Halton: Vested Interest #6

by Melanie Moreland

  I froze. “That bastard made her think it was all her.”

  “Yeah.”

  “Goddamn asshole,” I fumed.

  “Ah, Hal?”

  “What?” I growled, wishing Scott were still alive so I could kill him all over again.

  “I don’t want to get personal here, but doesn’t Fee supposedly have the stomach flu?”

  Supposedly?

  “Yes.”

  “Ah, do you use protection?”

  I blinked at his question and was about to tell him to mind his own business when the lightbulb went off. Fee wasn’t infertile, and we’d been having unprotected sex for weeks.

  She’d been ill longer than Rene. Her symptoms were somewhat different.

  It wasn’t the fucking flu.

  I stood so fast, my chair toppled over.

  “Holy fuck. I have to go.”

  He laughed and stood, then shouted at me before I reached the door.

  “Hal!”

  I spun around. “What?”

  He held out the ring box. “You might need this.”

  I grabbed the box that had fallen from my pocket. “Thanks.”

  He winked. “Congrats—on all the news.”

  I tore out of the office, running as quickly as I could.

  How the hell was I going to tell Fee?

  I found her on the bathroom floor, resting her head on the cold tub beside the toilet. She lifted her head wearily as I rushed in, offering me a small smile.

  “It came back.”

  I lifted her into my arms, cradling her close. “Sorry, love.”

  She pushed away. “Ugh. I smell awful.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “I do. Let me clean up.”

  I stood behind her as she brushed her teeth and washed her face. She was pale, her eyes exhausted.

  My thoughts were rampant. I had to tell her that her dead ex-husband was a lying sack of shit, and then follow it up with, “And by the way you may be pregnant since I fuck you every chance I get. I stopped and got a pregnancy test—wanna pee on the stick?”

  I chuckled dryly as I wondered if she’d knee me in the balls or just yell.

  She looked at me in the mirror with a puzzled look.

  “I look so bad, you’re laughing?”

  I wrapped my arms around her, tugging her back to my chest. “You’re beautiful. I’m laughing at my own thoughts right now.”

  “Did you bring the ginger ale?”

  “And crackers.”

  “Crackers?”

  “Ah, Rene said they were good for nausea.”

  He had said a lot of things when I called him from the car. He had also laughed so hard, I was certain he was crying.

  “Oh, Halton. You have no idea. Your life—” his laughter rang out again “—oh, how your life is about to change. I am going to enjoy the hell out of this.”

  “Rene, how am I going to handle this? I never planned on children!”

  He sobered. “You never planned on falling in love either. That turned out pretty damn well, I would say. Tell me, Halton, what are you feeling right now?”

  I took the exit for the house. The one I shared with Fee—our home. I thought of his question. Hearing the news, I had felt no anger or stress. None of the nonsense about not bringing a child into this world. Fee and I would make sure they were okay. She would be sure I was okay. There was only worry about getting to Fee and the wonder of telling her. I knew once she got over the shock, she would be ecstatic.

  “Happy and worried, I think.”

  “Worried about being a dad?”

  “Worried about Fee. And yes, being a good dad.”

  “You will be, Halton. Put your mind to it the way you do everything else, and you’ll be a great one.”

  “I want to be.”

  “Do you really think Fee or I would let you fail at something so important?”

  He was right. With them in my life, I couldn’t fail.

  His words echoed in my head as I steered Fee to our bed and tucked her in. I sat beside her, offering her one of the cold ginger ales I had picked up for her.

  She sipped it cautiously.

  “Want a cracker?”

  “Maybe later.” She leaned her head against the pillows. She had about five of them piled up. She loved pillows. “I hope this ends soon. Why did Rene and Clark only have it for twenty-four hours?”

  I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “It’s not the flu, Fee.”

  “It’s not?”

  “No.”

  She rolled her eyes. “What is your diagnosis, Dr. Smithers?”

