“If there is one thing parenthood has taught me, it’s you don’t need fun to have wine,” Lottie said and lifted her glass.
“Amen to that!” Hannah raised her glass, clinking it with Lottie’s.
Devin groaned. “I’m nervous enough about this whole thing. Don’t make it worse.”
“Oh, honey. We’re just kidding…” Lottie patted her hand. “Mostly. They’re a blessing, even if they are little turds from time to time that love to push your buttons.”
I grinned, glad they’d convinced me to come out tonight. A little time with the girls was something I needed more than I’d realized. The three of them had me in a fit of giggles for the last hour. Leighton was on her way here. Once she showed up, I knew the night would only become more entertaining. Leighton had always been a spitfire when we were younger. Age and marriage had done little to change that, it seemed. I only wished I’d made some closer girlfriends when I was younger, the way they all seemed to be. But I’d spent all my time with Bobby and his friends. For the briefest moment, Tim’s face flashed in my mind.
Oddly, considering the place barely had any breathing room given how crowded it was, I hadn’t actually seen him anywhere.
A familiar tune came to life from the stage speakers, grabbing my attention. It was a tune I hadn’t heard in a while, but one I knew by heart. As the familiar song continued and was joined by his voice and not the voice I was used to hearing sing it, the smile that had been stretched on my face fell. I wondered if I was losing it. If I was dreaming up not only his face, but his voice…
The girls fell quiet, watching me closely for my reaction. I closed my eyes, letting the sound of Tim’s voice fall over me like a warm blanket. It’d been years since I heard him sing, and it wasn’t any less riveting and all-consuming than the first time I’d heard him.
I silently sang along with him in my head. I’d memorized every word from the first time Bobby had sang the song to me. He’d told me he’d wrote it for me. It was probably one of the defining moments in our relationship. It was the moment I think I’d started to let myself let go of my crush on Tim and really fall for Bobby.
Remembering that moment and hearing the depth of emotion as Tim sang it, had my eyes flashing open as I spun to watch him on the stage, my pulse quickening with every beat of the song.
I’d been a fool. A fool to ever believe a word out of his mouth.
A stupid, stupid girl for far too long.
But that ended now.
TIM
As I strummed the last note of the song, I looked up, finding Conley standing in front of me, hands firmly planted on her hips. Her face was unreadable.
“Conley,” I croaked, my voice scratchy from singing a set for the first time in years. It felt good. It felt better than good; it felt amazing. The way the crowd responded and cheered me on only added to the surreal feeling of it all. Yet, the only reaction I cared about was the one that came from the beautiful woman standing in front of me. Setting my guitar to the side, I stood and took a hesitant step toward her. When she didn’t immediately back away, I took that as a good sign and closed the remaining gap separating us, leaving only a foot of distance between us.
“You sang…” She stared up at me, tears shimmering in her eyes, and I knew my time to lay it all out there was limited.
I nodded, swallowing hard, my hand still shaking from the nerves and adrenaline.
“You wrote that song, didn’t you?”
I nodded again. I’d written all the songs I just played, but I knew the one she was talking about.
“Who’s the girl? The girl in the song you wrote.”
She already knew the answer. She was only looking for me to say it. I’d written that first song about her when I was fifteen, about how I’d been feeling all those years ago. As much as I wanted to answer her, I figured an apology seemed like the best place to start.
“I’m sorry. I know I have no right to tell you any of this when I was the one that pushed you away. But I’m gonna say it, anyway. I miss you, Con, and I’m asking for a second chance. You deserve to be put first. You and your dreams, matter. I want to be the one by your side while you make them real. And I—”
“Stop.” Tears spilled down her cheeks as her head shook. The smile on her face and the light chuckle that accompanied her words were the only signs I might still have a chance.
“Does this mean you forgive me?” I asked with a smug smile, my heart racing and my palms damp.
She swiped the tears from her cheeks in one flourish. “Let’s just say, if you try to kiss me, I might just let you.”
Exhaling my relief, I hauled her into my arms, hugging her close. I leaned down, kissed her bare shoulder, and whispered in her ear, “Nothing will ever be as easy as you and me.” Then I took her lips with mine at her tiny gasp from my words. I chased that breath into her mouth, tasting the red wine on her lips. I kissed her hard, pushing my tongue inside. She met my fervor stroke for stroke before she pushed against my chest. I broke the kiss with a growl.
Tilting her head back, she grinned up at me. “I’m sorry, too. I should’ve told you about the interview. I love you, Tim Hudson. So damn much.” We stared at each other, my heart pounding with each silent second that passed between us. “I’m going to really need you to say something right about now,” she said on a soft laugh. She was waiting for me to say something. Anything. Saying the words was crazy, considering everything. But that was the thing about love. Love had no set timeline. No rules. It’s why some fell instantly while others took a little longer.
Cupping her face and brushing my thumb along the line of her cheekbone. “It’s about damn time.”
Her smile was huge and beautiful, her eyes as bright as the stars in the sky. “What does that mean?”
“I’ve been in love with you since I was fifteen, Conley Logan. And I promise you that will never change.”
Epilogue
Tim
One year later…
“I can’t believe you’re doing this,” I said as Conley sat down in the chair, the gray vinyl squeaking as she made herself comfortable.
“I should’ve done it the day we eloped,” she poked my chest, where I stood next to her. “And I would’ve done it, had you not insisted I didn’t. A lesser woman would’ve taken offense to that, by the way.”
“I just didn’t want you to regret anything. It’s permanent, you know.” And with the wild mood swings she’d been having lately, there was no telling if she’d change her mind about me. I was a wise enough man to keep that thought to myself, though.
