by Robyn M Ryan
“With two little peanuts who’ll have the best of each of us,” Andrew added. “Shall we discuss this with Shannon?”
“Yes, she guided us through this process. I don’t know what we’d still face without her wisdom.”
“Let’s take care of it,” Andrew agreed. “And then, let’s celebrate somewhere—just not the food court.”
“I know just the perfect place,” Caryn smiled. “Home.”
Epilogue
Six month later.
Lauren experienced déjà vu as she looked around the crowded room. Memories of her attempt to coordinate Caryn and Andrew’s wedding tumbled through her mind. She thought she was planning a small, fun wedding on the part of campus where they met. Friends and family only. That idea lasted about a month before Caryn gave in to her mother’s plea—make that intense pressure—to get married in Montreal, in the Cathedral where she, her grandmother, and great-grandmother had celebrated their weddings, a Martineau tradition. Lauren suspected Caryn only agreed to honor her grandmother’s wishes, but suddenly the wedding exploded from the small celebration to the social event of the summer.
Lauren gladly retired as the wedding planner, but she took on the role of keeping Caryn calm. Caryn’s mother defined mother-of-the-bridezilla. She had Caryn so stressed with all the pre-wedding parties, dinners, and the wedding itself. Caryn told her she felt like a puppet with no control over anything. Lauren imagined a disaster of epic proportions, complete with a runaway bride—if Andrew hadn’t engaged her help in surprising Caryn with the wedding of her dreams two weeks earlier. In the exact space they’d chosen, on a warm summer evening, surrounded by their friends and Andrew’s parents, they exchanged vows under the white tent with sparkling white lights. A joyful, peaceful, beautiful wedding, perfect in every way.
The christening celebration flowed as simply as Caryn’s dream wedding on campus. Due to the twin’s premature birth, their pediatrician had advised Caryn and Andrew to limit contact to a few people for several months. When the doctor gave the go-ahead for public outings, Andrew and Caryn planned several small celebrations. First, they traveled to Toronto for the twins’ baptism, attended by families and godparents only. Andrew and Caryn then hosted a series of small celebrations. First at their townhome in Toronto, then an elegant, but small venue in Ottawa—limiting her parents’ attempts to make a huge production. They made an extra stop in Montreal to visit Caryn’s grandparents and have the twins blessed by their pastor.
Now back in Tampa, Caryn and Andrew hosted a final celebration—the twins’ introduction to their friends and Andrew’s clearance to return to hockey. He would begin to skate with the team wearing a non-contact jersey.
A constant stream of friends arrived throughout the afternoon, many flying in for the day.
Caryn tucked Jenna in her arm as she returned to Andrew’s side and looked over the selection of sandwiches, fruit, cheese, and sweets on the table spanning the sunroom’s window that looked out on the pool. “How are the drinks holding out?”
“Fine. That’s why we hired the caterer, so we didn’t worry about anything but enjoying ourselves and introducing the two most beautiful children to our friends.” Andrew shifted Daniel to his other arm.
Caryn wiped a spot on his shirt with a napkin. “Danny drooled all over you,” she told him with a smile. Andrew nodded toward her shoulder.
“Jenna just spit up on your dress.”
Caryn groaned as she looked down. “Another yellow spot to clean.”
“Here, give her to me so you can change.”
“Don’t look now, but Danny got you too.” Andrew shook his head as he glanced at his dress shirt. “Let me have him. Drew. You go change—and bring a couple of cloth diapers back with you.”
“How about I take them and you can both change?” Tom appeared beside them.
“Uncle Tommy to the rescue,” Caryn greeted as she handed Jenna to him.
“Can I hold Daniel?” Katie, Caryn’s nurse in the hospital, asked as she walked toward them.
“Be my guest,” Andrew said, placing his son in her arms. “Keep an eye on those two—Caryn tells me the yellow is tough to get off clothes.”
“Not a problem,” Tom returned, looking at Katie. “I assure you, we’ve both seen worse.”
Andrew grasped Caryn’s hand as they walked to the bedroom. “Don’t even start matchmaking Tom and Katie.”
“Why would I do that?” Caryn asked, her face innocent. “Neither has time for a relationship.”
“Maybe you can ask them to babysit some evening so we can go out before I start traveling with the team.”
Caryn slapped his arm playfully. “Now who’s matchmaking?” She opened the bedroom door and walked a few paces inside before turning so he could unzip her dress.
“Just being practical. What better babysitters than a doctor and a nurse?”
Caryn glanced at him as she walked toward the closet. “True.”
Andrew watched her as he quickly shed his shirt. “No one would guess a few months ago, you were pregnant.”
Caryn giggled as she slipped a different dress over her head. “I’m just happy I can see my feet again.”
Andrew stood behind her and traced her spine before zipping the new dress. She shivered as she turned toward him, slipping her arms around his chest. He lifted her chin and kissed her tenderly. “Think anyone would miss us?” he whispered as he kissed that special spot below her ear.
“Umm, maybe not.” She looked up at him and he could read the desire in her eyes. “Tom and Katie might wonder where we are, ditching them with two little volcanoes?”
