That Night

by Lynn, K. I.

  My vision blurred and a sob broke from me as I threw my arms around his shoulders.

  “I love you, Richard.”

  All the walls and space between us melted away with each tear that fell.

  He listened. He finally understood. I wanted to find a compromise together, but he gave me the greatest gift he ever could—he gave me himself.

  It wasn’t a sacrifice, it was a rebirth.

  “I love you. So much,” he said as he cradled me in his arms. “Do you want to live here? We can look at other houses, I just—”

  I pressed my finger to his lips. “I want this house.” I wanted the memories of what it represented. It was everything, and I didn’t need to see any others.

  “You’re sure?”

  I nodded. “I want to raise our family here.”

  He pressed his lips to mine. “Me too.” He took hold of my hand and led me to the porch. The sound of the crickets chirping filled the air and we sat down on the loveseat. I curled into his side as he pulled out his phone.

  I froze, and he felt it, turning the phone toward me. “How much should we offer?”

  I balked at the list price. It was a huge house, and I knew it was a great school system. I also knew his condo would sell for hundreds of thousands more.

  “Full price.”

  “All in?”

  I nodded. “I don’t want to lose it.”

  It was a good thing I hadn’t finished the purchase of the condo, because I was so in love with the walls surrounding us. It wasn’t just the fixtures and the layout, it was the thought he put into picking this one. It was perfect, and I knew it would be perfect for us.

  “When can we move in?”

  “I bet we could request a short closing.”

  “Good, because my apartment is ready to go.”

  “I can’t wait to be sitting out here, looking out at the lake while we play with our little girl.” He ran his hand around my stomach. “We should name her Elizabeth, call her Lizzy…”

  I tilted my head back and narrowed my gaze on him. “We are not naming our daughter Elizabeth Bennett.”

  He grinned at me. “Jane? Lydia? Kitty?”

  A laugh left me. “How do you know all those names?”

  “My mother was obsessed. She used to hog the TV when my dad wasn’t around and watch Colin Firth emerge from the water over and over and over again.” He shook his head.

  Couldn’t knock his mom for that. “Well, yeah, it’s Colin Firth.”

  He quirked a brow at me. “Do I need to go jump in that pool and emerge from the water to knock that man from your mind?”

  I shrugged. “It wouldn’t hurt.” A sigh left me as I looked out on what would be ours.

  Richard’s phone chimed and he woke it up, a smile filling his face as he read the text.

  “What?”

  “They accepted.” He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine. “We have a house.”

  “We have a house? This house?” Tears filled my eyes again.

  “It’s okay, baby,” he cooed as he pulled me closer.

  We had a house. A house our little girl would be born into. One with a pool to play in, and a yard to run around in.

  I believed in him, in us, even when he failed me, even when I pushed him away. Because I loved him in a way I’d never loved anyone. He had my whole heart, and I finally knew I had his.

  We could start over as a unit. Together. United.

  A family.

  And it all started with that night.

  One year later…

  The last year hadn’t been as picture perfect as I’d hoped, but that didn’t mean we weren’t happy, and that I wasn’t still hopelessly in love with Richard. His insecurities ran deep, but he worked hard to give me the chance…to give us the chance to succeed where he hadn’t with Desiree. And he made sure every single day to show me he loved me.

  Thanks to Keenan’s glowing endorsements to many of his ex-teammates and friends, along with Wyatt spreading the word, Bennett Sports Advisors grew by leaps and bounds. Within six months he had fifteen employees, and after a year he doubled that. He needed all the help as they had grown to over two hundred clients—a number that continued to increase weekly thanks to word of mouth.

  “Finally,” I said as the dryer went off.

  It’d been over a year since Richard bought the brown teddy bear I was pulling out of the dryer, but it was our daughter’s favorite snuggle toy, which she’d spit up on.

  I walked back to the porch, grabbing a glass of water in the kitchen on my way. Richard sat in one of the chairs, his ever watchful eye on our daughter while he talked on the phone with a client.

  Cassandra Anne Bennett was born happy and healthy a week before her due date, and from that moment she was the ruler of our home.

  “What’s this?” I asked, my expression going wide with exaggerated surprise. Cassandra’s chubby face lit up as her uncoordinated, but strong, finger and thumb reached out to take the teddy bear from me.

  Her feet kicked in excitement, and she did a little grunt of happiness before babbling “mamamama” over and over.

  “Look, I know you want a new Bentley, but do you need one? That money can be invested in a business and in a year you’ll have your money back and can buy the car with the profits…mm-hmm…I get that, but what happens if you get a career-ending injury? No, I’m not trying to put that on you, I’m just saying you need to invest in your future outside of football.”

  He stood and began pacing. I watched as he tried to talk sense into another newly signed athlete, smiling when he did a fist pump. That always meant he’d gotten through to them.

