“Then we find out.” I kiss the top of her head. I’ve always had a hard time keeping to myself when she’s near, but this time around, it’s worse. So much worse. I have to be near her, to be touching her. It’s almost as if I’m fearful she’ll disappear if I don’t. I know that’s irrational as we’re in this together. Stronger than ever. But the constant worry of her and the baby, of losing either of them again, eats me up inside. I never want to be without her. Ever.
“Do you have time for lunch?” Winnie asks as we walk out of the doctor’s office.
“I’ll make time,” I assure her, leading her to my truck.
“Harrison, we don’t have to. I know how busy you are. It was just a suggestion.”
“A great one at that. I’m taking my wife to lunch.” I open the door for her and motion for her to climb in.
“How about we eat at the restaurant around the corner from the gym? You can then go straight to work after.”
“Winnie, it’s fine.”
“I’ll see you there.” She waves over her shoulder and turns to her car. Quickly closing the passenger door on my truck, I rush to catch up with her. “What are you doing?” she asks, laughing.
“Walking you to your car.”
“You know it’s literally fifteen feet away, right?”
“And?”
“And I can manage to get there safely.”
I shrug. “I’m sure you can, but I’ll be by your side when you do it.”
“What am I going to do with you?” She shakes her head with a smile playing on her lips.
“Marry me.” I throw it out there, knowing it’s not a true proposal. Knowing she’s going to laugh it off like she has the hundreds of other times I’ve asked her since getting her back.
“You know, just because we’re having a baby, you don’t have to keep asking me. We’re still doing this together.”
We’re standing beside her car. She’s staring up at me, with so much love and a hint of worry in those green eyes of hers. My hands cradle either side of her face. “I’m asking you because I should have fought harder for us. I’m asking you because the divorce never should have happened. I’m asking you because you are the love of my life and I want nothing more than to grow old with you.”
Her eyes well with tears. “I love you, Harrison Drake.”
“And I love you, Gwendolyn Drake. Now drive safe, and let’s get my loves fed.” I kiss her lips and pull open her door. I wait until she’s settled and strapped in before shutting her door and jogging back to my truck.
“So, how’re the plans for the third location coming?” Winnie asks once we’ve placed our order.
“It’s coming along. We’re at the part where the construction crew is ready to start painting. We’re on schedule for the grand opening a month from now.”
“I’m so proud of you, Harrison. You took a dream and turned it into a reality.”
“Thanks, but I would trade it all, every location for another shot at this,” I say, motioning between us. “I never should have let it get between us like I did.”
“We were both at fault, and stop bringing it up. It’s done. Over. We’re past it and moving forward. We are doing this together,” she says with a soft smile as she rests her hands on her small bump.
“Harrison,” a female voice says. Looking up, I see Gina, my new admin assistant, standing next to our table.
“Gina,” I greet her, not bothering to hide the irritation in my voice.
“I wish I’d have known you were going to be here. I would have brought the samples so we could go over them.”
“Gina, you remember my wife, Gwen.”
“Ex-wife I thought,” she says, holding her hand out for Winnie to shake.
“Enough.” My voice is low and menacing. “She is my wife, and you will refer to her as nothing but. Do you understand?”
“Harrison.” Winnie slides her hand across the table and places it over mine. “It’s fine.” She turns her attention to Gina. “Yes, on paper I’m his ex-wife, but we are very much together and raising this baby together.”
“Of course.” Gina is quick to backpedal.
“I’ll be back at the office later.” I dismiss her.
“Sure, then we can—”
I hold up my hand cutting her off. “Later, Gina. I’m having lunch with my wife.”
“Harrison, I—” I give Winnie a look that tells her this isn’t up for negotiation.
“Right. I’ll see you in a little while. It was good to see you again, Gwen.”
“You too, Gina.” Winnie gives her an apologetic smile before she’s turning on her heel and walking out of the restaurant. “Harrison,” Winnie says, grabbing my attention. “You were hard on her.”
“That’s my job. Not to be her friend, I’m her boss. The boss that has told her more times than I can count that you come first. If I’m with you, she’s not to interrupt, unless it’s an absolute emergency. Paint is not an emergency. Not to mention, I’m still pissed off that I almost missed our appointment last month.”
“Almost,” she says gently. “She’s learning; cut her some slack.”
“No.” There’s something about Gina that rubs me the wrong way. I can’t put my finger on it, but it’s there all the same. “She needs to know her job and what’s expected.”
“Okay,” she concedes, obviously seeing that this conversation is going nowhere fast.
Our waitress brings us our food, and we both dive in. There is a lull in conversation as we eat. “I was thinking,” I say, taking a drink of my sweet tea. “Maybe we should look for a new house.”
“What? Why would we do that?” she asks, swiping her french fry through ketchup.
“Something with a bigger yard, and a couple more bedrooms.”
“We have three bedrooms.”
“I know, but once Peanut arrives, that leaves us with one spare for guests. And then when peanut number two arrives, that leaves zero.”
“Number two?” she asks, barely containing her smile. “Just how many peanuts are there going to be?”
“At least two, but I’ll take as many as you’ll give me.”