  I cleared my throat. “Reid came to see me today. He noticed something in the files he had from Scott’s computer. Something, ah, personal.”

  Her face grew even paler as I repeated what I had read and what Reid had told me.

  She grew utterly still.

  “Fee? Love? Did you hear me?”

  She looked down at her stomach, laying her hand over it. The gesture made me smile.

  “Fee?” I prompted.

  “Will you leave me?” she asked.

  I gaped at her, my eyes wide with alarm. “What? No! Never.”

  “But you said…” Her voice trailed off.

  I gathered her hands together with mine. “I said a lot of senseless things before I finally got my head out of my ass. Forget them. They were spoken out of fear and stupidity.”

  Tears gathered in her eyes. “You want—you want to have a baby with me?”

  “I want to have lots of babies with you. But we can start with this one.”

  She flung her arms around me, sobbing. I held her close, letting her cry. I ran my hand up and down her back, making shushing noises and rocking her. When her sobs stopped, I eased back and wiped her cheeks. I chuckled as she blew her nose.

  “Okay, FeeNelly?”

  She sniffled. “What do we do now?”

  I rummaged in the bag and held up a box. “We pee on a stick.”

  The bathroom floor was cold. I sat with my back against the wall, Fee on my lap, with her holding the stick. It was turned over, and I was using my phone to time the results. I already knew what it as going to say, but I wanted to share this moment with her.

  The buzzer went off, and Fee drew in a long breath. “I’m scared,” she admitted.

  I nudged her gently, resting my chin on her shoulder. “Nothing to be afraid of, Fee. I’m here.” I covered her hand with mine. “I’ll always be here.”

  She met my gaze and her shoulders relaxed. “Okay.”

  “On three,” I whispered.

  We turned over the stick, and the word PREGNANT stood out, vivid and clear.

  “Wow,” I murmured.

  “You’re going to be a daddy,” Fee said, turning her head.

  I kissed her. “You’re going to be a mommy. A great one.”

  “I never thought I would get to be a mommy.” Her eyes shone. “I can’t believe it. It’s not the flu, Halton. It’s not the flu!”

  I chuckled. “Nope. Not the flu. It’s our baby.” The words felt foreign to say, but strangely right.

  “You’re sure you’re okay with this?” she asked, nervous.

  I rested my cheek against hers. “You made a dream I didn’t even know I had come true, Fee. I get to have my own family.” I tightened my arms. “I will never leave you. Or let you down again. Either of you.”

  She pressed closer. “You are my dream, Halton. All my wishes came true.”

  “I have one more wish.” I slid the tiny box into her hand. “One wish to make us both complete.”

  She looked down at the black velvet. Her hands shook as she opened it, a gasp escaping her mouth when she saw the ring.

  “Wear my ring and be my wife,” I murmured into her ear. “Be the mother of my children and my partner, Fee. Be my world, because you are my heart.”

  She turned her face, meeting my eyes.

  “Yes.”

  I bent to kiss her and she gasped.
<
br />   “What?”

  “I’m gonna throw up.”

  She flung herself away, and I rubbed her back as she heaved, then I carried her back to bed, tucking her in and staring down at her. I stroked her forehead.

  “Sleep, love. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

  “I can’t believe I barfed after you asked me to marry you.”

  I had to laugh. As far as marriage proposals went, I had a feeling ours was unique.

  She fell asleep, exhausted. Her hand lay on top of the blanket, the emerald sparkling in the light. Her little raptor noises filled the room, making me smile.

  She made me smile.

  The light of my world. My partner in everything. Now for life.

  Unique or not, I’d take it.

  Four months later

  Halton

  I waited, anxious and excited, my foot tapping and my fingers clenching as the music began to play. Beside me, Rene chuckled and laid his hand on my shoulder.

  “She’s coming, Halton.”

  I had to smile. I knew she was, but it wasn’t fast enough. I hadn’t seen Fee since yesterday at lunch, and it was already seven p.m. It was the longest we’d been apart in months, and I hadn’t been happy with that part of the plan but gave in when Fee said it was something she wanted. I found myself unable to ever say no to her.

