Sink or Swim

by Bailey, Tessa

  The five of them laughed.

  “Jesus, my wife is pregnant,” Andrew breathed, shooting to his feet so fast, he got lightheaded. “I need to get to the airfield.”

  “Go,” Jamie said, eyes glinting. “We’ll get dinner started at the house.”

  “You’re going to make an amazing father, A,” Rory called, pride thick in his voice.

  “Thank you,” Andrew called over his shoulder, because he was already running for the boardwalk and the parking lot beyond. It took him forever to reach Bethpage thanks to the traffic, but he knew Jiya would be there. Knew she would read his mind—as only she could do—and be assured he’d come to her. That he always would.

  When Andrew arrived at the airfield, he’d barely parked the car before he was running for the hangar. Coming to a stop at the wide entrance, he took a moment to marvel over his beautiful wife and best friend. She wore the flying suit he’d bought her to celebrate earning her pilot’s license, the bright yellow material matching her spirit.

  Obviously sensing his presence, she turned from where she’d been polishing her Cessna, facing him with tears in her eyes, a watery laugh escaping her lips, and the last five years flashed in his mind. Morning donuts cuddled into his lifeguard chair, before a single other soul was on the beach. Laughter surrounding them at her parents’ dinner table, their fingers laced together under the table. Jiya’s head thrown back on a cry of his name as she rode him in their bed. Or on the couch, the floor, the back office of the Castle Gate. Anywhere they could steal time together—and there would never be enough. He would never, ever get enough time with the love of his life.

  “A baby,” he rasped. “We’re going to have a baby.” They moved at the same time, meeting halfway where Andrew caught his wife up in a tight embrace, lifting her off the ground. “We’re going to take such good care of them. We’re going to give them everything.”

  “Of course we are,” she breathed into his neck. “Ask me the question, Andrew.”

  Heat pressed against the back of his eyes. “Can I do anything for you, Jiya?”

  “Never let this feeling end. This happiness. This love.”

  Heart swelling, his arms tightened around her. “Never.”

  THE END

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you so much for reading the Beach Kingdom Series! It’s amazing what spun out of a simple itch to write something angsty (and a well timed picture of brooding Jughead from Riverdale). I love the Prince brothers, as well as their significant others, with all of my heart and I’ll carry them with me forever. Whenever I’m having a bad day, I’ll just think of Marcus popping out of a cake in a leopard print Speedo and all will be well.

  Thank you to the town of Long Beach, New York and its resident lifeguards for inspiring me last summer. Thank you to Eagle at Aquila Editing for her wit and romantic soul. Thank you to Ratna for being my consultant on Indian culture—such an amazing help. Thank you to Jersey Girl Designs for my beautiful cover. Thank you to my family for loving me unconditionally. And as always, thank you so much to my readers for continuing to one-click my stories. It means the world.

  Go back to the beginning with Rory and Olive’s story…

  Mouth to Mouth

  (Beach Kingdom #1)

  Get it here:

  https://bit.ly/2MxCRoF

  A man with a prison record has no place around a fresh faced college student. Tell that to Rory Prince. He should stay the hell away from Olive Cunningham. There’s one small problem, though. She won’t stop almost getting killed—and with this too-smart, too-sweet girl holding his heart in her hands, Rory is powerless to do anything but keep saving her.

  Homeschooled from a young age, Olive is now out on her own and discovering the world, one milkshake flavor at a time. Until recently, she has experienced life through books. She’s walked in a million sets of shoes while flipping pages—enough to know that Rory gives her once-in-a-lifetime feelings. If only he would stop trying to protect her…from himself.

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