“Probably.” Andrew ran his fingers against her arms and reached for a clean shirt. “Kind of like the idea of a stolen quickie in the closet.”
“With a house full of people?” Caryn asked. “Besides, you know I don’t like quickies.”
Andrew laughed. “You haven’t noticed how often we’re interrupted by one or both of our beautiful children?”
Her amber eyes narrowed. “Of course, I have.” She started to button his shirt. “If they put on a few more pounds, I think they’ll start sleeping through the night.” She rested her palm against his cheek. “In the meantime, I like your idea of Tom and Katie babysitting. We could go somewhere…”
“Private? Romantic? Where we can take all the time we want.”
“Sounds heavenly. You have any place special in mind.”
He leaned to kiss her again. “I do, but I owe you a surprise. Not ten days of bliss, but several hours you will never forget.”
“Can’t wait.” She rose on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “We need to get some cloth diapers and rescue Katie and Tom.” She took his hand. “I love our little family, Drew. I thought the day we got married topped the happiness scale. But, the happiness continues to grow. Now with our two little peanuts, I never imagined such joy, contentment, and love existed, and it continues to amaze me each day. I love you, Andrew. Jenna and Daniel are so lucky you’re their father.”
He saw the love reflected in her amber eyes. Andrew took a moment to clear his throat. “Right now, this moment, with you and our healthy beautiful children, erases the difficulties we faced in the past year. I love you more every day, Cary. We’ve embarked on a new journey, but I know that together we’ll face any obstacle fate throws our way. The peanuts will know the meaning of unconditional love, just like you taught me.”
“And as you’ve shown me.” Caryn’s voice was hoarse.
He grabbed a few cloth diapers from a table near the door and tossed a couple to her. They heard a wail from the great room and Caryn laughed as she opened the bedroom door. “Guess who needs to be changed this time?” A second wail punctuated the first. “Make that both.”
“Take a look at Tom’s face,” Andrew laughed as they quickly crossed the room. “Something tells me we’ll need to wait on that babysitting request.”
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Special thanks to readers who have followed this saga from the very beginning. You keep the muse flowing. If you’re a first-time reader, I hope you’ll read all the interconnected books in the Clearing the Ice and Tampa Suns Hockey series. A sample from Healthy Scratch follows.
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Many thanks,
Robyn
Healthy Scratch Sample Chapter
Tampa Suns Romance
Lauren Gentry sipped a mimosa as she studied the group who’d gathered to celebrate her best friend’s special occasion. The sparkling orange juice only partially removed the bitter taste in her mouth. She shared their happiness as they introduced the adorable twins to a houseful of friends, but envy…jealousy?…crept into her thoughts.
Why couldn’t she enjoy the delight these three-month-old infants brought to their lives? She shared the joy, yet an unwanted sense of resentment tickled her mind. Seriously—watching them interact as dozens gather to “ooh and ah” over the babies comes straight from one of my romance books. Why do some people find their “happily-ever-after,” while the rest of us wait?
Irrational. Caryn and Andrew Chadwick had just survived over a year in hell, a time that nearly cost his life and threatened to destroy their marriage. But as if in a story, he fully recovered, and they healed the damage to their relationship. You’d never realize they’d had problems now. Caryn’s smile brightened the room as she greeted each guest, and Andrew took the prize as the sexiest father of the year. Add proudest parents and you get an exact depiction. Yep, exactly like a romance novel.
For once, couldn’t that storybook glow transfer to her? Her underlying insecurities shoved envy aside. I don’t belong in this sea of beautiful people… Many are my friends but only because of Caryn. I’d never travel in these circles if she wasn’t my BFF. That bothers me now? Why? It’s nothing new. I love her like a sister. I’m happy for her.
Will I find my “happily-ever-after?” I don’t expect a hot hockey superstar like Andrew… just someone who sees me as more than a pal. Not that “for a fun time, call Lauren” friend. I enjoy parties, but I’m tired of carrying the good-time girl label, the girl you don’t have to impress, and the one you’d never consider taking home to meet the parents.
Irrational? Maybe, coming from the memory of an unwanted child who learned her insignificance before she could speak. Her earliest memories included constant arguments that deteriorated into bitter accusations, always loud and terrifying. Lauren had fractured images of cowering in the darkness of her room when her father entered the house—often long after dinner. She tried to disappear by hiding under the bed or huddling in a closet. To stop the noise, she pressed her hands over her ears, her small stuffed rabbit tucked under her arm. The three-year-old heard things she didn’t understand but never forgot. Get over it, Gentry. You haven’t been that kid in twenty-two years.
Forcing the memories, resentment, and envy back into her mind’s lockbox, Lauren exchanged her mimosa for two champagne flutes as a server passed. She took one to her best friend.
“Private toast?”
Caryn shifted the baby to her other arm to accept the glass. “What shall we celebrate?”
“The obvious. Jenna and Daniel… AND Andrew cleared to skate with the team.”
She shook her head. “We’ve celebrated that—I’ll toast the outstanding conclusion to the ‘Project from hell.’ One more meeting and you’re finished. You did a fantastic job, Lauren.” She held up her glass. “To depositing that last check and never having to communicate with Jim Wesley again.”
