by Vi Keeland
She reached her little hand over to his face and began to examine his features. It was adorable when she said, “I always thought I knew you from somewhere.”
“Yeah. From the moment we met, right? That’s because we’re connected.” Graham smiled.
“You’re really my dad?”
“I am,” he whispered, his voice shaky.
“Wow.” Chloe stayed still for a moment as she processed everything. Then, without warning, she leapt into his arms. Graham closed his eyes, looking so happy and relieved.
I just sat back and enjoyed the sight of them hugging tightly. Chloe’s reaction confirmed that we’d made the right decision to tell her tonight. Genevieve had originally given us trouble about it. She wanted to be here, but Graham promised to sit down with the two of them after he dropped Chloe back home later.
There was a reason for the timing of this conversation.
When Graham flashed me a questioning look over Chloe’s shoulder, I nodded, giving him silent approval to give her the other piece of news.
“So, Soraya and I sort of have something else to tell you.”
Her eyes widened with excitement. “You’re taking me to Disney World?”
“No.” He chuckled. “But we’ll go there someday, alright?”
I chimed in, “You know how you always said you wished you had a brother or sister?”
“Yeah?”
Graham placed his arm around me. “Well…that’s about to happen. Soraya and I are having a baby. That means you’re going to be a big sister.”
At first, Chloe didn’t say anything, but when she started to jump up and down for joy in her seat, Graham and I let out a collective sigh of relief. She got out of her seat and walked over to me. “Where is it?”
“It’s in here.” I pointed to my belly as she placed her hand on it.”
“Is it going to come out with pink hair?”
I laughed. “No. But we’ll find out who he or she looks like in six months.”
She started to speak into my stomach. “Hey, in there! I’m your sister.” Graham and I looked at each other and smiled. When Chloe looked up at me, I nearly lost it myself when she said, “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for being so sweet to me.” The truth was, if Graham’s daughter hadn’t opened her heart to me, I didn’t know that he and I could have lasted. Her innate goodness made that possible.
The waitress came by and asked, “Is everything okay over here?”
Chloe proudly exclaimed, “Yes. I’m gonna be a big sister, and I have two dads. I’m gay!”
She clearly misunderstood what Genevieve had explained about her classmate’s parents, interpreting it to mean that any person with two dads is automatically gay. We’d have to explain it to her later.
The waitress thought it was adorable.
Graham interjected, “You know, the word gay means happy.”
Chloe smiled with her head still on my belly. “Then, I’m very, very gay.”
***
GRAHAM
SEVEN MONTHS LATER
Dear Ida,
It’s been a while since I’ve written to you. You might remember me as Stuck-Up Suit, Celibate in Manhattan, Fucked in Manhattan and Fifty Shades of Morgan. Same guy. Well, tonight, I’m happy to say I’ve earned a new name: Poopface in Manhattan. That’s right. I just looked at myself in the bathroom mirror and noticed that I literally have shit on my forehead. Don’t ask me how it got there. You know what the funny thing is? I’ve never been happier in my life. That’s right. This guy with shit on his face is deliriously happy! That realization prompted this message. You remember that smart-mouthed girl I met on the train—the one I used to write in about? Her name is Soraya. I knocked her up. Can you believe it? She gave birth to my son a month ago. I’ve trapped her forever, and now she’s producing little dark-haired, Italian Morgans. I have a son, Ida. A son! Thus, the shit on my forehead right now. Pretty sure it’s from when I changed his diaper a little while ago. Yes, the poop is still there. I haven’t wiped it off yet because…have I mentioned…I’m deliriously happy? I haven’t gotten sleep in six days. SIX DAYS, Ida! I didn’t even know humans could survive on no sleep, but apparently you can! I’m proof. You know why it’s all good? Because I’m DELIRIOUSLY HAPPY. On no sleep. There’s one thing, though, that my life is missing. See, Soraya won’t let me make her an honest woman. She thinks she has to lose all this baby weight, fit into a fancy, white dress and walk down an aisle. Our date is set for six months from now, but I just can’t wait another day. I want her to be my wife. I know we don’t need a piece of paper to validate what we have, but I’m selfish. I want it all because I love her so much. So, my question to you is…what can I do to convince her to marry me tomorrow?
--Poopface in Manhattan
I pressed send, and Soraya’s phone chimed. I watched as she read the message I’d just sent—not to Ida’s email account—but directly to her.
She was sitting right next to me in bed with her big, beautiful tits hanging out as she fed our son, Lorenzo.
Lucky kid. He’s doing what I’d like to be doing right now.
She laughed to herself then typed away on her phone for a while before hitting send.
My phone vibrated.
Dear Poopface,
Perhaps a better name for you would be Sleepless in Manhattan because from the sound of your rambling message…you are wired. I think while you are “deliriously happy,” your son keeping you awake is turning you into part zombie, part spaz. By the way, no one has ever looked sexier with shit on their face, but please wipe it off. That said, you are officially the best father in the world to our children, Chloe and Lorenzo. That poop on your forehead right now is just another example of that. I’ve never loved you more. I’m starting to realize that if making it legal means that much to you, then it’s the least I could do to thank you. I say tomorrow we head down to city hall and make me a Morgan.
Love always, Mrs. Morgan in Manhattan.
P.S. We’ll take the train.
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to all the amazing bloggers who have supported our collaborations. Without your posts, reviews, and deep love of books, our success would not have been possible. We are forever grateful for everything you do to bring new readers to us every day.
To Julie – The third musketeer. Thank you for your support and friendship.
To Elaine – Thank you for your attention to detail in making sure Stuck-Up Suit was nice and clean. Ida wouldn’t have been happy with typos.
To Luna – We can’t wait to see Graham and Soraya come alive through your imagination.
To Lisa – For organizing the release and all of your support.
To Letitia – For the beautiful cover that IS Graham J. Morgan.
To our agents, Kimberly Brower and Mark Gottlieb – For making sure people hear and see our stories in so many different places!
To our readers – Thank you for following along on our crazy ride. You never know when and where you’ll meet your true love—a rest stop, a train ride…we can’t wait to bring you more chance encounters. Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm for our books! We would be nothing without you!
Much love Vi & Penelope
OTHER BOOKS BY VI KEELAND
Life on Stage series (2 standalone books)
Beat
Throb
MMA Fighter series (3 standalone books)
Worth the Fight
Worth the Chance
Worth Forgiving
The Cole Series (2 book serial)
Belong to You
Made for You
Standalone novels
The Baller
Cocky Bastard (Co-written with Penelope Ward)
Left Behind (A Young Adult Novel)
First Thing I See
OTHER BOOKS BY PENELOPE WARD
RoomHate
Sins of Sevin
Cocky Bastard (Co-writ
ten with Vi Keeland)
Stepbrother Dearest
Jake Undone (Jake #1)
My Skylar
Jake Understood (Jake #2)
Gemini