“Let’s start with this one.” She glances down at her belly. “I like our house, but the idea of a bigger yard is appealing.”
“A fresh start of sorts.”
“The house we live in now, we bought it together. It’s not like we had other people there.”
“It was just a thought. We don’t have to.”
“I’m not against it. I guess if something were to come up, then we could consider it.”
“Consider a house and marrying me?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood a little. I know I overreacted with Gina, but I can’t seem to help it.
“I’ll take both requests into consideration,” she agrees, pushing her plate away from her.
It’s not a yes, but it’s the closest thing I’ve gotten to a yes since we’ve been back together. I’ll take it.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?” I ask, not wanting to end my time with her.
“Mom has been on me to register for a baby shower. I’m thinking about making a list of things we’re going to need.”
“I can go with you. Tell me when and I’ll be there.”
“You sure?”
“Absolutely. I want to be involved every step of the way.”
“You’re a good man, Harrison Drake.”
“Good enough to marry?”
“I did once.”
“Yes, but will you do it again?” I counter.
“Hmmm, it’s a possibility.”
“A damn good one,” I say, standing from the table. “As much as I hate to say this, I need to get back to the gym. I have a few things I have to do today, and then when I get home tonight, we can go over that list. Maybe even go to the store and start a registry?”
“Let’s just see how the day goes,” she says, not committing.
I know why, and it pains me. I used to make plans
to be home early, or on time even, and then never make it. She’s used to the old Harrison, the one who didn’t put the love of his life first. The new Harrison, the man I am now, the man who knows life without her refuses to ever go back.
“I’ll be home at five thirty,” I assure her.
“I’ll be there.” She smiles up at me. “Thank you for lunch.”
“My pleasure, baby.” With my hand on the small of her back, I walk her to her car. I steal a kiss—okay, I steal two—before opening her door for her and waving her off. Once I can no longer see her taillights, I climb into my truck and drive around the block and park in the staff parking behind the gym.
“Finally,” Gina says as soon as I walk through the door. “I’ve been waiting all day with these.” She holds up a swatch for paint.
“Gina, let me make something clear. My wife and my unborn child are my priority. Not paint samples, unless it’s Gwen asking for suggestions. When I tell you not to bother me unless it’s an emergency, I want the gym to be on fire. Got it?” I know I’m being a dick, but I can’t seem to find the will to care.
“Sorry, I just know you’ve been moving full force ahead on this project, and I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t the delay.” She says the words, but her body language tells me something different. She’s not sorry. She’s just telling me what she thinks I want to hear.
“Thank you. You’re not, and I appreciate your effort, I do, but nothing comes before them. If she calls you, find me. I don’t care who I’m with or what I’m doing. You find me and tell me it’s her. If she shows up here or any of the locations, you find me. Send her back to where I am. I don’t give a fuck who I’m training or who I’m in a meeting with. Gwen trumps all.”
“Got it.” She nods her acceptance.
“Now, what has to be done today? I’m leaving here at five.”
“That’s only four hours from now. We have paint for the Lakeview location, reception, and office furniture, plus signage.”
“We’ll work through what we can today and finish the rest tomorrow.”
“I thought we would just order in some food and work through it all.”
“You thought wrong. I have plans with my wife this evening that I don’t plan on breaking.”
“Surely, your wife,” she says it as if she has a bad taste in her mouth, “understands that you have a job to do.”
“She does. Gwen is very supportive of the gym, and my commitment to the gym. However, I am supportive of her and our baby and my commitment to them. I lost her because I didn’t have a good balance. I won’t let that happen again. I’ll sell this place first.”
“You can’t be serious.” She gives me a look that tells me she thinks I’m insane. Maybe I am, but I’m owning that shit.
“Very,” I confirm. I don’t know why I’m explaining myself to her. She works for me. I guess it’s my innate need to tell the world what Winnie and our baby mean to me.
“You’d just give all of this up?”
“You make it sound like this is the be-all end-all of life. Sure, I’ve worked my ass off to make All Fit what it is, but you have to understand something, life isn’t anything without her by my side. So, yes, Gina, if I have to choose between my wife or this gym, she wins every time. Hands down.”
“Are you going to propose?” she inquires.
“That’s none of your business, but since I love Gwen and couldn’t give a fuck who knows, yes, I am.”
“Oh.” She looks as if someone just kicked her puppy.
“Now, paint, let’s start there,” I say, not wanting to go any deeper into this conversation with her than I have to. We spend the next four hours going over paint and furniture.
“That’s good for today,” I say, glancing at my phone. “I’m heading out, we can wrap up the signage in the morning.”
“If we don’t get it ordered today, it’s going to add another week to the install.”
“Why would you not tell me that four hours ago?”
“You said you wanted to start with paint.” She shrugs.
“Fine. Since you failed to tell me all the necessary information when you knew I had to leave, you can handle pushing the opening back a week since we won’t have signage.”
“What? That’s going to take days.”
“Not my problem.”
“Harrison.” She stomps her foot like a child.
“Gina, you knew I was leaving, and I’m not staying because of your mistake. You fix it.”
