I’ll be here for her and all the big things—appointments, cravings, baby proofing this place, or looking for a new place—all of it.
But most importantly, I’m going to be there for her with nothing but love and support and adoration as we continue building our life together.
I stand and kiss her, swiping my tongue along the inside of her bottom lip. I fist my hand through her hair and tilt her head back, so I can kiss along her jawline. “I love you,” I whisper.
“I love you too.” She grips my shoulders, letting out a gasp as I continue placing kisses down her exposed throat.
I continue kissing her there as I unbutton the shirt she’s wearing. “This shirt on you…” I mumble against her soft cheek. “You should wear more plaid.”
“I was thinking the same.” She grips my shoulders, her chest rising and falling as more of her skin is exposed.
I capture her lips as I reach the last button. Running my hands inside, I brush it off her shoulders and down her arms until it lands in a pool around our feet.
“Fuck,” I growl—she’s bare underneath.
Her perfect breasts are even fuller, and every touch sets her on fire—she’s more sensitive to everything these days.
I can’t get enough. Of the way she jerks at the slightest flick of my tongue against her lips, her nipples, between her thighs. She’s sensational.
I place my hand above her hip and kiss my way down from her breasts to her stomach. Lingering there, I place kisses around her belly button, my overwhelming joy clogging my throat.
“This is just the beginning,” I whisper, still in awe.
A few moments later, we fall into bed together, getting tangled in the sheets as we make love.
Slow.
Tender.
Love.
I revel in her touch. Her soft skin. Her low whimpers.
Her gasps mix with my groans as I slide into her, moving inside her with slow, deliberate thrusts—we get lost in this moment.
All my dreams have come true—all our dreams. We’re finally home.
Our home.
Chapter Forty-Four
AIDEN
She shifts on her feet next to me, smoothing her dress.
It’s flowy, barely covering her bump. She’s almost four months along and has started showing.
She’s healthy, as is our baby. Her checkups have been good so far, and each time I hear the heartbeat—the swooshing sound of life inside her—I shed a tear. It’s the most beautiful sound. I even asked the doctor if I can have a recording. She and Sage both laughed, but I was serious and waiting for the day that’ll be possible.
Next week, we’ll find out the sex. If we’ll be buying pink tutus or football jerseys. Who am I kidding? Either way, they’ll be wearing jerseys. I’ll teach them everything about sports.
“Do I look okay?” she asks me.
“More than okay. You’re perfect.” I kiss her head, then splay my fingers across her stomach, hoping to feel him or her kick. Each time is more of a rush than standing at the top of the Empire State Building. Better than the fucking Super Bowl.
Feeling my baby kick is the biggest high I’ve ever experienced.
“I can’t wait for them to meet you and tell them our news.”
“Me too.” She gives me a sweet peck.
I knock on the door, and after a few seconds, it swings open. My mom stands there, blinking rapidly. “Oh my God, sweetheart. You’re here.” She wraps me in a hug that reminds me of my childhood.
Of the love I felt.
I never went a day without her hugs. Without her hair tickling my nose. Without her sweet perfume.
“I told you we were coming.” I laugh under my breath as she lets go.
“Well, I’ve been waiting for this day for quite some time.” She hangs on to my arm as her gaze falls to Sage, and recognition flashes across her expression, although she’s still shocked. “Sage? My word, you’re absolutely stunning.”
“You’re very sweet. Thank you.” She leans forward to hug my mother.
“Come in, come in. Avril is upstairs, and I’ll call Mia to head over, and your father—Harry!” She searches down the hall and in the home office like he’s a lost dog. When she turns to us, she gushes, “You two… It brings me such joy seeing you two together, and I have to know everything. All the details of New York City. Your work. Everything.”
“What’s wrong?” My dad emerges into the living room, his shirt untucked with grease stains on the front.
“Our son’s home.” My mom stands to the side.
“Already?” His gaze locks on mine. “Aiden! Let me get a good look at you, son, because I don’t know if I recognize you anymore.” My dad comes around the couch and holds my arms out in exaggeration. He always does this when I come around, joking as if it’s the first time he’s seeing me. He studies me up and down like the time he checked me for broken bones after I fell off my four-wheeler. It was a few months after I’d broken my nose, so he was still wary of my body’s fragility.
“I can show you my ID if you want,” I tease, and he yanks me into a firm hug. “Hey, Dad.”
“It’s good to see you, son.” He pulls back and pats my shoulder. “It’s been too long, but I see you on the Internet a lot. Mia makes sure to keep me up to date with the Facebook and the YouTubes. I’m new to Twitter, but I’m getting good at it too.”
“I’m proud of you, especially since you didn’t know how to connect to Wi-Fi the last time I was here.”
“I’m changing with the times, I guess.” He shrugs, and his eyes shine. “I’m proud of you, Aiden. You’ve done us all proud with your new company.”
“Even though I’m not a lawyer?”
“Especially since you’re not a lawyer. I never wanted to tell you back then, but lawyers are a little too stiff for me. And their sense of humor? Nonexistent.” He twists his lips as my mom comes up beside him.
