“No...I swear. Listen, I never meant to fall in love with you. It wasn't some devious plan. This whole thing with Peyton wasn't a plan of revenge. That was her thing. I just wanted to get to know her and my sister. Then me and you grew close. She treated you like fucking shit, and you were there. I fell in love with you because you’re amazing and you saw me for who I was. Sure, I think in the beginning, the thrill of our relationship had this hot element of taboo.”
“Like you calling me Daddy in bed?” Her cheeks turn beet red. “Did you only call me that because...you know…”
“Really? No. I called you that because you have a beard, you’re old, and you have a child…you’re a daddy…Daddy. Come on, why else; because it’s hot.”
Oh, it is hot. It just may be a bit before she calls me Daddy again.
Like—when my divorce is officially final, and she no longer is—you know.
“I had started to see the similarities…” She cringes. “Just in your eyes and some minor expressions.”
“Is that going to bother you? I mean, added to me being related to Peyton?”
“It's going to be one hell of an adjustment. You really are now one delectable forbidden treat, rolled into one. Not only are you Peyton's…” I leave the words hanging because, at this point, Peyton is not a mother. “You're Georgia’s sister.”
“Half-sister.”
“That only helps a little.”
“It’s what I’m most scared about when she finds out.”
“Like I said, let’s not think about that all right now. Georgia has adored you since she has been almost three years old. You spent nearly every day with her. More than her own mother. She loves you. I love you. We're a family…just a little more complicated and confusing now.”
“I love you. I really really…”
I cup her face and crash my lips to hers, hushing her. She doesn't have to plead her case with me. I know how she feels. It's in her kiss alone.
The tension in her body fades as she moans against my mouth. My dick grows, and I need to stop before I end up with a case of blue balls. “We need to stop.”
She frowns, but it's quickly replaced by a smile when I adjust myself.
“I'm glad to know I still affect you, even though I'm sure I look like a major disaster.”
“You look perfect to me.” She blushes, and I run my hand down her face. “Now is there anything else you need to tell me? If you have any other secrets that I need to know, this is the time.”
She's quiet for a second and chews on her bottom lip, looking guilty. “There is one thing.”
“What?”
“I cheated on my math test in your class once off Riley Hoss’ paper because I didn’t study.”
I groan. “That's not what I'm talking about.”
“Oh, well you said secrets and that one has been gnawing at me for almost two years.” She gives me a cheeky smile. “Then, no. I don't think I have any more skeletons in my closet.”
“Good.” I don't think I can handle any more crazy secrets. “Now come here.” I take her face in my hand and kiss her gently.
There's a heavy knock on the door right before it cracks open, pulling us apart. A bald head peeks in, “Miss Anderson?”
“Yes.” Lola clears her throat, her face flushed pink from our kiss.
“I'm Doctor Monroe. I'm the OB, I saw you earlier when you came in. I'm glad to see you awake.”
“It's good to be awake.”
“I bet,” he chuckles. “Now, how would you like to see your baby?”
“The baby is okay? My mom said…”
“He or she is doing great. You have a strong little person on your hands. Determined to be here.” The doctor grins.
My hand touches her stomach. “I'd say.” Our baby is safe. Georgia and Lola are both safe and that's all that matters now.
This has been one crazy adventure.
Never did I expect falling for my teenage babysitter would turn my whole life upside down, maybe quite literally. That her forbiddenness would be even wilder than I could imagine.
I should be running. I should be out the door with the secrets she kept, but the thing is, I can't leave her. I'm hooked and under her damn spell. There is no turning back.
We're a family…in one of the damndest, weirdest ways, but we're still family, and I couldn't stop loving Lola if I tried. She brought me back to life, she made me whole and if I'm honest that outweighs all the crazy.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
PEYTON
2 months later
White walls are now my prison. I’ll be spending my next twenty years in this hell hole. They said I had a Psychotic break, so they trapped me in here in this prison hospital.
Twenty years of white walls and thin mattresses.
Every day they shove my meds down my throat. The voices are gone, and I've seen the light of my mistakes…
Well, somewhat.
I don’t deserve this life sentence they gave me.
My head leans against the bare wall, and I gaze out the tiny window—the only window I have in my six by six box of doom.
Dark clouds roll in, a storm is beginning to brew outside. It's going to be a nasty one.
When it rains, I think of Dean.
How perfect we could've been.
But I also think of her.
Lola
My daughter has been my own personal hurricane. She came into my life…unwanted…and destroyed me in her path.
I've officially lost everything.
My life is over.
There is no picking up the pieces of the storm that trampled my life.
EPILOGUE
LOLA
“I think she looks like me,” Georgia says, running her finger down her new baby sister’s cheek.
“I think so, too, especially with all the blonde hair.”
Faith Harper Goodwin was born four hours ago with a head full of blonde hair, at six pounds three ounces.
She's absolutely perfect, and proof Dean's genes are dominant as hell. She looks every bit like him, even still wrinkled and puffy.
This had been a crazy pregnancy. From being drugged, to being stabbed and then having issues with my insulin, I'm blessed this tiny girl in my arms came out with no issues, right on her due date. Faith was determined to come into this world, and I’ve never felt so lucky to now be holding her in my arms.