They clinked glasses, and both giggled as they sipped the champagne.
“I wonder if he’s such an obnoxious jerk when not in his work mode.”
Caryn’s smile was more of a challenge. “The contract’s complete—you could find that out now.” She nodded over Lauren’s shoulder. “Or, choose from the single, unattached guys in this room.”
Lauren glanced over the area and shook her head with a soft laugh. “Not likely.” She set her glass on a tray and reached for Jenna. “Can I hold her?”
“Of course, Aunt Lauren.” Caryn placed the infant in her arms. “Thanks, I need to take a quick break.”
“No hurry.” She kissed the top of Jenna’s head. She loved the children as if they were her own. Can’t wait until Andrew and Caryn trust someone—me—to babysit. Though, they show no signs of leaving the babies soon. When Andrew plays again? “Tell your mom you want to stay with Aunt Lauren. I’ll tell you girl secrets your daddy doesn’t want you to know.”
Lauren didn’t realize that anyone had stepped to her side until he spoke. “Holding that baby suits you.”
She stiffened, even as the goosebumps rising on her arms caused her to shiver. She turned her head and met the chocolate brown eyes she never expected to focus on her again. “Marty…” The nickname slipped out, but she realized it sounded almost too familiar. They weren’t that close—anymore. “Er, I mean, Dave… I… I didn’t know you’d be here.”
“I didn’t think I’d make it either, until yesterday.”
“Quick trip to Tampa?” Lauren avoided his eyes, self-conscious beside the man she’d once shared a torrid summer romance with. She glanced at him when he spoke.
“I got the news last night I’m no longer with the Blues.” He smiled, running his hand through his dark hair.
“I can’t believe it—who traded for you?”
He nodded across the room, where many of Andrew’s teammates gathered. “Suns. Maybe back on a line with my favorite right-winger.”
“Did you expect a trade?” Lauren dropped her gaze to Jenna. Can he hear my heart racing? Why didn’t Caryn warn me? Did she think I’d be a no-show?
“Trade deadline’s coming up,” Dave Martin said. “Expected I’d get traded somewhere since I’m a free agent at the end of the year, and they hadn’t opened discussions with my agent. The Blues have cap issues, same as when Andrew got that offer sheet.”
“I thought you had a no-trade contract?” Lauren forced her eyes to meet his again.
“Approved trade. I provided a list of teams, and Tampa made the deal, so here I am.”
“Does that mean you’ll get a new nickname?” Lauren teased. She remembered teammates tagged each other with nicknames. Martin, Marty, Chadwick, Chad. Others not so tame. “Something like ‘Martini,’ Mr. Martin?”
“Do. Not. Even. Mention. That.” The sudden spark in his brown eyes contradicted the stern tone.
Lauren smiled as she pulled her auburn hair to one side of her neck and lifted Jenna to her shoulder. “Jim Andrews bummed that both his linemates landed in Tampa?”
“He’ll survive, don’t worry. You heard he’s getting married, right?”
“No idea. I’ve been out of the loop.”
He captured her eyes again. “You still in St. Louis? I haven’t seen you since… I can’t remember when.”
Lauren’s laugh was soft. “I’ve come home a few times. I just completed an eight-month project that had me flying across the US and Canada.”
“You’ve changed jobs?”
“Not long after Andrew’s injury. Caryn asked me to work with her on her social media accounts. You know how much I hated my job.” She shuddered at the memory of those dreary days. “I agreed. It mushroomed into a partnership when we landed a corporate contract with an international consulting team to present seminars teaching social media best practices. When she couldn’t travel, I racked up the frequent flyer miles.”
“You got an idea of what it’s like for us during
the season.”
“I think you guys have more fun. Unless you spend your free time working in the hotel and ordering room service. Few opportunities to go clubbing by myself.” She jiggled Jenna as the infant fussed. “What do you need, princess?” Lauren discretely checked her diaper, then pressed her lips to the silky baby hair. “We’ll get you changed.”
She looked at Dave with a shrug. “I’ll catch you in a few—we girls must freshen-up.”
As always, his smile threatened to melt her defenses. “Let’s talk later, okay?”
Lauren felt his gaze follow her as she slipped into the nursery. How could Caryn not tell me he’s in town? Her heart skipped a beat. I could stare at him forever—from across the room. Much safer than standing right beside him.
She was no rookie changing diapers. She’d had plenty of experience babysitting throughout secondary school. “I could change you with my eyes closed. Except you’re too cute to miss a second.”
Her thoughts wandered to the disastrous reception following Andrew and Caryn’s wedding four years ago. She will never forget her humiliation the next day when she realized she’d enjoyed the champagne too much. She suspected Dave Martin still remembers that morning.
Also by Robyn M. Ryan
This Piece of My Heart
Clearing the Ice, book one
She wasn’t looking for love.
Struggling to live up to the high expectations of overprotective parents and a hefty family name, Caryn Stevens only wants one Summer of Fun before focusing on finishing her college degree. She knows her destiny: to follow her dad as CEO of his multi-million dollar business. But that plan changes forever one day when she runs into—literally—sexy and single professional hockey player, Andrew Chadwick.