“Oh, you’re just saying that because you and Gerald had a fight on the golf course last week,” my mom ribs him, referring to one of three lawyers in town. “Now, sit, sit, while I get us some drinks.”
As she scurries to the kitchen, I turn to Sage, who’s remained quiet. “Dad, this is Sage.”
“Nice to finally meet you in person.” He goes to shake her hand but stops himself. “I just realized I’m filthy. Been working on the car all afternoon. I meant to get cleaned up before you got here, but it seems I lost track of time.” Holding his finger up, he backs away. “Let me get changed real fast, and then I want to hear everything. All the details. Everything,” he says, sounding eerily similar to my mom.
“It’s true what they say,” I whisper to Sage as we sit on the couch.
“Hmm?”
“Married couples do start to act and sound like each other after a while.” I nod toward the direction my dad disappeared.
She giggles, leaning into my side. “I already rock your plaid. Now, I just need to get the growls and curses down.”
“Doesn’t sound like me at all.”
She nudges me with her shoulder, shaking her head.
“Mia’s on her way, and Avril’s changing.” My mom re-enters the living room. “I hope you kids are hungry. I’m cooking a pot roast, and it’s almost done.”
“Sounds great. Do you need help with anything?” Sage offers.
“No, no.” My mom waves her hand, then takes a seat across from us.
After a few minutes of small talk, there’s a sound of a car pulling into the driveway, gravel crunching beneath the tires, followed by a door slamming shut.
“That was fast,” my mom says when Mia steps inside.
“I was already almost here when you called. It’s pot roast tonight.” Her gaze falls to Sage and me as we stand. Covering her mouth, she squeals. “Oh my God. Finally!”
I grunt when she practically tackles me and hug her back. “Good to see you, sis.”
“You too, big brother. It’s been too long.” She smacks my arm, then looks
behind me. “Sage?”
My parents and sisters have seen Sage on FaceTime a few times since we got together, so they recognize her.
But I’m ready to finally tell them the big news. We’ve only told our closest friends about the engagement and the baby. We’ve been waiting to tell my family in person before we post it on our social media.
Before I can scream it to everyone I know—and even people I don’t.
I wrap my arm around Sage’s shoulders and watch my mom over Mia’s head. She covers her mouth with shaking hands, and I nod. “I’d like you all to officially meet… my fiancée.”
The next few minutes consist of a series of screeches, cheers, and congratulations—and that’s before my dad and Avril join us.
“What? What did we miss?” Avril runs down the stairs.
“Our big brother’s getting married!” Mia holds Sage’s left hand up to show my little sister.
Over the next thirty minutes, they gush over Sage’s ring and the proposal story. We leave out the part about the baby, so we can tell them all together after we settle down. Too much excitement at once might make Mom’s heart burst, so I figured we could have dinner first.
As the sun sets, we finally sit at the dinner table. My stomach’s growling.
Sage giggles. “Heard that.”
“I need food.”
“I have plenty of it,” my mom chimes in, bringing a basket of hot rolls to the table.
Avril follows with the pot roast, and Sage hops up to help bring the rest.
“Put your phone away, honey. We’re eating.” My mom points to Mia once we’re all seated.
“I’m sorry. I had to tell Tanner about the wedding coming up.”
“Tanner, who?” I raise my eyebrow.
“My boyfriend.” Her eyes light up like she just remembered something. “We’re moving in together. He asked me last week. We have so much to celebrate.” She claps like she did as a cheerleader in high school.
Boyfriend?
Moving in?
What the hell?
I blink, the gears in my head turning. “You never said anything about this relationship being serious. Don’t I get to meet this Tanner first?”
“You know Tanner. You were on the football team together.” Mia waits for me to catch up.
And when I do, I wish I hadn’t.
I set my glass down for fear I might throw it against the wall.
My eyes bug out of my head like the cartoons she and I used to watch. “Tanner Gardner? Are you fu—” I stop myself, remembering I’m in my parents’ house. We’re at the dinner table. My mother will cut my tongue out if I curse right now, no matter how justified it would be. “You are not moving in with Tanner Gardner,” I warn my sister.
“Good thing I wasn’t asking your permission.” She cuts into her pot roast like the conversation is over.
“What’s wrong with Tanner, sweetie? He’s a nice young man,” my mom says, her eyes too innocent.
She wouldn’t say kind things about him if she knew Tanner slept with everything that walked when we were in high school. He broke as many hearts as he did rules, and I will not let my sister be added to his list.
“For starters, he’s five years older than you.” I scoff.
“So? Not like I’m fourteen anymore.”
“He’s no good for you. He’s a…”
“A what?” Mia challenges.
“A player. He had several girlfriends in high school—often, at once.”
She drops her fork, and the clink echoes as Sage rests her hand on my thigh. “I know who he was, but he’s changed.”
I scoff again, at a loss for words. I turn to my dad, hoping he’ll see reason. “A little help here?”
He finishes chewing, calm like we’re discussing the weather. “Listen, I shared your concerns too, son. But the more I got to know Tanner, I realized he’s a fine young man. He owns a business. He’s a hard worker with manners, and he cares a great deal about your sister.”
I grit my teeth, and Sage squeezes her fingers around my thigh.