Peyton didn't win.
She couldn't take away this part of me.
“Why are you crying?” Dean wipes away my fallen tears with his thumb as he searches my eyes for answers.
“Hormones, I think. But also knowing she's okay.”
Dean smiles and leans over to kiss me. His kiss is soft and short, but it conveys every ounce of his love for me.
“Ewww,” Georgia says with a giggle. She loves to give us a hard time about our “mushy” moments every time she catches us. We just kiss again to tune her out.
I'm just glad she's smiling and still the same happy-go-lucky child she's always been.
After the events with Peyton, we, plus a psychologist helped explain that her mom is sick and away at the hospital getting better. Georgia knows something happened between us, that I got hurt, and it's why she had to go. She took the news better than expected and hasn't had too many questions. We figured as she got older if she wanted to know the truth we'd tell her, but for now, she's doing just fine.
Well, we haven't decided when we would tell her I'm her sister and her step-mom. Or maybe just that her new little sister is also her niece. Either which way you slice it, that's just too much information right now.
“So where’s my newest granddaughter?” My mom comes into the room, holding a small pink elephant. My dad is right behind her carrying a bunch of balloons that say, “It’s a girl,” and “Congratulations.”
“She’s right here. Eager to meet her grandma and grandpa.”
As my mom gushes over Faith, my eyes glance over to Dean and my dad huddled in the corner ta
lking. With smiles on their faces.
I didn’t think I was going to see this. Ever.
When my dad came back from Afghanistan, and he found out about Dean and me and the baby, he flipped, just as we knew he would. I remember the day vividly, all the yelling and the tears. Days later, my dad’s fist connected with Dean’s face.
Five months ago...
“I don’t get why Dad had to talk to him in private,” I say to my mom who is watching me walk the same path in her living room—over and over again for the last thirty minutes.
When Dad came home three days ago and saw me and my four-month pregnant belly, he lost his lid. Then add to what happened with Peyton, yeah, I swear I saw his head spin.
My mom didn’t tell him about Dean and me while he was gone because she didn’t want him freaking out or call over a hit. I think she was joking about the latter, then again, Dad does know a lot of military trained men.
He was not happy with the news in the least. He wouldn’t even talk to me for me to explain how much I love Dean. It's been killing me to get the cold shoulder from my dad. I haven't seen him in a year, and all I want to do is hug him and tell him everything that's been going on.
I haven't been able to sleep for days.
My mom says she’s been trying to butter him up about us. She says the only reason she accepted us is because she saw that we were in love with each other. Keeping us apart would only make everything worse.
Dad isn’t getting the vibes.
Now, days later, he has requested Dean’s presence.
“You know how your dad can be. He’s protective of both you girls. He just wants to make sure Dean has the right interest in you.”
“Interest. Really? Didn’t you tell him how good Dean is to me.”
“I did. But I think the whole thing with Peyton has him spooked. Dean was still a married man when you started dating.”
“They were separated,” I mumble, and my mom narrows her eyes at me.
“I know that, but your dad needs peace of mind. This is all new for him.”
“We should’ve told him months ago. Given him time to cool down.” I groan, and I’m tempted to storm into the office. “What the hell are they talking about in there!”
“You need to chill, sweetie. It'll be fine.”
Twenty minutes later, Dean and my dad appear again. But now Dean is sporting a large bruise forming on the side of his face. I run over to him and touch his cheek. “Dad! How could you?”
“It’s okay,” Dean hushes, kissing my forehead. “I would’ve done the same if it was one of our daughters.”
“No. It’s not okay.” I turn to glare at my dad who shrugs.
“He’s a big boy, Lola. He should be glad that’s all I did. Not for just dating you, but for knocking you up.”
I roll my eyes. “Is this how it’s going to be? You hitting him every time you see him.”
I'm so glad that Georgia is at our house with Jasmine. I would hate for her to see this.
“No. I feel better now,” he chuckles.
“Lo, it’s fine.” Dean rubs my back. “Now I need you to come with me.”
“What? Now? I’m not done yelling at my dad about his what he’s done to your face.”
My dad walks up to us, still laughing it up, and puts his hand on my shoulders. “I’m sorry, but you will soon understand where I'm coming from.” His eyes dart to my stomach then back at me. “Now go on, we can talk later.”
“You’re not mad at me anymore?” I grin, and he pulls me into a hug.
“I was never mad, just worried. Now I have answers, I don’t feel so worried anymore.”
After saying our goodbyes, which had been hard, because I still want to know everything that had been said, Dean and I make our way to his car.
“Get in, baby.” Dean opens the passenger door, and I eye him up and down wondering what the hell he's up to.
“Where are we going?”
“You’ll see.” He smirks and nudges me inside the car.
I sit and swing the seat belt over my body as Dean gets in the driver seat. “I thought we weren't to keep secrets from each other,” I huff, pretending to be upset.
He squints at me, making his whole forehead wrinkle, and I'm trying not to giggle at his annoyance with me. “This is a surprise. It's different.”