  It was one small tradition in our very untraditional relationship, she informed me. The plan had been she would spend the evening with Joanne and I was going to be with Rene, but our friends had other ideas.

  The BAM boys—Bentley, Aiden, Maddox, Reid, Van, and even Jordan all showed up and dragged Rene and me to Maddox’s favorite whiskey bar. Maddox had reserved an entire section and we sat around sipping whiskey, eating various platters of food Aiden ordered, and laughing. We were a loud, boisterous crew, and I actually enjoyed every moment. There was a lot of ribbing and marital advice offered—most of which I felt safe ignoring.

  Especially from Aiden.

  He leaned back in his chair, his big arm flung over the back. “As the longest married BAM man, lemme give you some advice.”

  Bentley rolled his eyes. “I asked Emmy first.”

  Aiden shook his head. “I made it legal before you.”

  Maddox smirked. “By a few months.”

  Aiden waved his hand. “Whatever. Still longer than both of you.”

  I met Van’s amused gaze. The three of them constantly tried to outdo each other. It was amusing to watch, but I admired their relationship. I had never known three men to be as loyal and tight as they were with each other. Their friendship was solid, and it extended throughout their company and beyond. Once you were friends with them, you became part of their circle. I was grateful to be included.

  I picked up my whiskey, enjoying the smoothness of the bottle we were sampling at the moment.

  “Do impart your wisdom, Aiden.”

  He nodded sagely. “Always let her know who’s the boss.” He rolled his shoulders. “Cami knows who wears the pants in the family.”

  For a moment, everyone was silent. Then Maddox burst out laughing, and Bentley hung his head, his shoulders shaking in mirth. Reid laughed so hard, he almost fell off the low chair he was perched on. Van’s head fell back as he guffawed, and even Jordan covered his eyes as he laughed. Rene simply shook his head, amusement written all over his face.

  “What?” Aiden said.

  “You’re the boss when Cami tells you it’s okay,” Bentley informed him. “Which isn’t often.”

  “What about you?” Aiden shot back.

  Bentley lifted his shoulder. “Emmy owns me totally. What she says goes, and I’m good with that. Mad Dog?”

  Maddox wiped his eyes. “Pretty much. What Dee says goes—well, most places.” He winked suggestively. “There’s one place I call the shots, but I’ll keep that private.”

  Reid grinned. “I let Becca boss me around. I kinda like it.”

  We all laughed at that.

  I turned my amused gaze to Van. I was the closest to him of the group. “What say you, Van? Liv the boss of the house?”

  He shook his head slowly. “Nope.”

  “Really?” I asked, surprised.

  He grinned into his whiskey. “Sammy is. What she says goes.”

  Everyone laughed at his droll statement. Sammy was Van’s adopted daughter, and he adored her completely.

  “Mila is second-in-command. Liv rounds them out.” He concluded. “Reed and I just do what we’re told.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “It’s easier that way, my friend. Go with the flow.”

  Bentley met my eyes, his gaze serious. “Ignore Tree Trunk here and listen to me, Halton. Love her. With everything in you. Emmy is the center of my world. She comes first. Over business, money, everything. If I lost all of it and only had her, I’d still have everything.” His voice caught. “She is everything.”

  I nodded in understanding, my throat suddenly thick. Fee had already become more important to me than anything else. I would do anything for her happiness. Be whatever she needed me to be. Do whatever I had to do to keep her safe, happy, and beside me. I met Rene’s dark eyes. He smiled in understanding, knowing what demons I had conquered to get to the point of admitting my love for Fee. He clapped me on the shoulder.

  “What Bentley said, Halton. Love her.”

  That was what I planned on doing for the rest of my life.