“This is not dinner table talk, anyway,” my mom cuts in. “Let’s change the subject. Like Avril’s new major.”
“You changed it again?” I ask her, but my glare is still locked onto Mia. We’re not done, I mouth, but she rolls her eyes.
Avril wipes her mouth. “It’s only my third time, and it’s my last. I realized my heart wasn’t in psychology, so I thought about it and decided on creative writing.”
“Really?” Sage perks up, and I fight my smile. “I have a minor in it and write some poetry.”
Avril rests her elbows on either side of her plate, seemingly forgetting her food. “That’s amazing. I’d love to pick your brain and maybe read some of your poems?”
“Of course. I’ll do my best to answer any questions you have, and I’d love to share my poems with you. Actually…” Sage blushes, and I wrap my arm around her shoulders, nudging her to share another bit of news—we obviously have a lot of catching up to do. Phone calls haven’t been enough. I’ve missed a lot. “You’ll be able to read one of my poems online soon. It’s being published in an online magazine.”
“Oh my gosh,” Avril gushes, pulling on Sage’s arm. “Congratulations. I know how hard it is to get one accepted.”
“Oh yes, I got plenty of rejections before this. But it’s worth it not to give up.” She grins at me. “And I have your brother to thank.”
“I didn’t do anything. It was all you.” I stick my fork through a piece of meat and potato.
“He writes a little poetry himself.”
I drop my fork. “What did you just do?”
“Poetry? Really?” Mom’s eyes widen. “I couldn’t even get you to read a paragraph from your school homework, let alone write anything yourself.”
“I didn’t know you had it in you.” Mia looks at me with a suspicious twinkle in her eye.
Sage pats my leg. “He’s really very good. If he lets you read his work, you’ll see.”
“It’s hardly my ‘work’ when it’s only one poem, which was written in desperation to win you back.”
There’s a collective aww from the women at the table, and my dad nods as he chews, watching me with pride and respect.
It does something to me.
This whole dinner does.
We continue talking while we eat, and although most of what we share is news, it doesn’t feel like it’s been years since I visited.
We’re a family. One that immediately accepts Sage like she’s their own because that’s what the Baxters do—they’re welcoming. There’s a ton of room in their big hearts.
It’s special, and I’m proud to be one of them.
By the end of dinner, I already miss my family. Two more days with them won’t be enough.
Once the plates are cleared, Mom sets a peach cobbler in the middle of the table, and Avril brings a tub of vanilla ice cream to go with it.
“Wow, this smells heavenly.” Sage rubs her stomach, and I can practically see drool falling from her lips.
I lean down to whisper, “Let’s tell them.”
“Now?” she asks, and her gaze never leaves the dessert.
“I can’t wait anymore.”
“What’re you two whispering about?” Mia eyes us.
“Oh, honey, let them be. They’re in love.” Mom smiles as she places a big helping of pie onto a plate and sets it in front of Sage, then does the same for me.
Once everyone has a piece and is settled, I push my cobbler around as the ice cream melts on top of it. “We have one more piece of news to share.”
Sage sets her fork down, waiting for me to go on.
I place my hand on her stomach and tell my family, “We’re also expecting.”
“Oh my God!”
“That’s great news!”
“Oh my God!”
“Congratulations!”
More shrieks sound around the table as my mom throws her chair back and comes aroun
d the table to hug us both. “You’ve made me so happy.”
She kisses the side of my head, then does the same to Sage.
Our dessert waits while we get in more rounds of hugs, and we resume as they ask us how far along Sage is and when we’ll know the sex. What we’ll name the baby.
At one point, I look to my dad, who beams. He has the same loving gleam in his eyes he gets when I do something he’s proud of.
When I played football.
When I graduated college with honors.
When I moved to New York to take a chance on myself.
He always encourages me and makes sure I know he’s proud of all my accomplishments.
I know I’ll be a damn good father because of the example he’s set.
When the time comes, when I’m in need of advice for fatherhood, I’ll go to him. He’ll be there for me, as will the rest of them.
As I sit back, my heart as full as my stomach, I feel at peace.
Whole.
Happy.
Epilogue
SAGE
I interlock my trembling fingers around my belly and hold him.
He brings me calm and peace. Like he’s saying everything will be okay.
Aiden and I found out we’re having a baby boy. In the doctor’s office, Aiden held my hand and kissed my lips and provided unwavering support as we went for our checkup.
Aiden’s been strong these last few months.
When I was constantly throwing up, he was there to bring me water and rub my back.
When my feet hurt, he massages them.
And when he tells me he loves me, my world brightens.
“How’s it going in there?” Naomi’s voice rings out.
I open the bathroom door and step into the dressing room.
She brings her hands to her mouth. “You look amazing. Absolutely radiant.”
“That’s the sweat from being seven months pregnant.” I laugh and smooth my ivory chiffon dress that brushes across my bare toes along the floor. I hold it up as I move to stand in front of the mirror and straighten the flower crown on my head, feeling like a boho princess.
I’m swollen all over, and I’ve never felt more beautiful. More blessed.
Unbreakable: A Salvation Society Novel Page 28