“I meant with what you and my dad were talking about.” Okay, I just want to know where we are going, but maybe I can get this out of him too.
“You'll see.” He gives me the biggest smile, a smile I haven’t seen in a long while. God, he's so fucking handsome when he smiles, and it warms my entire body seeing him this happy. Whatever this all is…it's big.
We drive for about twenty minutes down a long windy road, crossing a bunch of farmland. Once you're out of little old Wilmington…there's nothing. And I mean nothing but grass and cornfields till you make it to the next big city.
He pulls onto a long dirt road and approaches a cute little farmhouse. It looks as if it's been remodeled recently. The whole outside has new siding and white paint.
“Whose house is this?”
He gives me a cheeky grin as he turns off the engine. “Ours.”
My mouth drops open, and I look at him then back at the house, then back at him. “Wh—hat?” I stutter. “Did you say ours?”
“I did. I thought we needed something that could be our own. Away from all the old memories. I know living there has been hard for you.”
I sink my teeth into my lower lip and nod. It has been hard. I've been living there since I got out of the hospital. Dean didn't want to wait till the divorce had been final, and demanded I stay with him because he needed me with him all the time. I wanted the same. He had gotten new carpet and fresh paint to cover up what happened, but it didn't help the memories. Every time I enter the kitchen, I can't unsee Peyton holding me against the wall, her hand around my neck, and the look of evil on her eyes.
“Just a little.” I pinch my fingers apart just a smidgen to show him how much, but it really is arms wide of discomfort.
Dean grabs my hand and puts it to his lips. “Come. I want to show you the place.”
He gets out of the car, coming to my side to help me out. Taking my hand, we walk up to the covered front porch with a white swing that faces the massive green lawn. He opens the door for me and we enter into a large open foyer, with beautiful oak hardwood floors, and a dazzling chandelier hanging in the middle. “When I saw this house, I knew right away you would love it.”
“I do,” I whisper in amazement as he leads me to a huge farm kitchen with butcher block countertops, a double oven, and an eight-burner stove.
This will be a dream to cook in. But this place had to cost a fortune.
“Wait, how can we afford this?”
“I sold the house,” he says simply, and my jaw drops open again.
He what? He loves his house. It had been the whole reason he moved back to Wilmington.
“But it was your grandparents’ house. Dean, I would be fine there.”
“My grandparents left it for me because I was their only grandchild. They wanted to make sure I had a roof over my head. I know them, and they wouldn't want us to stay in a place that causes so much pain. You're my entire life, along with Georgia and this baby, I want you all happy.”
I don't hesitate before jumping into his arms and kissing his face all over. “I love you, I love you,” I say between kisses.
“I love you too, now let me show you the rest.”
Dean guides me around the house, showing me our room and three other bedrooms. I can already see Georgia and our baby running around these halls, laughing.
Everything is really going to be alright.
After we walk every inch of the house, he takes me out back where I'm taken by surprise once again. The back porch is covered in flowers. There are lilies, roses, tulips, you name it, it's probably here, in an array of reds, whites, and purples.
“Dean, did you do all thi
s?” I spin around to look at him, and all the air leaves my lungs. Tears prickle in the corner of my eyes, and my legs go wobbly at the sight now in front of me. Dean is down on one knee, holding a diamond ring.
Someone pinch me because I must be dreaming.
Dean takes my shaky hand and kisses it. “Lola, you are the love of my life. When I thought things were lost in the love department, you were there always re-gluing the pieces and keeping me whole. I've known for the longest time I wanted to spend my life with you. So, Miss Lola Anderson, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
“Yes, yes, yes.” I squeal. The excitement bubbling inside of me to where I think I might burst.
He slips the ring on my finger then stands to his feet, swooping me into his arms to seal the deal.
He carries me inside to our empty living room where we make love.
I'm just kidding, the man fucks me raw, making my screams echo off the walls.
My knees and back will be sore with rug burns for days.
But it was worth it.
“I still feel like I'm dreaming,” I murmur into his chiseled chest as he plays with my hair.
“This is what I had been talking to your dad about,” he admits. “After he slugged me, I told him how much I love you, and I asked for permission to marry you.”
“You asked permission?” I sit up and stare down at him in shock.
He asked my father, the man who wanted him dead only days ago, permission?
Holy shit, I think I'm swooning, with butterflies shooting out of my stomach. And I’m also amazed my dad didn't kill him.
“I thought I'd be nice and tell him what I had planned. He needed to know I was serious about you. That you’re not some fantasy I'm trying conquer.”
“I don't mind living up to your fantasies.” I purr, tracing my fingers down his chest. “You know, I've been a bad, bad girl, Mr. Goodwin.”
He grabs me by the hips and pins me to the soft carpet underneath me.
Present time...
I glance down at my wedding rings. The diamonds flicker and shine under the fluorescent light above me. I smile, remembering our little wedding in the backyard of our new house. It was a simple affair, with only twenty of our closest family and friends. I might have been seven months pregnant, my belly large and round in my wedding dress, but I felt like a princess on one of the biggest days of my life.
Perfect Storm Page 17
