“I joined the Coast Guard the summer after that year, before my senior year, and I got the fuck out of Kill Devil Hills. You know the rest from there. Life forced me back here. And when I first met you, the fact that you were pregnant, felt a little like my second chance. It still feels like that. But don't think for a second that I love you because of that, or in spite of that. I love you because you're my best friend.”
She breathed in and exhaled deeply. Juniper had tears running down her cheeks. Her big blue eyes were watching me intently. I sure as hell hoped that meant she understood how much I only wanted the life we had. Not some ‘bigger/better’ imaginary thing.
“Really, you're my best friend. I wake up and dread going to work, only because I'd rather spend my entire day just hanging out with you. That feeling of loss in the pit of my stomach—it's not so bad when I'm with you. In fact, it feels a lot like hope these days. I don't want to go to college, not at this point. I want to be with you. I want this—” I reached out and rested my hand on her stomach for a second. “You already feel like my family. You have since the night I met you. I can’t wait to add to our family. I’ll never regret any of this.”
She nodded silently. A couple seconds ticked by. I could tell I’d won her over. I could tell she believed me and wasn’t going anywhere. She had a way of going shy on me whenever we shared any sort of emotional moment, and this was one hell of one, so I knew she needed a moment.
“I’ve never had a family before,” she uttered, her voice raw. “Well, my parents are both still living. But I mean the real sort—where everyone sticks around and no one drinks away dinner—that sort.”
“I’m your family,” I urged.
She nodded once more.
I couldn’t take the distance between us. It wasn’t much distance, a few inches, but I couldn’t bear it. “Truce,” I said. This was a whole different kind of truce, my favorite kind, the get over here kind.
A smile touched her lips, which told me she knew exactly what I meant, before she closed the distance and pressed her lips to my lips. I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her in close.
This was it. Right here. In some ways, even after I’d made it the beach on the night I’d almost drowned, in some ways it still felt like a part of me was still lost at sea, treading water, fight for my life. But this right here, this woman, was my shore.
CHAPTER 24:
A COUPLE MONTHS LATER
BEN
When your girlfriend gives birth to another man’s kids it shouldn’t be the happiest day of your life. But fuck that. Today was the happiest day of my life. Juniper, at thirty-six weeks pregnant, had given birth to two—very redheaded—little girls. Even if I wasn’t their biological father, it had never felt that way and would never feel that way. I’d been there every step of the way, and I loved their mother more than anything on this Earth. No matter what happened in this life, I’d always be their father.
It was a very humbling feeling. The whole day had been quite the emotional rollercoaster. Juniper had had a planned C-section, so parts of the day had been relaxed and easy. Other parts had been terrifying, since surgery of any kind is always terrifying. But the twins were here now. And they were both healthy, beautiful, perfect, little human beings.
The crazy part of all of this was that Georgina was currently in labor down the hall. She’d gone a week over her due date, almost like her baby had been waiting for our babies to come first, and with any luck her little boy would have the same birthday as our girls.
“Does this make you want a baby?” Nathanial asked Ellie.
Nathanial held one twin in each of his big arms—both girls were fast asleep on him like he was the freaking baby whisperer. Ellie stood apprehensively on the opposite side of the room with her camera in her hand. I didn’t want all of my family overwhelming Juniper. So for now, Nathanial and Ellie were the first people of everyone that I’d let visit.
“Hell no,” Ellie answered in a hushed voice. “I’m content just being Aunt Ellie for now. Why? Does it make you want kids?”
“They’re not so bad,” Nathanial said, giving her a wink. “They seem easy enough.”
She made a face at him. “Well then… I better leave this room before you start getting crazy ideas.” Ellie, even though she was the most maternal of my sisters, probably because she was the oldest, had never been great around little babies. “Congrats and all guys,” she said before backing away for the door.
“What do you want me to do?” Nathanial asked. “I’m sort of stuck.” With both of the girls asleep on him, he wasn’t able to move at the moment.
“Could you just keep holding them for a little while longer?” Juniper practically pleaded. “This is the first time they’ve both been fed, with clean diapers, and asleep at the same time. Which seems like a mini miracle to me. I’m just going to close my eyes for a minute.”
“Sure. I can keep holding them,” Nathanial said.
“Okay good.”
Juniper shut her eyes immediately.
She was exhausted, obviously. Hell, I was exhausted, and I hadn’t had my stomach cut open and two little babies pulled out of it today. Plus, the last couple weeks had been hard on her. Being pregnant, let alone with twins, wasn’t easy. I plopped down in the sofa chair beside her hospital bed. It was the first time I’d sat in hours. Half asleep, Juniper reached her arm out, waiting me to take hand. Happy to oblige, I took her hand in mine. Then I let my own head fall back against the chair I sat in. Maybe I’d close my eyes for a couple minutes too.
I knew the next few months ahead of us were going to be a challenge. But I didn’t care. Nine months ago, I had nothing. Now I had a family. This right here—meant everything to me.
THE END
ROCKSTARS in KILL DEVIL HILLS
A new Kill Devil Hills spin-off series (all standalones) from Sarah Darlington.
Coming soon!
NEVER TRUST A ROCKSTAR
Read the first five chapters here: https://dl.bookfunnel.com/dxba29t3d0
(coming November 5, 2019)
NEVER KISS A ROCKSTAR
(coming December 5, 2019)
NEVER LOVE A ROCKSTAR
(coming February 5, 2020)
NEVER LEAVE A ROCKSTAR
(coming March 5, 2020)
Add the series on goodreads: goodreads.com/series/264378-rockstars-in-kill-devil-hills
A GIFT TO YOU
Thanks for reading! Here’s a special gift to you…
https://dl.bookfunnel.com/v5iscsdwp8
Kill Devil Hills: A Complete Beach Romance Series (4-Book Box Set) Page 73