  Other players he’d helped in the past moved their business to him, and right before Cassandra was born, he had a growing income again. Which was good, and settled his anxiety about the financial investment of opening his own business. It also helped that his condo sold shortly after we moved into our dream home.

  “Okay, I’ll have Chad get you a list of potential investments for you to go over by this afternoon. Thank you for trusting me, Jaden. Good talking to you.”

  He turned to me and smiled.

  “Good job, baby.”

  He leaned down and pressed his lips to mine on his way down to the floor.

  “Dadada,” Cassandra said, turning toward her daddy and crawling closer.

  “Hello, my sweet pea.” He picked her up and sat her on his lap. “Is Teddy all clean now?”

  She blew bubbles, having no clue what he was saying to her, but she always intently paid attention to his voice.

  “She is growing so much,” I said with a small pout.

  “Baby number two, Mrs. Bennett. I’m ready.”

  I smiled and shook my head at his ridiculousness, then looked down to the rings on my finger. It still was hard to believe a year ago we were broken up. So much had changed, including my last name.

  At Christmas we’d had a small ceremony with family and a few close friends at my parents’ house. Richard’s parents came, and though civil, I understood his reluctance about my meeting them.

  Most of his father’s comments were minor, but when he said something about how we shouldn’t have had a bastard child, I lost it. After I was done going off on him, he simply gave a nod and said, “She’s a keeper,” and headed to the bar.

  His mother was completely smitten by Cassandra and pretty much refused to let anyone else hold her. Part of me wondered if she wasn’t going to sneak off with our baby, but I realized she was simply trying to get as much time in with her first grandchild as she could, because there was no telling when she would see her again.

  That was when I made a change and we started having weekly video chats with them. At the same time, it began to mend Richard’s relationship with his parents.

  Susie even came out from California with her partner, and they stayed to spend Christmas with us.

  “Do we have everything we need for Saturday?” he asked.

  I nodded. It was our
first time hosting anything at the house, and we’d spent the last few weeks getting the house cleaned and a menu created.

  For the Fourth of July, we had decided to invite everyone over for a pool party. It was a combination celebration for the holiday and the housewarming party we never threw.

  “Anybody here?” Jenna called out.

  “On the porch!” I called back.

  Jenna appeared in the doorway with plastic bags filled with chips. She held them out. “My contribution to food.”

  “I thought you were bringing Ichigo Ame?” Just the mention of the candied strawberries had my mouth salivating.

  Her eyes narrowed on me. “And what has the last week been?”

  “Hell?”

  She nodded. “There’s just no time.”

  I gave her the biggest pout I could.

  “Oh, come on! I’m exhausted.”

  “She’s bringing out the guilt, I see,” Brent said with a chuckle from behind Jenna. There were more bags in his hand, and I wondered what all they’d brought.

  Shortly before Cassandra was born, Jenna’s lease was up and she did indeed move in with Brent. It sucked that we were now fifteen minutes away from each other, but we still got to see each other every day at the office.

  They went back to the gala for New Year’s Eve where Brent proposed. Being a bride was never high up on Jenna’s priority list, so it didn’t surprise me when she came to me and told me they were getting married at the courthouse and wanted us there as witnesses. Jenna Okada became Jenna Young on February first.

  “What do you have to be so exhausted for?” I asked, teasing her.

  She bit down on her lower lip and glanced toward Brent.

  “What is that?” I asked, my sixth sense perking up.

  “What?”

  I narrowed my gaze on her. “That conspiratorial look. I know that look.” She couldn’t hide from me.

  “I told you she’d know something was wrong,” Jenna said, jabbing Brent in the stomach with her elbow.

  “I think you’re just so excited to tell her,” he said with a chuckle.

  “Tell me what?”

  Jenna beamed at me. “Remember how you said long ago that one time was all it took?”

  My jaw dropped open, and I stared at her in frozen shock before a screech left me and I jumped up to wrap my arms around her.

  “Oh my God!” We both giggled and squealed, much to the entertainment of the men around us. Even Cassie piped in with her own little squeal, wanting to join in the fun.

  “I’m missing something,” Richard said with a sigh behind me. “I’m always missing something.”

  “Jenna’s pregnant!” I cried out. “When are you due?”

  “We just found out yesterday that baby Young is coming on Valentine’s Day.”

  I glanced over at Richard. “You hear that, baby? Valentine’s Day.”

  He nodded and smiled.

  Jenna’s gaze bounced between us. “Oh, now what are you two being sneaky about?”

  “We’re going to have to start a betting pool,” Richard said, grinning at Brent.

  “What are we betting on?” Brent asked.

  “Which of our wives is going to give birth first.”

  Jenna’s mouth popped open. “No way! The same day?”

  “Technically the twelfth.”

  “We’re going to be pregnant together!” Jenna squealed and threw her arms around me.

  I loved that once again I wouldn’t be going through it again on my own. Being pregnant with Hannah had been such a help to me, especially in the difficult times.

