The Secrets Between Us (Billionaire CEO Romance)
Page 25
I dug under the counter and found two more keys, laying them out for Hayes in case I was nursing when the rest of his family arrived. I wandered to the window and noted the snow was falling softly again, a sight that was completely different out here than it was in the city. In the city, the flakes always fell quickly and turned dirty the moment they touched the ground. Here, the flakes meandered to the ground and stayed stark white as they built up across the lake.
“Let’s find your momma so you can eat,” Hayes cooed as he carried the baby into the store.
He rested my sweet bundle in my arm, Justice wrapping around her leg with the clack of plastic I’d come to treasure. The Justice Project had taken off and with my input, we were able to develop a soft socket that allowed what was left of the two bones in my arm to rotate and work the hand, something traditional hard prosthetic sockets never allowed. Was it perfect? No, but we were still in the prototype phase and each one improved by leaps and bounds.
I smoothed her dress and kissed her forehead. “Hey, baby girl. Did Daddy change you?”
He caressed his daughter’s cheek before he kissed her head. “He sure did. She’s all changed and now she’s ready to eat, which is perfect timing. Hayes will be full when it’s time for her mom to eat.”
She sucked on her fist hungrily and I rocked her gently. “She’s such a blessing,” I whispered, smoothing her Mrs. Santa Claus dress.
Hayes kissed my lips tenderly for a moment, his hand under her butt in a gesture of protectiveness. “We are beyond blessed, Mercy. She’s going to be the best architect yet in this family. Even better than her daddy,” he cooed, tickling her belly.
I shook my head at his insistence she’d be an architect. “Maybe she’ll want to be a lawyer like her grandma,” I suggested, walking toward the living room to sit with her.
“She can’t be,” he insisted, adjusting the pillow under my arm so I could feed her. “She’s Hayes Rutherford the Fifth and that carries with it a very specific requirement,” he insisted, winking.
Hayes latched on and nursed hungrily, her little fist patting my chest as she suckled. I wasn’t convinced in the beginning when he suggested we name her Hayes Rutherford the Fifth, but the more I thought about it, the more I agreed with him. He said it was time for a change to the lineage. In his life, every strong figure that had ever loved, supported, and truly encouraged him without ulterior motives, had been a woman. He wanted his daughter to be the next strong woman in his life. “Maybe we should let her try cereal and potty training before we worry about her future career.”
He sat next to me and rubbed my neck tenderly. “I think we can do that. You know I’m kidding, right? She can be anything she wants to be. I’m just so damn proud to have her, and you,” he said, kissing my lips.
I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. “And I’m so damn lucky to have you both,” I whispered, my heart overflowing with love I never expected, but now knew I deserved.
Hayes
The living room was bustling with people, and if I thought the Rutherford home was packed and loud, I had never experienced Christmas Eve with them all in cabin zero. The rooms echoed with laughter and song, the fire crackled, and the kids yelled happily. We had decorated the tree and snacked on cookies and cocoa, but before the night ended, I had something to show everyone. I set the screen up and called them out into the store. Footsteps came running and they skidded to a stop in their stocking feet, their mouths hanging open when they noticed the large screen covering the bubbling bait tanks.
“Now that dinner is done and the tree is decorated, I have one last thing to show you before you head home,” I explained. “I know Santa is coming and the little ones better not be awake when he shows up, but this is important. We all know how far the Justice Project has come over the last year. We’ve been inundated with requests from prosthetic companies for hands and braces, so much so we can barely keep up. What you don’t know is that Ange and Caleb weren’t just relaxing in the sun this past month. They were on a specific mission for the Justice Project. That’s why, when I got this email a few hours ago, I thought it was fitting that I share it with you all tonight.” I hit the button on the computer and put my arm around Mercy.
A face filled the screen and everyone glanced at each other, only a few of us aware of who it was. “Hello, Hayes. I wanted to let you know I’ve looked over your project and your parameters. From what I can see, the Justice Project is moving along nicely. I believe that with a little help you could take this project to the poorest parts of our world and improve the quality of life for millions of amputees. When the holidays are over, I’ll be sending you two of my best prosthetists. They will carry with them our research on upper arm amputees, and the usefulness of 3D prostheses in underdeveloped countries. Your project will be fully funded by our foundation and the travel size equipment you need will be donated. Once the holidays are over, we’ll be in touch with your people. On a side note, you can thank the inspiration behind the Justice Project for getting us onboard. It was her compelling testimony regarding how the hand has changed her life after the birth of your daughter that sold me on your vision. Thank you for sharing your project, goals, and dreams with us. We’re always looking for ways to improve the lives of amputees around the world and we’re thrilled to have you on our team.”
The video went black and the room broke out in applause. My mom’s eyes brimmed with tears while she gazed at her granddaughter in her arms. She always said each new generation of Rutherfords found a way to make the world a better place. I found pride, satisfaction, relief, and success in knowing she thought I’d done the same.
I kissed Mercy’s forehead and she gazed up at me, her own eyes filled with tears. “I can’t believe the largest prosthetic company in the world is funding our project,” she whispered. “Hayes, do you know what this means?”
I grinned, unable to control the blooming joy in my heart. I settled my lips on hers for a brief moment before I answered. “It means you’ve accomplished your goal. Justice is no longer about punishment.”
“It’s about righteousness,” she whispered.
I kissed her lips and accepted my daughter from my mother, cradling her in my arm. I gazed down at my namesake and I had no doubt our past, but more importantly our future, was about none of that.
It was about pain.
It was about trust.
It was about faith.
It was about secrets.
It was about joy.
It was about new life.
“But most of all,” I promised, kissing my daughter and then my wife, “all of this. Every last part of it, is about mercy.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Katie Mettner writes small-town romantic tales filled with epic love stories and happily-ever-afters. She proudly wears the title of 'only person to lose her leg after falling down the bunny hill' and loves decorating her prosthetic with the latest fashion trends. She lives in Northern Wisconsin with her own happily-ever-after and three mini-mes. Katie has a massive addiction to coffee and Twitter, and a lessening aversion to Pinterest — now that she’s quit trying to make the things she pins.
OTHER BOOKS BY KATIE METTNER
Katie Mettner has over thirty-six romance and romantic suspense novels available on Amazon. She would love for you to stay in touch with her! You can sign up for her newsletter where you’ll get a free book download immediately and be alerted to all of her book news ahead of everyone else! You can also join her reader’s group on Facebook for fun recipes and book discussions!
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