“But you wanted to open in four weeks.”
“It’s a week,” I remind her. “Not the end of the world. We open when it’s ready.”
“But I have vendors scheduled, and refreshments ordered.”
“Reschedule them.”
“An hour tops,” she says.
“Not happening. I’ll see you in the morning. Oh, and I want a report by the end of the day tomorrow where we are with rescheduling everything.”
“What if I walk?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Are you?” I counter.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“We’re all replaceable, Gina. All of us. You want to walk? I’m not going to stop you.”
She steps close, too close. “You could let me go that easily?” she asks, her voice dropping low, almost as if she’s trying to be sexy. It might work for some guys, but not on me. She’s not my wife.
“Yes.” My one-word answer is not what she wanted to hear. I can see her eyes grow dark as anger takes hold. “If you’re here tomorrow morning, I’ll see you, if not, I’ll mail your last check.” I turn and walk away from her
“Harrison.” I hear her stomp her foot again. I don’t have the time or the energy to deal with her bullshit today. She’s running on thin ice. She interviewed well, and she’s a friend of Gabby’s, but I’ve had about all I can take.
“I told you I’m leaving at five. It’s three minutes after,” I call out, not bothering to turn and look at her.
“Fine,” she calls out. “See you in the morning.”
I wave over my shoulder and keep on walking. She can try to play games all she wants. It’s not going to work with me. The drive home is short, and as soon as I pull into the driveway, my mood brightens. I make a mental note to get the rest of my clothes from my apartment this weekend, and let it go. I’m exactly where I need to be. Climbing out of the truck, I make my way to the house, pushing open the front door. “Honey, I’m home!” I yell out.
I hear laughter, more than just Winnie’s, and I follow it. I find her and Gabby sitting at the kitchen island, Winnie’s laptop open between them. “How are my girls?” I ask, bending to kiss Winnie on the lips.
“Not your girl,” Gabby fires back.
“Good thing I wasn’t asking about you, now, was I?” I reach over and give her a one-armed hug, and she doesn’t protest—that’s progress.
“What?” she screeches. “You’re having a girl and didn’t tell me?”
“No,” Winnie rushes to tell her. “Harrison just thinks we’re having a girl. We find out at our next appointment.”
“You.” She pokes me in the side, causing us all to laugh.
“What are we doing here?” I ask Winnie.
“Registry. Well, kind of. We’re making a list.” She points to the notebook paper in front of her.
“I tried to get her to let me register her online, but she said you were taking her.”
“Babe, you do it however you need to. If online is easier, then we’ll do that.”
“No, I like the idea of going to the store and strolling up and down the aisles.”
“We going tonight?”
“Yes.” Her eyes light up with excitement. “I wasn’t sure if you’d be home early enough,” she comments.
“Told you I would be.” I know it’s going to take some time for her to get used to this, to get used to the fact that she can trust my word, and I hate that. I never once stepped out of our marriage, but not keepi
ng my word is just as bad in my eyes.
“Can I go?” Gabby asks.
“That’s up to you, Winnie. I’m going to go grab a quick shower while you ladies figure it out. We’ll grab dinner while we’re out.”
“Harrison,” Winnie calls, and I stop in my tracks turning to look at her.
“Welcome home.”
“No place I’d rather be.” I race upstairs and strip out of my clothes while the water heats. I rush through the shower and dress in shorts and a T-shirt. My feet thunder down the steps to find my wife and sister-in-law waiting by the door. “Ready?”
“Yes.” They both clap their hands and wiggle around as if they are toddlers and I just told them that I was taking them to Disneyland.
“I’m so excited,” Gabby says as we make our way to my truck.
“This is really happening,” Winnie says, stopping at the passenger side door.
“Peanut will be here before we know it,” I add, placing my palm over her small bump.
“I never thought I’d see the day,” Gabby quips, pulling our attention from one another to her.
“See what day?” Winnie asks, reading my mind.
“The day Harrison and Gwen were… you again. This is how you were before things got bad, and it’s inspiring. I want a love like that someday. One like the two of you, and Mom and Dad. You two finding your way back to each other gives me hope that there’s someone out there for me.”
“There is.” Winnie leans into me, and I wrap my arms around her. “You’re going to find him, and then you’ll understand,” she says softly, her gaze meeting mine.
“Understand what?” Gabby asks, but Winnie’s eyes stay on me. Green orbs shining with happiness and love, all directed at me.
“Understand that when you give your heart away, when you truly find the one, you’ll never get it back. No matter the circumstances.”
“I love you.” I bend and press my lips to hers.
“Come on, you two, we’ve got a baby to shop for.” Gabby pulls open the back door of my truck, and climbs inside.
The girls chatter back and forth during the drive about the items on the list, and everything a baby needs. From clothes to bottles to diapers, they cover it. I chime in when I can, but I’m content to just be here with them. Soaking up all the baby information that I can. Soaking up as much time with Winnie, and hell, even Gabby, as I can. She’s always been a big part of our lives, and I missed her too. She’s been a little sister to me. I lost my second family, not just my wife.
Fair Lakes Series Box Set Page 15