  “Richard, you dog,” Jenna said with a smirk.

  He chuckled at her and shook his head. “I told her the next one was a boy. I was right about Cassie. I’m going to be right about this one, too.”

  “It’s a girl,” I whispered.

  Richard wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his lips to my temple. “Boy.”

  I loved my husband. I loved my daughter. I loved my friends.

  Most of all, I loved my life.

  I had never imagined how one night could change everything, but it had. In the most spectacular way, love struck. Ignited and burned more brightly than the hottest sun. It brought us together, tied us to one another.

  One spilled drink.

  One glance.

  One magical night.

  The End

  When I began working on my piece for the Wild in the Windy City Anthology I was struggling. I wasn’t connecting to ideas, and while talking to a friend she said to me “Why don’t you do an office romance? You love those.”

  And she was right. I do love those.

  I immediately connected to this idea and a story blossomed and a connection so powerful that I knew it had to continue past that night.

  I hope you enjoyed Richard and Natasha’s story. If by chance it wasn’t for you, I hope you will still give me a chance to become one of your favorite authors.

  K.I. Lynn is the USA Today Bestselling Author from The Bend Anthology and the Amazon Bestsellers, Breach and Becoming Mrs Lockwood. She spent her life in the arts, everything from music to painting and ceramics, then to writing. Characters have always run around in her head, acting out their stories, but it wasn’t until later in life she would put them to pen. It would turn out to be the one thing she was really passionate about.

  Since she began posting stories online, she’s garnered acclaim for her diverse stories and hard hitting writing style. Two stories and characters are never the same, her brain moving through different ideas faster than she can write them down as it also plots its quest for world domination…or cheese. Whichever is easier to obtain… Usually it’s cheese.

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  That Night

  I got pregnant on New Year’s Eve.

  That night was hands down the best night of my life. A magical night with the man of my dreams.

  The aftermath changed everything.

  After weeks of silence from him and a positive pregnancy test, it was safe to say I was in full out panic mode.

  Until I walked into a conference room only to find Mr. Man-of-my-dreams-father-of-my-unborn-child at the head of the table.

  Turns out the VP of finance isn’t an old boring guy with white hair.

  Two different cities.

  A baby on the way.

  An intense attraction.

  And he’s technically my boss.

  Life just got even more complicated.

  Find out more here

  Abducted

  The mafia never lets you go.

  I thought I was safe, free, but I never expected to find myself locked in a cage.

  I’m in his territory. His prison.

  The beast.

  A fate worse than death awaits me if I can’t get away, so when the opportunity of salvation presents itself I grab it, even if I’m unsure if I can trust the hand I’m holding.

  The only way out is through, exposing secrets and spilling blood.

  Things aren’t how they appear. Nobody is what they seem.

  Not even me.

  Find out more here

  Forever and All The Afters

  He promised me forever.

  Then he boarded a plane for a college a thousand miles away and never returned. A decade later there’s a ring on my finger with a new promise from a new love.

  Just as my life falls into place, pretty as the pages of a magazine, my world is knocked over. The moment he touches me everything around me begins to crack, exposing all the lies I’ve told myself.

  Every glance reminds me. Every touch ignites.

  Things aren’t how they used to be.

  Love isn’t easy.

  Find out more here

  Welcome to the Cameo Hotel

  I get what I want.

  When I walked through the door of the Cameo Hotel I didn’t expec
t such a beauty to be working the front desk.

  The effect she has on me is intense, and I make her life a living hell because of it.

  I love her spirit, her internal defiance when completing the most inane task I assign her. My two week stay has turned into unending, just to be near her.

  She’s under my every command if she wants to keep me happy.

  There’s one last thing I want.

  Her.

  Find out more here

  Becoming Mrs. Lockwood

  Every girl has dreams of meeting Prince Charming, or at least I know I did.

  A fairy tale-like meeting of love at first site.

  Real life and fairy tales are very different.

  I’m just a small town Indiana girl that had a chance encounter with one of Hollywood’s golden boys. You may think you know where this story goes—not even close.

  Life is different. Marriage is hard. It’s even worse when you’re strangers.

  Find out more here

  Six

  I had a one-night stand. It wasn’t my first, but it would be my last.

  A gun to the head.

  A trained killer.

  A deadly conspiracy.

  Kidnapped and on the run, my life and death is in the hands of a sadist captor who happens to be my one-night stand. Armed with countless weapons, money, and new identities, the man I call Six drags me around the world.

  The manhunt is on and Six is the next target. Can we find out who is killing off the Cleaners before they find us?

  Two down, seven to go.

  When it’s all over he’ll finish the job that dropped him into my life, and end it.

  Stockholm Syndrome meets bucket list, and the question of what would you do to live before you died. The questions aren’t always answered in black and white. Gray becomes the norm as my morals are tested.

  Death is a tragedy, and I’ll do anything to stay alive.