefully together. Because if we’re not together, I’m not sure what sort of dad I will be. I’m being honest with you and myself, Sam. I love you and I don’t want to watch my family from the side-lines. I need to be a part of both your lives.”

  Not for the first time today, my tears fall. He loves me. Jackson takes the glass from my hand, setting it down and wrapping his arms around me, holding me close to him. “Sam, it’s okay, please don’t cry. Please.”

  “You love me?” I ask through my sobs and sniffles.

  “Yes. What’s not to love about you? I love you and want to spend all my time with you. Well, for the next six months it will be just the two of us.”

  “I love you too,” I say through my tears. He smiles and tilts my chin then seals his lips over mine in the sweetest kiss. My emotions are all over the place at the moment. But right now, I’m exactly where I want to be, in the arms of the man I love.

  Epilogue

  “A parcel,” he calls out loudly, walking back into the room.

  “Shush. She’s finally asleep. Who from?” I ask. Our gorgeous baby girl has been up all night, and I do mean the entire night. I feel bad for Jackson. He has a match today and he’s hardly slept. I tried to convince him to go to bed, but he insisted on staying up with me. I’m sure he’ll regret that.

  “Well, at a guess from the air-mail sticker and address, I’d say Aubrey and Chance,” he whispers, squishing it to see what it is.

  “You know you can open it and then you’ll find out what it is.” And if I wasn’t sitting here with our daughter in my arms, that parcel would be snatched from his hands and ripped open because I can’t wait to see what Chance and Aubrey have sent our darling baby girl.

  “Will you be okay on your own today?” he asks, taking Brianna from my arms. I lovingly watch as he kisses the top of her tiny head before placing her in the crib.

  “I’ll be fine. Lee had said she and Jess would come over, but I talked them out of it. I know she’s had us up all night, but I’m looking forward to having her all to myself today. And you’ll be home just after the game.”

  “I will. How about I bring home a takeaway so neither of us has to cook?”

  “That sounds perfect. Now, can we open the parcel?”

  He tears it open and we both laugh at the cuddly soft toy that falls out; a goat. There’s a gorgeous little dress and card, but the goat, well, that’s a story we can tell Brianna all about one day when she’s older. Hopefully, a story she’ll tell her own kids.

  “Now, this I love,” I tell him, recalling my first memory of seeing Aubrey and Chance.

  “Yes, me too. I’m going to worry about you today.”

  “I will be fine, and most importantly, our daughter will be fine and we’ll look forward to an evening with Daddy.” A night just the three of us sounds perfect. Our house has been full this past week since Brianna’s birth, and yes, all the visitors have been lovely, but I crave some alone time with my baby and my man.

  “Oh, how my Saturday nights have changed.” He bends and kisses me. “I’ll call you on my way home.”

  “Go on, get out of here, and make sure you score.”

  “I’ve already scored in the best game of my life. I have you and Brianna. I love you, Samantha Walker.”

  “And I love you.”

  I can sense his reluctance to leave as I all but chase him from the house. I switch my phone to silent and I’m going to do what I’ve been told from Lee, and that is sleep while Brianna is sleeping.

  Brianna and I have had a lovely day together. She’s been so good; she must’ve known Mummy needed a sleep. She’s only woken up to be fed and changed and went straight back to sleep. I cradled her in my arms as I watched Jackson’s match. He did score a goal and my brother saved one, and the team won, so that was a great result.

  Lee and my mother have both called, checking in on me. I assured them I was more than fine on my own. Lee was happy with my answer and didn’t press the situation, unlike my mother. All she wanted to do was come over to look after me and fuss over Brianna, but I think she settled for going to see Lee and Chloe. I’ll thank Lee the next time I see her for that.

  Jackson has called and he’s bringing pizza; that was what I wanted. I’m now hoping our daughter wakes up and lets Daddy have his time with her tonight. He loves settling down with her at night after she’s all bathed to feed her. There’s something so beautiful about seeing my very own tattooed hunk sitting shirtless with the baby we created in his strong arms. She looks so tiny in his hold.

  As if on cue, Brianna stirs in the cradle at the same time Jackson’s car pulls into the drive. “You excited to have Daddy home too?” I say, placing a kiss on my daughter’s cheek as I pick her up.

  I’m standing in our front room with her in my arms when he comes in with a large pizza box. “There’s my two favourite girls.”

  “Great game,” I say as he kisses me on the lips.

  “Yeah, we did all right.”

  “I think the team did better than all right. Logan had a great game.”

  He puts the box down on the coffee table and takes our daughter into his arms. “I bet you’ve been a good girl for Mummy today.” I smile at him and sit back down on the sofa and he sits down beside me. “Go on. You have some pizza first.”

  I don’t have to be told twice because the problem with sleeping on and off all day is that as much as I’ve fed Brianna, I’ve not bothered with lunch. I pick up the box, open it, and stare inside it; no pizza. My heart beats fast as my eyes take in the small box inside it.

  “Now I wonder if Mummy will like her gift?” I pick the box up slowly and my gaze lands on Jackson and Brianna. “Open it then.”

  I open the box and gasp at the simple yet elegant single stone diamond ring. “Sam, I love you and I need you in my life, always. Please say you’ll be my wife?”

  Tears fill my eyes and there’s a lump in my throat. I nod. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you.” I wrap my arms around him, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. Our daughter’s soft crying interrupts us.

  “Do you hear that, baby girl? Mummy is going to marry your daddy. Now maybe I should ensure my girls are fed and then we can all snuggle together.” He takes the ring from the box and slides it on my finger. “That’s it, no going back.”

  “No, only forward. I love you so much.”

  “I know you do, sweetheart, and I love you. How do you fancy going back to Vegas?”

  I know my eyes must light up. “I can do Vegas anytime you like, player.”

  “This player has already set the wheels in motion and Chance and Aubrey will be with us.”

  I kiss him once more quickly. “Thank you.”

  Everything I never imagined I needed is right here in this room with me, and what’s more, I can’t imagine my life without either of them. Jackson and Brianna complete me.

  The End

  Afterword

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&
nbsp; About the Author

  Karen Frances is the author of sixteen romance novels and three novellas.

  She currently lives just outside Glasgow, Scotland, with her husband, five children and two dogs, although she does dream of living somewhere warm and sunny by the sea.

  Her days are spent helping her husband run their family business. She spends some of her free time trying to keep fit and prepare healthy meals for her family, when their busy schedules allow them all to sit down at meal times together. The rest of her time is spent plotting stories, writing and occasionally reading.

  Karen writes stories that are both believable and full of life. More often than not she loves sending her readers on an emotional journey alongside her characters.

  For more information please check out her website.

  www.karenfrancesauthor.co.uk

  Also by Karen Frances

  The Captured Series

  Family Ties novella

  Captured my Heart Book 1

  Captured my Trust Book 2

  Captured my Soul Book 3

  Captured my Love Book 4

  Captured by Addiction Book 5

  A Beautiful Game Series

  Playing the Field novella

  Playing the Game Book 1

  Playing to Win Book 2

  Saving the Game Book 3

  Scottish Player a Cocky Hero world novel

  The Scripted Series

  Scripted Reality Book 1

  Scripted Love Book 2

  Enemies of the City Series

  Secrets and Lies Book 1

  Love and Truth Book 2

  Past and Future Book 3

  Enemies of the City a novella

  Standalone Novels

  Moving On