She rolled her eyes. “There are ways to have it removed.”
“So, you’re sure?”
“Yes! Now will you stop killing this for me?”
“Fine,” I said with a sigh and extended my hand. “Show me the final sketch.”
She pulled out the piece of paper, handing it over to me. I couldn’t believe she still had the original sketch from her eighteenth birthday. On her thirty-fifth birthday, she’d decided to add another flower to the collage on her arm. One that represented me. It worried me after she told me each of the flowers already on her arm represented the birth months of her family. Although we were married, and I had no plans of ever letting her go if I could help it, I still worried she’d change her mind.
I studied the lines of the sketch closely, mentally charting which one belonged to who when I noticed an extra flower.
“There’s six here.”
“Mmm hmm,” she hummed softly, folding her lips between her teeth to hide her smile.
“Why are there six?” I asked while running through the list—her mom, dad, Ricky, her, and me.
“Oh, come on, Tim. You aren’t that dense?” She placed a hand on her belly, giving me a small hint.
“Holy hell.” I covered my mouth, rubbing my hand over it and then over my head to grip my neck. “Are you pregnant?”
“Ding, ding!” she said through a laugh.
“Holy, shit�
��” I couldn’t believe it. This had to be the happiest and most terrifying moment of my life. My eyes widened. “Wait—is this safe? I mean for the baby?”
“It’s fine. I called ahead and told them. They are taking extra precautions to make sure the needles are clean. He said he’d open up a new, unused one for me.”
“I don’t know. I feel like we should ask a doctor before you do this,” I pulled out my phone.
“Who are you calling?”
“Devin.”
“She’s a vet. Not a pediatrician.”
I shrugged. “She’s the only doctor friend I have.”
Conley snatched the phone from my hand, ending the call before Devin could answer. “Don’t you dare call her. I’ve already checked into it. I promise it will all be fine.”
“You ready to go?” the tattoo artist asked as he walked into the room.
“No,” I answered as Conley simultaneously answered yes.
She turned and glared at me. I hated to piss her off, but damn she was stunning when she was mad. The glint of defiance in her eyes and the way her cheeks flushed. Or maybe that was that whole pregnancy glow people talked about. This definitely explained the mood swings.
“You’re beautiful,” I said without thought. Because it was the only thing on my mind as I looked at her. The woman I loved. My wife. The mother of my soon-to-be child. My world.
“Don’t try to suck up to me now.” She handed my phone back to me. “You can stay or leave. But this is happening, whether or not you like it.”
“I’ll never leave. You’re stuck with me and my offspring.”
Her eyes flashed to the ceiling. “God, help me,” she prayed, then pursed her lips as she hid her grin.
“So…then we’re good?” the guy asked.
“Are those needles new?” I asked, my eyes narrowing on him.
“Yep,” he responded, showing me the unopened package.
“Then you heard the lady.”
He nodded and got to work as I held her free hand. When she flinched and squeezed mine at the first touch of needle to skin, I lifted her arm, kissing the inside of her wrist. “Don’t worry, babe. I got you. It only gets easier from here.”
“We’re having a baby,” she pointed out. “You may be tempting fate.”
“We are. And I have no doubt that will be hard, but as long as it’s you and me working together, we can handle anything.” I pulled out my phone again.
“Who are you calling now?” She asked with a cocked eyebrow.
“Nobody. Just setting a reminder to put an ad in the paper Dudley’s is hiring.”
“What for?”
“Because I plan to be by your side every step of the way during this pregnancy and raising our baby. I’m not missing a thing.”
“Good. Because I’m going to need you, Tim Hudson.” She squeezed my hand.
I leaned down and kissed her forehead. I’d never tire of hearing those words from her lips. I’d asked for her a second chance, and I’d never take that for granted. I’d spend every day showing her I was here for her. For us. And I wouldn’t let her down.
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Also Available from Melissa Ellen
BLACKWOOD SERIES
Billionaires and Rock Stars
A REASON TO STAY
THE ONLY ONE
A REASON TO LEAVE
FOREVER YOURS
BILLINGSLEY SERIES
Small Town Second Chance
REDEEMING LOTTIE
CHASING HANNAH
TAMING WES
TEMPTING TIM
MADE SERIES
Romantic Suspense
HONOR
BURDEN (Coming Soon)
SALVATION (Coming Soonish)
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Acknowledgments
This last year didn’t go as planned. Unfortunately, my writing was forced to the side while I took care of other things. I was nervous once it came time to sit down and write again. There’s always some self-doubt as an author with any book you write, but even more so with this one for me. I wasn’t sure if I would ever finish this book. I don’t know that this will be the best book I ever publish, but it was definitely the most satisfying one to finish. And being able to complete it was due to my support team.
Thank you to my team of beta readers. Without you this book wouldn’t be what it is today. Thank you to Christy, Samantha, and Ashley! Your comments and feedback are invaluable. Thank you for continuing to support me and my writing.
I’d also like to thank my editor, Taryn. It only took me three times to send you the correct manuscript. Ha! I think it still had some jumbled words in there. Hopefully the next go round I’ll have a better handle of the new software I’m using. Thanks for taking the time to edit for me in between everything else you have on your plate!
Thank you to all my readers! You guys are awesome, and I love you dearly. I appreciate all your continued support between and during releases.
Thank you to all my author friends, especially Tina Saxon. I’m so glad we met. I don’t know how I’d ever make it through this journey without you all!
Last but not least, I would like to thank my family. Especially, my husband. Without your constant support I wouldn’t have been able to continue to write and pursue a long time dream.
Tempting Tim: A Small Town Friends to Lovers Romance (Billingsley Book 4) Page 20