  Fee had her own surprise when Joanne drove her to a small restaurant in Mississauga and Fee walked in to find all the BAM women in attendance. Emmy, Cami, Dee, Becca, Liv, and Sandy were waiting with presents, and all the little canapés Fee craved constantly. Lots of wine was drunk by the other women, but Fee stuck to ginger ale. She sent me a few pictures of some of the gifts she received. The piles of lace and satin in a rainbow of colors made me grin widely, imagining her modeling them for me. The thought of peeling them off her smooth skin was like a gift that kept on giving.

  For now, though, I needed my bride.

  We were in a beautiful ballroom overlooking Toronto. The space was decorated with flowers, tulle, flickering candles, and the tables were dressed in cream and green linens. I waited at the altar, complete with a flower-laden arch at one end of the room. Our friends stood around us, waiting to celebrate after the short ceremony with dinner and dancing.

  Joanne appeared in the doorway and walked sedately toward us, her gaze lingering on Rene for a long moment. I glanced to the side, noting the wide grin on his face and the way his eyes were focused on her. I had been surprised when I finally met her to discover she was older than Fee by ten years. There had been no disguising the mutual attraction between her and Rene the first time they met, and watching the two of them now made me wonder how far their attraction had gone.

  Rene met my amused gaze. “Keep your eyes on your own woman,” he growled softly.

  I chuckled. “Is that how it is, old man?”

  He nudged me playfully. “None of your business, Halton. You concentrate on getting married. I’ll handle my own love life.”

  My laughter died on my lips when Fee appeared in the doorway. The short path to me seemed much too long as I watched her walk my way.

  Her beautiful silver hair was down, hanging past her shoulders in a mass of waves, shining in the low light. A lacy, ivory dress gathered tight under her breasts and swirled loosely around her knees, a vivid green sash emphasizing the baby bump she was proud to display.

  Lord knew I could hardly keep my hands off of it. Every time she was close, I found myself touching it. Sitting beside her, I always rested my hand on the growing swell. I talked to her tummy endlessly at night while she slept. I kissed it constantly, murmuring my adoration to her skin. I sang funny songs, ignoring Fee’s snickers, and I read books about foxes, puppies, and kittens to the growing bump daily.

  Any and all doubts I would love this child, our child, were banished instantly when I saw the first ultrasound. I was already in love, but seeing the image had kicked my emotions into ove
rload, and now I was totally infatuated. We didn’t know the gender, but it didn’t matter. My child already owned my heart.

  Our eyes met, intense dark blue melding with soft, beautiful green, and my heart stuttered. This was the woman I would spend the rest of my life with. This was the woman who would safeguard my heart and always be there. And I would do the same for her.

  I held out my hand, anxious to feel her touch. Her smile was wide, her eyes joyful as she slid her palm into mine, and I lifted our joined fingers to my mouth, kissing her knuckles.

  “Ready, FeeNelly?” I asked quietly.

  “So ready, counselor.”

  “Then let’s get married.”

  Four years later

  I pulled in the driveway, pausing before hurrying up the steps to admire the lines of the new house. Much larger than the house Fee and I shared when we were first married, this one had five bedrooms and a good-sized yard, complete with a pool. The house was farther outside of Toronto than I ever expected to live, but it was in a good, safe neighborhood for my family. I had opened a second office closer to the new house and spent two days a week in Toronto and the other three in the new one so I was nearer to home. Both offices were busy and productive. Rene still ran the Toronto office, and Clark now ran the second place.

  I glanced at my watch, hoping I wasn’t late. I tapped in the combination code for the door and went inside, to be greeted by one of my favorite sounds in the world.

  My daughter, Elsie Renee, bounded down the steps, squealing my name. I opened my arms and caught her as she flung herself off the bottom stair. I swung her around, laughing at her delighted squeaks, then gathered her close and kissed her head. She smelled of bubble bath, flowers, and little girl. She clutched a cookie in her hand and offered it to me with a flourish.

  “Is that for me?”

  She squirmed in my arms, her grin wide. “Mommy and me made them!”